Another PDF reprint regarding new drug therapy Duopa

The Parkinson's Disease Foundation (PDF) alerts the community that a medication called DUOPATM, gel formulation of carbidopa/levodopa, has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of advanced Parkinson's disease. This is the second drug approved by the FDA for Parkinson’s disease this week. With your support, we are funding research to solve, treat and end Parkinson's. FDA Approves DUOPATM: What Does It Mean? DUOPATM, a gel formulation of the drug carbidopa/levodopa that is delivered directly to the small intestine through a surgically-placed tube, has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of motor fluctuations in advanced Parkinson's disease. The approval was announced yesterday by the drug’s manufacturer, AbbVie, Inc. This new drug is a formulation of the gold-standard treatment carbidopa/levodopa. The manufacturer states that DUOPATM uses the same active ingredients as orally-administered carbidopa/levodopa, but is designed to improve absorption and reduce off-times for people with advanced Parkinson's disease by delivering the drug directly into the small intestine. DUOPATM is delivered for 16 continuous hours every day by a pump through a tube that requires a small surgically-placed hole in the stomach. What does it mean? According to Kathleen M. Shannon, M.D., Chair of PDF's Medical Policy Committee, this is a welcome advance for a subset of people living with advanced Parkinson’s disease. Learn more by watching our short video and reading our official statement.  View our Video  Read our Statement Parkinson's Helpline For additional information about medications for Parkinson’s disease, please contact PDF's HelpLine at (800) 457-6676 or info@pdf.org. Thank you for your support, James Beck, Ph.D., Vice President of Scientific Affairs, Parkinson’s Disease Foundation Our Commitment to Efficiency Thanks to our low administrative costs, 80% of our budget goes directly to Parkinson’s research, education and advocacy. Make a donation today to support our mission. Thank you for your generosity.