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NEW PARKINSON’S DRUG
NEW PARKINSON’S DRUG
ANCHOR LEAD : THE FDA HAS JUST APPROVED A NEW MEDICATION FOR PARKINSON’S DISEASE, ELIZABETH TRACEY REPORTS
A new medication called rasagiline, or Azilect, has been approved for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, the progressive neurodegenerative disease that afflicts millions of people in the US alone. The drug helps allow dopamine, a chemical certain nerve cells use to communicate with each other, to persist, rather than being broken down quickly. Ted Dawson, a Parkinson’s disease expert, comments on the high level of media attention the drug is receiving.
DAWSON: I guess the reason there’s been hype around it is this is the newest generation of monoamine oxidase b inhibitors, and this inhibitor isn’t metabolized to methamphetamine, so it will take the place of selegiline, which is the current MAOb inhibitor for Parkinson’s disease. The other reason there’s hype is that published studies would suggest that rasagiline may slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease. :28
Dawson recommends asking your doctor if rasagiline is right for you. I’m Elizabeth Tracey reporting.
