According to recent reports, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning on the use of TEVA-manufactured generic drug for acid reflux, lansoprazole. The FDA recommends "patients using the orally disintegrating tablet (ODT) form of lansoprazole via oral syringes or feeding tubes not take the version manufactured by Israel-based Teva" due to some clogging problems.
PREVACID is a trademark registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and SoluTab is a trademark of Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc. and used under license by Takeda PharmaceuticalsAmerica, Inc.)
People taking lansoprazole should tell their doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away
- stomach pain
- constipation
- diarrhea
- nausea
- headache
- dizziness
Some side effects can be serious. Persons experiencing any of the following symptoms should call their doctor immediately:
- rash
- blistering or peeling skin
- hives
This is not the first difficulty that has occurred with drugs prescribed for acid reflux, however. "Prokinetic drugs like metoclopramide and cisapride [have been] used in conjunction with other measures in patients suffering from nausea or bloating in addition to heartburn." Cisapride (Propulsid) is no longer available in the U.S. due to some of its side effects and Metoclopropamide (Reglan) may cause Tardive Dyskinesia.
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In fact, "Patients who have ulcers or some form of gastrointestinal bleeding should not take Reglan. In addition, Reglan is known to aggravate symptoms associated with asthma, Parkinson’s Disease and kidney disorders. It can also raise blood pressure and have an impact on patients diagnosed with clinical depression."
TEVA, the Israel-based pharmaceutical company, has voluntarily withdrawn the drug from the marketplace, but consumers should note there still may be product on pharmacy shelves. No difficulties have been reported in patients who have been administered or taken the drug orally (by mouth).
Lansoprazole is a generic form of Prevacid™, a proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) that prevents acid reflux and treats ulcers. The PPI class of drugs, i.e. Prilosec, Nexium and Prevacid are the agents of choice doctors prescribe for their patients to achieve symptom relief, improving quality of life, healing, and prevention of mucosal injury in GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) patients. As a class, these drugs have been thought to be extremely safe. (
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