Significant Dose Differences in Donepezil Purchased From the United States and Canada
Authors: Chong-Zhi Wang, Guang-Jian Du, Zhong Zhen, Tyler Calway, Chun-Su Yuan
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2011)

Letters16 August 2011Significant Dose Differences in Donepezil Purchased From the United States and CanadaChong-Zhi Wang, PhD, Guang-Jian Du, PhD, Zhong Zhen, MD, PhD, Tyler Calway, BS, and Chun-Su Yuan, MD, PhDChong-Zhi Wang, PhDFrom The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60637.Search for more papers by this author, Guang-Jian Du, PhDFrom The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60637.Search for more papers by this author, Zhong Zhen, MD, PhDFrom The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60637.Search for more papers by this author, Tyler Calway, BSFrom The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60637.Search for more papers by this author, and Chun-Su Yuan, MD, PhDFrom The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60637.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-155-4-201108160-00026 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Background: Donepezil is a cholinesterase inhibitor that is commonly used to ameliorate the symptoms of Alzheimer disease (1). Because the high cost of this drug can be a burden to patients, consumers often purchase a generic form online from pharmacies based in Canada.Objective: To measure the content of donepezil in tablets purchased from the United States and Canada and to compare the measured dose with the labeled dose.Methods: We purchased brand-name donepezil tablets (Aricept, Eisai, Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey). We also purchased brand-name donepezil tablets from a hospital pharmacy in China in a package labeled “Eisai, China.” Using ...References1. Birks J, Harvey RJ. Donepezil for dementia due to Alzheimer's disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2006;:CD001190. [PMID: 16437430] MedlineGoogle Scholar2. U. S. Pharmacopeia. Authorized USP Pending Standards, Donepezil Hydrochloride Tablets. Rockville, MD: The United States Pharmacopeial Convention; 2008. Accessed at www.usp.org/pdf/EN/pendingStandards/donepezilHydrochlorideTablets_v1.pdf on 1 February 2011. Google Scholar3. Katz R; U. S. Food and Drug Administration. Letter to Martina Struck, PhD, regarding NDA 022568, NDA Approval. Accessed at www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/appletter/2010/022568s000ltr.pdf on 1 February 2011. Google Scholar4. U. S. Food and Drug Administration. Generic Drugs: Questions and Answers. Silver Spring, MD: U.S. Food and Drug Administration; 2010. Accessed at www.fda.gov/drugs/resourcesforyou/consumers/questionsanswers/ucm100100.htm on 1 February 2011. Google Scholar5. Quon BS, Firszt R, Eisenberg MJ. A comparison of brand-name drug prices between Canadian-based Internet pharmacies and major U.S. drug chain pharmacies. Ann Intern Med. 2005;143:397-403. [PMID: 16172438] LinkGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Chong-Zhi Wang, PhD; Guang-Jian Du, PhD; Zhong Zhen, MD, PhD; Tyler Calway, BS; Chun-Su Yuan, MD, PhDAffiliations: From The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60637.Grant Support: By grants AT004418 and AT005362 from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine/National Institute of Health and the Tang Foundation.Disclosures: Disclosures can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=L10-0078. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoA Comparison of Brand-Name Drug Prices between Canadian-Based Internet Pharmacies and Major U.S. Drug Chain Pharmacies Bradley S. Quon , Rafael Firszt , and Mark J. Eisenberg Metrics Cited byBioavailability of oral methylnaltrexone increases with a phosphatidylcholine-based formulation 16 August 2011Volume 155, Issue 4Page: 279-280KeywordsAlzheimer diseaseAttentionBlood plasmaChromatographyDrug administrationDrug safetyDrugsFood and Drug AdministrationInternetSafety ePublished: 16 August 2011 Issue Published: 16 August 2011 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2011 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...