Are you gambling on drugs?

by G-Rob

Because the only people who watch the evening news are either very very old or very very geeky (like me) most of the ads are for drugs.

For the record, that's one of many reasons why the American healthcare system is a complete failure.

Anyway, one of the ads was for a drug called "REQUIP" which treats the recently invented disorder "restless leg syndrome".

The fast talk side effects got my attention. It said, "If you have gambling....or other compulsive urges...see a doctor".

WHHAAAAAT?

TURNS OUT there is a class action lawsuit against the makers of ReQuip. Check this out:

"2005 Mayo Clinic Report
In a July 2005 report published in the Archives of Neurology, Mayo Clinic researchers documented behavior that supported earlier observations linking dopamine agonist drugs with gambling addiction and compulsive behaviors. The report detailed 11 Parkinson's patients who developed gambling problems while taking Mirapex or similar drugs between 2002 and 2004. Doctors have since identified 14 additional Mayo Clinic patients with the problem."

Just thought you folks would find that interesting.

In fact, here's the warning from the official ReQuip website:

"Some patients taking repinirole (ReQuip) have shown urges to behave in a way unusual for them. Examples of this are an unusual urge to gamble or increased sexual urges... Hallucinations have been reported in people taking Reuip"

So, you'll chase a flush... that isn't there... and you may molest the guy next to you... but at least your legs won't twitch while you sleep.

Which is nice...

| G-Rob's Thoughts