The link between Reglan/Metoclopramide and tardive dyskinesia is so scientifically significant that the FDA, in February 2009, mandated that a blackbox warning be placed on all forms of Metoclopramide, including Reglan, advising of the long-term and high-dose risks of taking the drug and developing tardive dyskinesia. (See the FDA announcement.)
The blackbox warning states:
“Chronic treatment with metoclopramide can cause tardive dyskinesia, a serious movement disorder that is often irreversible. The risk of developing tardive dyskinesia increases with the duration of treatment and the total cumulative dose. The elderly, particularly elderly women, are most likely to develop this condition.Metoclopramide therapy should routinely be discontinued in patients who develop signs or symptoms of tardive dyskinesia. There is no known treatment for tardive dyskinesia; however, in some patients symptoms may lessen or resolve after metoclopramide treatment is stopped.
Prolonged treatment (longer than 12 weeks) with metoclopramide should be avoided in all but rare cases where therapeutic benefit is thought to outweigh the risks to the patient of developing tardive dyskinesia.”
If you or a loved one has suffered injury as a result of taking Reglan, seek legal advice from an experienced Reglan attorney immediately. There is no fee and no other obligation, however, if you delay, you may lose your right to seek compensation for injuries caused by Reglan due to state-imposed time limits, called statutes of limitation, for filing a lawsuit.
Check out the following articles for more information about Reglan, filing a Reglan lawsuit, and finding a Reglan attorney.