A woman who had been prescribed both Paxil and Reglan for almost a decade began to develop repetitive, involuntary movements, leading to a diagnosis of Taridive Dyskinesia and a malpractice suit against her physician and pharmacy. Though she had begun treatment before any side effects of Reglan was definitively assessed, Reglan was given a strict Black Box warning for Taridive Dyskinesia three years after she began to use it. At the time the warning was established, however, the woman received no warning from either her pharmacist or doctor about developments in the use of Reglan, and she proceeded to use it for nearly seven more years until Taridive Dyskinesia set in. Expert testimony on the known correlations between Reglan and Taridive Dyskinesia was needed to assess medical standards of care in the case.
Question(s) For Expert Witness
1. Are you familiar with the connection between Reglan and Taridive Dyskinesia?
2. Should a patient be advised whenever a medication they are taking receives a new Black Box warning?
Expert Witness Response E-006727
Reglan, along with many other neuroleptic medications, is widely known to cause Tardive Dyskinesia. In general, any patient who will be taking a medication with any serious side effect needs to be warned about it. Reglan taken chronically must be discussed for the risk of Tardive Dyskinesia. I commonly consult on patients with TD, and though I have seen quite a few stemming from Reglan use most are typically due to neuroleptic use for psychiatric diseases.
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