SINGULAIR® COMPROMISED OUR CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH
Our children suffered horrible adverse reactions to the popular asthma and allergy drug Singulair (montelukast sodium) manufactured by Merck & Co., Inc. While taking this drug, our sons and daughters developed symptoms consistent with behavioral, developmental, emotional, learning, anxiety, mental, and mood disorders. Some expressed suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and some took their own lives. Many of our children were misdiagnosed for years because neither we,nor our children's doctors, had the information necessary to correctly identify their physical and behavioral symptoms as adverse reactions to Singulair. With the exception of the children that we lost, our children experienced a remission of symptoms when they stopped taking Singulair.
We have witnessed firsthand the crippling and devastating effects an adverse reaction to Singulair can have on children and families, and are committed to helping prevent what happened to our children from happening to anyone else.
Parents United for Pharmaceutical Safety and Accountability is:
• raising awareness of the side effects of the asthma and allergy drug Singulair
• providing comprehensive information to consumers and professionals
• advocating for a "black box" warning about neuropsychiatric side effects on Singulair's label and a Medication Guide for Singulair
• submitting findings from our survey to the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, The Institute for Safe Medication Practices, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
• advocating for research to: (1) determine how Singulair causes side effects (2) determine a timeframe for how long side effects take to resolve (3) determine whether Singulair can cause long term or permanent problems (4) identify possible withdrawal symptoms (5) identify risk factors for an adverse reaction
• advocating for FDA regulation of the Consumer Medication Information distributed by pharmacies, and legislation to create an effective and accountable system to expedite medication information updates to consumers, physicians, and pharmacists.
We currently have over 190 members and volunteers from across the United States and internationally. Four of our founding members have been interviewed by the media. In January 2009, the Mental Health Association in Pennsylvania issued a Behavioral Side Effect Warning on Singulair for Children as a result of information we submitted.
Parents United for Pharmaceutical Safety and Accountability does NOT solicit or accept donations or funding. The website is personally funded by the Director.
