Drug Recalled for Poor Clinical Performance

Summary: Drug-maker UCB has begun recalling batches of its Parkinson's drug Neupro, but not due to contamination or toxicity. The company says the clinical performance of some product on the market was not up to standard. As a result of the recall, pharmacies in the U.S. may be out-of-stock of Neupro in late April.

Comment: Patients should not discontinuing Neupro because of the recall. The product is safe to use. However, because the defective batches may not be as effective as they should be, and because the product will be out-of-stock soon, patients should talk to their doctor about whether they need to alter their regimen.

Read article - Reuters. March 20, 2008.