2005 Update Every day, a plethora of health websites dot the internet landscape. Pharmaceutical companies also get in on the action by offering information about their products. What’s in it for you? Without a question, the single most important thing to download from a product website is the Package Insert, often abbreviated as “PI” and referred to as such by physicians. Whatever your doctor can tell you about a drug is a combination of the doctor’s clinical experiences with the drug as well as what s/he reads in the PI.
[R] means “Redirect”: What bugs me is how companies remove patient-friendly information from a product website once that product has gone generic. Since I created this section in 2002, I’ve seen this trend of redirecting the now-generic product page to the new formulation (extended release or an isomeric form of the drug). If companies want to demonstrate that they really do care about these conditions, they should leave the patient-friendly information on those websites and give people a choice to click to the new product page.
Abilify Psychotropic, Bristol-Myers Squibb. Abilify is the brand name for aripiprazole, the newest antipsychotic launched late last year. Abilify is indicated for the treatment of schizophrenia, with notable differences in side effect profiles when compared with current atypical psychotropics on market today. Weight change is minimal (many patients stop taking their meds when they gain a lot of weight, and this has a negative effect on their treatment), muscle movement disorders are not too different from those seen with placebo, and sedation is minimal. We’ll wait for some market experience to see how the positive observations seen in clinical trials stack in “real life”, when patients are not as tightly monitored as when they are in a clinical trial setting.
Buspar Anxiolytic/Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Bristol-Myers Squibb. Year 2002 Update: Since Buspar has gone generic, I’m not sure how long this web site will stay, but I don’t expect there to be any patient programs ongoing (it would be nice if generic companies, who are now are raking in the cash, to provide for patient programs the way pharmaceutical companies do, but that would be an anomaly…) Year 2003 Update: Looks like BMS is geared to pay a hefty fine for intellectual property disputes, but the web site is still running. Year 2005 Update: Website’s now just one page with link to PI.
Celexa SSRI-Class Antidepressant/Depression, Forest Pharmaceuticals. Now that citalopram’s gone generic, the website is redirecting you to the “next generation” of celexa while providing no helpful patient information.
Cymbalta SSNRI Depression and Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathic Pain, Eli Lilly. The patient related information mirrors those provided for Lilly’s other depression drugs.
Depakote Anticonvulsant and Antimanic agent/Partial Seizures, Bipolar Disorder, Migraines Prophylaxis, Abbott. Website includes: three categories of usage of this product, including Prophylaxis of Migraine Headaches, Absence and Complex Partial Seizures, and Mania Associated with Bipolar Disorder.
[R] Effexor SNRI-Class Antidepressant and Anxiolytic/Depression, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Wyeth. Website redirects you to the “XR” formulation (still branded) website, which has some patient friendly information.
Geodon Antipsychotic, Bipolar Mania and Schizophrenia, Pfizer. Patient-friendly information is sparse, the website looks like a web brochure. I’d like to see more patient-related information than what is available, especially given this drug is still relatively “new”.
Lamictal Anticonvulsant/Adjunct Therapy for Partial Seizures, GlaxoSmithKline. This medication is now approved for the maintenance treatment of adults with bipolar I disorder to delay the time to occurrence of mood episodes (depression, mania, hypomania, mixed episodes) in patients treated for acute mood episodes with standard therapy. There is also a resource center called Bipolar.com.
Lexapro SSRI-Class Antidepressant, Forest Pharmaceuticals. Nice feature of physicians locator (from the American Medical Assocation) and depression screening tool under “Resources and Tools” as well as suggested resource including links and reading references. I especially like the Patient Literature section, which addresses different patient populations (general guide, guide for “you”, guide for men, guide for women, etc.).
Neurontin Anticonvulsant/Adjunct Therapy for Partial Seizures, Pfizer. This medication is approved for neuralgia and epilepsy. While this medication has not been approved for treating bipolar disorder, some physicians prescribe it “off-label” as an alternative agent. Neurontin off-label use sparked a whistleblower lawsuit.
Paxil SSRI-Class Antidepressant/Depression, Panic Disorder, OCD, GlaxoSmithKline. Website includes a self test and helpful information for friends and family members.
Prozac SSRI-Class Antidepressant/Depression, OCD, Bulimia Nervosa, Eli Lilly. Website has basic information about depression and about fluoxetine.
Remeron Atypical Antidepressant/Depression, Organon. Remeron is now available in rapid-dissolving tablet form. At least the site is back up with some information for visitors – the site is divided into US visitors, consumers (Organon company info, not Remeron-specific), and non-US visitors/healthcare professionals.
Seroquel Bipolar disorder, Antipsychotic/Schizophrenia, Astra-Zeneca. Website has a wealth of information about both conditions for patients.
[R] Wellbutrin Atypical Antidepressant/Depression, GlaxoSmithKline. Redirects to the extended release formation. Has a self-assessment.
Zoloft SSRI-Class Antidepressant/Depression, OCD, Panic, PTSD, Pfizer. Website includes: Your choice of disease conditions that Zoloft is FDA-approved to treat, Personal stories (reads more like testimonials for Zoloft’s efficacy), About Zoloft (how it works, side effects), Request materials (product brochures and disease state brochures), Prescribing information. Also presented in en Espanol. Year 2003 Update: The Zoloft “egg” mascot is one of the more frequently recalled ads when consumers were surveyed. For some reason I really like the semi-smile on the egg-shaped character (I guess the ad agency succeeded in one of its goals.)
Zyprexa Antipsychotic, Antimanic agent, Eli Lilly. Website has a nice section on “Managing day by day”, which I have not seen on other product websites.
