Statement on Nuplazid Drug
NEW YORK & MIAMI (April 9, 2018) — CNN published an article on the FDA-approved drug, Nuplazid, used to treat hallucinations and psychosis in Parkinson’s disease. The article investigates FDA data showing the number of reported deaths with people taking Nuplazid. Nuplazid was approved by the FDA in 2016 and is manufactured by Acadia Pharmaceuticals.
The Parkinson’s Foundation is closely monitoring the recent reports on Nuplazid. At this time, we are recommending that patients on this drug consult with their neurologists about the risks and benefits of the treatment. The FDA will continue to monitor the drug’s use and safety, but they have not identified a specific safety issue that isn’t already described in the drug’s label.
Parkinson’s disease psychosis is typically seen in advanced stages of Parkinson’s disease involving elderly patients. Treating Parkinson’s disease psychosis is a multi-step process that begins with talking to your health care team. They will follow a series of steps to figure out how best to address symptoms. For more information on this topic, please call our toll-free Helpline at 1-800-4PD-INFO (473-4636).
Please report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1‑800‑FDA‑1088. You can also call ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc. at 1‑844‑4ACADIA (1‑844‑422‑2342).
For more information about Psychosis and Parkinson’s Disease:
Read more in our free book, "Psychosis: A Mind Guide to Parkinson's Disease"
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About the Parkinson’s Foundation
The Parkinson’s Foundation makes life better for people with Parkinson’s disease by improving care and advancing research toward a cure. In everything we do, we build on the energy, experience and passion of our global Parkinson’s community. Since 1957, the Parkinson’s Foundation has invested more than $400 million in Parkinson’s research and clinical care. Connect with us on Parkinson.org, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or call (800) 4PD-INFO (473-4636).
About Parkinson’s Disease
Affecting an estimated one million Americans and 10 million worldwide, Parkinson’s disease is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s and is the 14th-leading cause of death in the U.S. It is associated with a progressive loss of motor control (e.g., shaking or tremor at rest and lack of facial expression), as well as non-motor symptoms (e.g., depression and anxiety). There is no cure for Parkinson’s and 60,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in the U.S. alone.