# IBS Self Help Group reacts to withdrawal of Lotronex by Glaxo Wellcome



## Jeffrey Roberts (Apr 15, 1987)

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2000/prweb20780.htm IBS Self Help Group reacts to withdrawal of Lotronex by Glaxo WellcomeMany Lotronex users view the withdrawal as having a very negative impact on their livesTORONTO, Ontario, Dec 4 - The Irritable Bowel Syndrome Self HelpGroup, (http://www.ibsgroup.org), has received an unprecedentednumber of requests for help from Lotronex users due to Glaxo Wellcome'sannouncement that, at the request of the US Food and Drug Administration(FDA), it will voluntarily withdraw Lotronex, its treatment for irritablebowel syndrome (IBS), from the US market. Many have written thatthey have been driven to despair and cannot imagine going back to theway it was prior to taking Lotronex.A member of the IBS Self Help Group wrote "I am one of many peoplewhose lives were changed when I tried Lotronex. This is afterliterally 30 years with IBS. Nothing worked for me, and I had triedit all. I remember the feeling of let down I had every time I left thegastroenterology office, and I was given nothing knew. Lotronex radicallychanged my body and my life. I became more sociable and responsible atwork, enjoyed eating more, and had a rosier future when I planned tripsthat I would not have taken otherwise."Members of the IBS Group have written to the FDA and spoken directlyto Glaxo in an effort to tell them the positive effects of the drug.Many write that with the right adjustment to their own dosage of Lotronexthat they were able to prevent, or control, the primary side-effect ofconstipation. The Public Citizen, a nationwide consumer organizationwhich petitioned the FDA to remove Lotronex from the market, suggestedto the FDA that "the adverse reactions tip the risk-benefit equationagainst using the drug." They characterized IBS "as a poorly defineddisease although capable of causing significant distress in someindividuals," which upset many members as being very dismissive ofan illness which affects their everyday life.The IBS Self Help Group undertook a Lotronex survey on IBSwatch.com(www.ibswatch.com) to capture members experiences with the drug andtheir reaction to the FDA's request to have Lotronex withdrawn. Surveytakers overwhelmly indicated that they benefited from Lotronex andoppose Glaxo Wellcome's decision to withdraw Lotronex."I understand that expert counsel from a number of gastroenterologistsbelieved that Lotronex had an unacceptable risk/benefit ratio and thiswas taken into consideration by Glaxo prior to voluntarilywithdrawing the drug," said Jeffrey Roberts, President and Founder ofthe Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Self Help Group. Mr. Robertscontinues, "The withdrawal is a regrettable situation given the apparentthousands of women who have benefited from Lotronex. Safety is paramountand must always be considered, however, I urge the FDA and Glaxo tocontinue discussions about Lotronex and make decisions for or againstthe use of it in the face of further investigations."About the Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Self Help Group:The IBS Self Help Group is the premier internet self help health siteabout Irritable Bowel Syndrome, with more than 200,000 Bulletin Boardmember postings about the functional gastrointestinal disorder IrritableBowel Syndrome and largest provider of health related information forsufferers of IBS.The IBS Self Help Group (www.ibsgroup.org), formed in 1987, is insupport of those who suffer from IBS, those who are looking for supportfor someone who has IBS, and medical professionals who want to learnmore about IBS. The IBS website was launched in May 1995.The IBS Self Help Group website provides access to bulletin and chatboards, book list and store, medication listing, clinical studylistings and helpful information. All revenues from sponsorship,affiliation and donations go directly to funding the activities of theIBS Self Help Group. The IBS Group has several sponsors which assistin supporting the group's activities. Sponsorship information isavailable at http://www.ibsgroup.org/main/sponsor.html ###Contact:Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Self Help GroupJeffrey Roberts, President and Founderibs###ibsgroup.org http://www.ibsgroup.org[This message has been edited by Jeffrey Roberts (edited 12-06-2000).]


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## JeanG (Oct 20, 1999)

Hi Jeff:Thanks for getting this published. Did it go out yesterday? It's a great write-up.JeanG


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## Jeffrey Roberts (Apr 15, 1987)

Yes, it went out on the 4th.Jeff


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