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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by halcyondaze on March 4, 2007, at 21:51:36
I've recently noticed a change in the appearance of my Parnate tablets. Before, they were red pills with "Parnate" written in black. Now, the tabs are entirely red with "Parnate" inscribed lightly in them (no color). Did GlaxoSmithKlein change their Parnate formulation? In my last batch of pills, I had a couple with the black writing on them but most were the inscribed kind. Anyone else notice this?
Have yet to get generic brand. But if GSK changed their formulation I might as well not pay $30 per Rx when I can pay $10 if they work equally as well.
Posted by willyee on March 5, 2007, at 7:14:22
In reply to Brand name Parnate formula change?, posted by halcyondaze on March 4, 2007, at 21:51:36
> I've recently noticed a change in the appearance of my Parnate tablets. Before, they were red pills with "Parnate" written in black. Now, the tabs are entirely red with "Parnate" inscribed lightly in them (no color). Did GlaxoSmithKlein change their Parnate formulation? In my last batch of pills, I had a couple with the black writing on them but most were the inscribed kind. Anyone else notice this?
>
> Have yet to get generic brand. But if GSK changed their formulation I might as well not pay $30 per Rx when I can pay $10 if they work equally as well.Havent noticed any change,were times i thought it was a little less effective,other times more effective,which leads me to believe its just my anxiety as it has done a million times over snaeaking in with irrational thinking.
I have used both because my pharmacy carries different ones at different times,so at the least i can pretty much assure in my opinion there is no DRAMATIC differance as in the whole nardil situtation,and the differance i notice is more likly just me looking for blame on a med.
Posted by halcyondaze on March 5, 2007, at 7:33:35
In reply to Re: Brand name Parnate formula change?, posted by willyee on March 5, 2007, at 7:14:22
NOTE: Parnate (tranylcypromine sulfate) tablets have been changed from rose-red
sugar-coated tablets to rose-red film-coated tablets. The film-coated tablets differ in size
from the sugar-coated tablets, but the drug content remains unchanged.
*****Could this alter the efficacy of the medication? Anyone?
Posted by halcyondaze on March 5, 2007, at 7:40:50
In reply to Re: Brand name Parnate formula change?, posted by willyee on March 5, 2007, at 7:14:22
Info on sugar coated vs film coated tablets:
<< http://www.pharmpedia.com/Tablet:Tablet_coating#Sugar_coating >>
supposedly sugar coated is more expensive but dissolves faster and has a better taste. I've noticed the taste - and as far as film coated taking longer to dissolve maybe this is why my insomnia is a thousand times worse than it was before, when I was on the sugar coated ones?
Posted by Ken Blades on March 5, 2007, at 9:03:29
In reply to ok basically GSK wanted to save $$, posted by halcyondaze on March 5, 2007, at 7:40:50
The film coated tablets have been on the market
for years...I don't know when they changed
them, but I've been on Parnate since 1997
and I have NEVER seen those sugar-coated
tablets.I don't know if anyone has ever noticed,
but put your nose in your Parnate bottle...
they STINK! I wish they WOULD go to a sugar-
coated tablet...that film coating stinks.If you run water over the tab, the coating
comes off fast...the bare, white tab
tastes yukky but if you gulp it down
fast with a lot of water you won't taste
it. I've done this only when I've dropped
the damn little bast^^ds on the floor!I haven't seen any tablets with the name
debossed into the tablet rather than
printed in black, but I will keep my
eyes open for them.
Posted by djmmm on March 5, 2007, at 13:32:26
In reply to ok basically GSK wanted to save $$, posted by halcyondaze on March 5, 2007, at 7:40:50
> Info on sugar coated vs film coated tablets:
>
> << http://www.pharmpedia.com/Tablet:Tablet_coating#Sugar_coating >>
>
> supposedly sugar coated is more expensive but dissolves faster and has a better taste. I've noticed the taste - and as far as film coated taking longer to dissolve maybe this is why my insomnia is a thousand times worse than it was before, when I was on the sugar coated ones?Most sugar coated medications have been replaced with a film or enteric coating, simply because some people are sensitive to sugar.
