[Guest]

Dr.,

I was curious what the sense is in the psychiatric community regarding the viability of the drug Serzone. Since the liver announcement, sales dropped 53% worldwide (based on quarter to quarter sales 2002 and 2001), the website has been down for months, and there are class action suits being issued and solicited everywhere (although I imagine most of these are frivoulous and not viable as few patients have actually suffered provable damage).

Is this drug going to simply disappear?

Thanks as always.

[Guest]

Nefazadone is an effective agent with many good qualities. The risk of liver failure is low--at least that is the current data. That being said, I have no idea as to whether or not the manufacturer will continue to make the drug. Halcion was taken off the market in England with a process that seemed more like hysteria than science to us in the US. Clozapine's introduction was held up for years due to concerns re suppression of white cell formation, but eventually made it to our shores. So, I don't know what the future has in store for Serzone.
[quote] Dr. ,

I was curious what the sense is in the psychiatric community regarding the viability of the drug Serzone... [/quote]