Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

For nine years, Valerie (not her real name) was prescribed and took Reglan (metoclopramide) to control her acid reflux. The drug was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the 1980s to treat various digestive tract conditions such as severe heartburn and gastroparesis, or the delayed emptying of the stomach contents. As the drug became more widely prescribed, the FDA began receiving reports that the drug may cause a neurological disorder. Despite the warning signs, it took the FDA almost 30 years to investigate and act.

Read the rest of this entry »

A New Jersey judge is calling for a statewide consolidation of all lawsuits filed against the makers of the heartburn medication Reglan that involve claims that the drug caused a serious and debilitating movement disorder known as Tardive Dyskinesia. Judge Eugene J. Codey, Jr., of the Essex County Superior Court, filed the request arguing that the New Jersey court system could better handle the mounting number of lawsuits if they were all centralized in one court. The primary defendant in the lawsuits, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, is headquartered in New Jersey.

Read the rest of this entry »

Melissa Kotlen Nagin is not a fan of the prescription drug Reglan, especially to stimulate milk production in breast feeding mothers. Nagan, a mother of three, is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and Registered Lactation Consultant who maintains an active private practice, teaches prenatal breastfeeding classes in New York City, and lectures on lactation topics at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. She has assisted hundreds of women on breastfeeding issues in the past eight years. Lately, she has fielded numerous questions from her clients about how to increase milk supply. She says, “For the majority, aside from increasing stimulation, we talk about going the herbal route; for a smattering, we chat about Domperidone. For NONE do I discuss Reglan.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Researchers from the North Alabama Research Center based in Athens, Ala., are looking for people to participate in clinical trials for a potential new medication to treat gastrointestinal disease, also known as GERD. Persons age 18 to 70 who are still suffering from symptoms of GERD despite treatment with prescription medications are welcome to participate in the clinical trial. Participants must live within 50 miles of the clinic. Those interested can sign up at the Clinical Connection Web site here.

Read the rest of this entry »

Sufferers of gastroesophageal reflux disease, also known as GERD, often experience symptoms such as heartburn and a sour taste in the mouth. But nearly half of all people with GERD have no symptoms except a chronic cough.

Most people dismiss the idea that they even have the acid reflux condition because they have none of the classic symptoms, but many sufferers of chronic cough may find relief when treating themselves for GERD.

Read the rest of this entry »

In the February 1996 issue of the drug newsletter Worst Pills, Best Pills News, a story was published by the Health Research Group of Public Citizen warning that a drug commonly prescribed for heartburn and slow emptying of the stomach contents, a condition known as gastroparesis, could cause a serious movement disorder known as Tardive Dyskinesia. The condition could cause permanent disability in users, according to the report.

However, it took more than a decade for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to place a black box warning on the medication, Reglan. A black box warning is the strongest warning issued by the FDA and is placed on drugs that have potentially harmful or deadly side effects. Meanwhile, the drug was dispensed 6.5 million times in 2008 to an estimated 2 million Americans.

Read the rest of this entry »

A team of researchers renowned for their work in colon cancer believe they may have found a better treatment for Barrett’s esophagus and esophageal cancer based on findings from their colon cancer research, according to Science Daily.

Read the rest of this entry »

Millions of people turn to medication to treat the annoying and painful symptoms of heartburn. But doctors say that people who use medications to treat their symptoms should use them with caution and limit use if at all possible.

Read the rest of this entry »

Swiss biotech group Addex Pharmaceuticals announced that its lead drug candidate met expectations in a mid-stage clinical trial in heartburn, setting the company up for a lucrative partnership with a bigger drug maker that would provide much-needed funds for the startup company.

Read the rest of this entry »

Findings from a new study on the causes of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may lead to new way of treating the condition. According to a team of researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, GERD, which causes painful chest pain and heartburn, may be caused by immune system cells causing inflammation. The study showed that gastroesophageal reflux in rats causes tissue in the esophagus to release immune chemicals called cytokines. Those cytokines attract inflammatory cells that cause the uncomfortable symptoms associated with heartburn and GERD.

Read the rest of this entry »