I should have made it clear that the merger of Global and Impax only affects the US market, there are many manufactures in other countries. One of them has applied to the FDA to sell pyridostigmine in the US so maybe our prices will come down after that. I'll have to stock up next time I'm in Belgium

Are you kidding me? Are they encouraging people to commit suicide?

A drug, that isn't benign, can be sold to anyone? Wow. M@rd@ (modified French swear word)!

Annie

Well according to the Neuro in Netherlands, I don't have myasthenia, but since it helps I can increase the Mestinon until it makes me ill (stomach problems).

Though it is on prescription here!

It is amazing that different doctors in different countries have such widely varying views of a drug. One wonders who is actually correct.

I don't really think it's about who's correct, JJ, but about who profits. Maybe they can't justify having our orphan drug around unless more people take it (as enlisted men and women did in the Gulf War). Maybe they think everyone is smart enough to know that it's a dangerous drug. Maybe they don't care. Who knows what their motivations are.

The science is clear. Too little or too much acetylcholine can cause anyone to stop moving or breathing.

Can people get heroin without a prescription and without prosecution?

If even doctors don't "get" what Mestinon can do to the body, how can an uniformed layman in a pharmacy get it? What if it's sold as an "energy" drug?

I just hope that the price doesn't keep going up and up as it has recently.

Annie

No, Annie, it's not a joke, see (I'm sorry for this reference in french)
http://www.doctissimo.fr/medicament-MESTINON.htm
"non soumis à prescription médicale" means it may be sold without prescription.
It is perhaps the reason why is only available in France in small bottles of 20-60mg pills.
Mestinon is sold here for myasthenia but also to increase bowel transit and
I've never heard of that second use in the States.
Now about the risk you mentioned, I think it is inherent with any drug, the leaflets in each drug box are there to protect the manufacturer but also to inform the patients about the recommended dosage and the possible side effects.
Maurice