Oct 15, 2009 8:49 pm US/Central
2 Investigators: Switch To Generic Drugs Can Harm
Expert Says Insurance Companies Push Cheaper Version, But The Body May Absorb It Differently
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
-
-
Some medical experts say switching name-brand drugs to cheaper generics can be harmful to some patients.
CBS
A young woman's life was drastically altered when her prescription drug was switched without her doctor's approval. Switching drugs from brand-name to generic -- or vice versa -- can be harmful, 2 Investigator Dave Savini warns.
Twenty-three-year-old Gretchen McLaughlin of Woodstock was born with special needs, but her parents say a medication switch from a brand-name to a cheaper generic drug has made her life much more difficult. She's in constant pain and can no longer walk. Her mother, Terri, describes the situation as "seriously worse."
Before the drug switch, Gretchen loved dancing, going to school and being in water. For years, she took Depakote, a brand-name drug to treat her seizure disorder. It worked for her, but then things changed when her prescription was refilled in March.
The McLaughlins say their pharmacy informed them that they would be receiving the generic version of the drug. But the switch led to continuous and severe seizures. They say their daughter had to be put into a coma, and when she came out, she'd lost the use of her legs and one of her hands.
Dr. James O'Donnell, a pharmacologist at Rush University Medical Center who sat on a state generic-drug board, said the pharmacist has to follow the doctor's order. He said he fought for years against switching to generics for patients on brand-name drugs, including stabilized patients on Depakote. He said the "risk is too great."
"Is anybody telling the insurance companies this?" Savini asked O'Donnell.
"The insurance companies have heard about it," he said. "Unfortunately, they are only going with the bottom line."
Gretchen's mother, Terri McLaughlin, said there is a significant difference in price for a prescription of the name brand -- $125 – and the generic version, which is $4.
Dr. Marvin Rossi, who treats Gretchen McLaughlin, said the chemical in a brand-name drug and its generic equivalent may be the same. But he said the drug's absorption into the body could be different, making it dangerous for some patients.
Rossi said it was his intention for his patient to stay on the brand-name drug. In fact, he said he wrote "do not substitute" on McLaughlin's prescription.
Pending state legislation would require pharmacists to get a doctor's approval before switching a medication. There's also a push to get the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to make drug-switching safer by making name-brand and generic drugs a better match.
Terri McLaughlin, who had to quit her job to care for her daughter, says she's just thankful Gretchen survived. Her daughter is back on Depakote. "Your life just changes," she said.
Thyroid medication is another type that can be dangerous when switched.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Jewish Celebrities
SEND A TIP TO THE 2 INVESTIGATORS
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Reporting