Posted by halcyondaze on March 5, 2007, at 18:41:39
In reply to Re: ok basically GSK wanted to save $$, posted by Ken Blades on March 5, 2007, at 9:03:29
> The film coated tablets have been on the market
> for years...I don't know when they changed
> them, but I've been on Parnate since 1997
> and I have NEVER seen those sugar-coated
> tablets.
>
> I don't know if anyone has ever noticed,
> but put your nose in your Parnate bottle...
> they STINK! I wish they WOULD go to a sugar-
> coated tablet...that film coating stinks.
>
> If you run water over the tab, the coating
> comes off fast...the bare, white tab
> tastes yukky but if you gulp it down
> fast with a lot of water you won't taste
> it. I've done this only when I've dropped
> the damn little bast^^ds on the floor!
>
> I haven't seen any tablets with the name
> debossed into the tablet rather than
> printed in black, but I will keep my
> eyes open for them.I was on it a year ago and it was always the black ink.
Woah - this is so weird. Apparently that version was d/c'ed in 2001????
why did I consistently get the ones that had the black ink if they were old? ugh. no wonder I had so many problems with Parnate the first time around. this is absurd.
I have two of the "old pills" in my current Rx. Should I demand that they be changed at the pharmacy?
Posted by Ken Blades on March 6, 2007, at 1:49:20
In reply to Re: ok basically GSK wanted to save $$, posted by halcyondaze on March 5, 2007, at 18:41:39
I think you're misreading/misunderstanding the
context of the FDA letter to SmithKline Beecham
[now Glaxo SmithKline].Some of the changes were requested by SKB/GSK,
and these were dated long before the 2001 date
of the letter[look at all the dates in the first few lines before the S-037, 1988 to 1996]; they were merely referenced
to in this letter. Other changes were requested
by the FDA. The letter's date of 2001 does not mean that all the changes were made in 2001.I have in my hand a package insert with a date of
issuance January 1995[really!]. Under 'description', the text is as follows:NOTE: Parnate[tranylcypromine sulfate]tablets
have been changed from rose-red sugar-coated
tablets to rose-red film-coated tablets. The
film-coated tablets differ in size from the
sugar-coated tablets, but the drug content
remains unchanged.Under 'how supplied':
Parnate is supplied as round, rose-red, film-coated tablets imprinted with the product name PARNATE and SKF and contains tranylcypromine sulfate equivalent to 10 mg. of tranylcypromine,
in bottles of 100 with a dessicant.
-----Notice that the letters 'SKF' are still used on
the tablets according to the 'how supplied'
wording.Smith Kline & French[SKF] was a division of Smith Kline Beckman[not Beecham] Corporation.
In 1989, Smith Kline Beckman and The Beecham Group Plc[UK] merge to form SmithKline Beecham.
In 2000, Glaxo SmithKline was formed through the merger of Glaxo Wellcome[UK] and SmithKline Beecham[UK].So...even though by 1995, the date of the
product leaflet, SKF had become SKB, SKF
was still[supposedly]printed on the tablets.
I don't have any tablets left over from 1997
[the year I started taking Parnate and the
year that leaflet was acquired by me]so I can't
tell you what they actually said on them lol.The ones I have now say Parnate SB in black.
The latest product information insert reads
as follows:
HOW SUPPLIED
Parnate is supplied as round, rose-red, film-coated tablets debossed with the product name
PARNATE and SB and contains tranylcypromine sulfate equivalent to 10 mg of
tranylcypromine, in bottles of 100 with a desiccant, manufactured by Abbott Laboratories, North
Chicago, IL 60064.
10 mg 100’s: NDC 0007-4471-20
Store between 15° and 30°C (59° and 86°F).GlaxoSmithKline
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
©2006, GlaxoSmithKline. All rights reserved.
March 2006-----So...it appears that the debossed tablets
have replaced the black printed ones as you have
seen.However, if you're still getting the 'old'
black printed ones, don't get upset. I'm still
getting them too. It takes awhile to exhaust the
existing stocks of the older tablets['first in, first out'] that are out in warehouses and no
doubt even in stock at GSK until recently, but
now that you are getting the new tablets, GSK
must have exhausted its supply of the 'old' ones.
Those 'old' ones are not from before 2001. Remember that depending on the particular drug,
the 'dispense by' date can be three years or
so from the date of manufacture.Ken
This is the end of the thread.
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