I want to know how my mother can obtain Mazindol (Teronac) for her
narcolepsy either inside the UK or by travelling outside and (legally)
returning with it.  I am primarily concerned to find a source of the
drug.  How it can then legally be brought to the UK is irrelevant
until a source is identified.

My mother has narcolepsy/cataplexy and other drugs don't work for her
like Mazindol does.  She would be prescribed the drug by her GP as she
always used to be but there does not seem to be any source of the drug
available to the UK any more.

It was last imported into the UK by IDIS
and made by Novartis in Switzerland but we believe they have stopped
making it.  The only people IDIS could find still making it were in
South America It might have been Ecuador, or Brazil or ... but the
Medicines Control Agency (MCA) would not allow them to import it from
there as their manufacturing standards are not deemed to be high
enough.

Thank you very much for looking at this question you will be greatly
improving my mother's quality of life if you can answer it (her
symptoms have got much worse since Mazindol ceased to be available).

---

Request for Question Clarification by czh-ga on 17 May 2005 02:46 PDT

Hello bakert-ga,

Mazindol (Teronac) seems to be available in Canada and the US under
the name Sanorex and is prescribed as a diet pill. I've found a number
of places that seem to have it available online? Have you already
checked out these options? I'm not posting this as an answer because
of easterangel-ga's comment that Walgreens has discontinued this
product. Let me know if this information is helpful and how to
proceed. Thanks.

~ czh ~


http://www.healthtouch.com/bin/EContent_HT/drugShowLfts.asp?fname=usp0318.htm&title=Sanorex+%2C+Mazindol&cid=HT
http://health.yahoo.com/drug/202069/overview
Appetite Suppressants, Sympathomimetic (Systemic)
Sanorex, Mazindol
Canada and US

http://www.discountprescriptiongroup.com/momex/NavCode/drugs/DrugName/Sanorex
Discount Sanorex - Canadian Discount Drugs

http://www.pharmacychecker.com/Strength.asp?drugId=20222
Price Comparison -- Sanorex 
 -- Costco.com 
 -- Adv-Care.com

---

Clarification of Question by bakert-ga on 17 May 2005 03:13 PDT

We're almost certain that it is NOT available in the US and that
they're just listing it in the same way Amazon lists every book it
knows about rather than because they are genuinely available. 
Walgreens was the only one we pursued with great vigour (because they
are a big chain and because their website states quite plainly that
they do stock it) but they told us it was discontinued.

I'm pretty sure now that it is NOT available in the US because of this
and also because that is one of the avenues the doctors would have
followed before saying it was not available for import to the UK and
stopping prescribing it for my Mum.

If you find out different though do let me know!

Thanks for looking at this,

Tom

---

Clarification of Question by bakert-ga on 17 May 2005 03:16 PDT

Just want to make clear to anyone that might look at this that I only
want to pay the money for this question if (a) a source is identified
and (b) a way of getting a decent amount (say, a year's supply) for my
mother is identified.  If you think this is too much to ask for the
payment amount please ignore this question.  Thanks, Tom.

---

Request for Question Clarification by czh-ga on 17 May 2005 03:41 PDT

Hello again bakert-ga,

I checked the FDA's Electronic Orange Book directory of Approved Drug
Products and was able to confirm that Mazindol has definitely been
discontinued. It looks like your best bet will be to look for another
drug from the same family. I'm sorry that your mother can no longer
get the medication that she knows works for her. Best wishes for
finding an appropriate substitute.

~ czh ~

http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/ob/docs/obdetail.cfm?Appl_No=017247&TABLE1=OB_Disc
Electronic Orange Book Query
Proprietary Name Search Results from "OB_Disc" table for query on "sanorex." 

Search results from the "OB_Disc" table for query on "017247." 

Active Ingredient:  MAZINDOL  
Dosage Form;Route:  TABLET; ORAL  
Proprietary Name:  SANOREX  
Applicant:  NOVARTIS  
Strength:  1MG  
Application Number:  017247  
Product Number:  001  
Approval Date:  Approved Prior to Jan 1, 1982  
RX/OTC/DISCN:  DISCN  
Patent and Exclusivity Info for this product:  View

---

Clarification of Question by bakert-ga on 21 May 2005 14:09 PDT

Thanks very much.  Looks like the USA is out unless someone has a store somewhere.

---

Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 21 May 2005 16:55 PDT

Hello bakert-ga,

I just wanted to let you know that there's still some activity on your
question.  I've contacted a researcher who recently published a study
that involved mazindol, in the hopes that he can lead me (you,
actually) to a source for the drug.

If I hear back anything encouraging, I'll be sure to let you know.

pafalafa-ga

---

Clarification of Question by bakert-ga on 22 May 2005 01:16 PDT

Great - look forward to hearing the results.

---

Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 31 May 2005 15:08 PDT

I haven't heard anyting back yet, and I just wanted to let you know. 
If anything does come up, I'll be sure to post the information for
you.


paf

---

Clarification of Question by bakert-ga on 01 Jun 2005 00:07 PDT

Thank you.

Hi again bakert-ga!

This is only a comment so you will not be charged for this one. 

I would just like to give you an update about Walgreens. They just
replied and confirmed that such drug Sanorex has already been
discontinued and that Walgreens does not carry it anymore.

Maybe another researcher can help.

Thanks again!

Thanks so much for looking at this.  Thought we were really getting
close for a minute there.  Thanks for trying.

There is a company - IDIS World Medicines (http://www.idis.co.uk) - in
the UK which specialises in supplying unlicensed drugs to GPs and
hospitals. You need to get your GP to prescribe the drug and then the
GP should contact IDIS who will source it and import it if it's
available anywhere in the world. It does of course require your GP (or
specialist's) agreement to prescribe it, which they might be reluctant
to do if it was a very expensive product or if they did not believe it
was the right therapy for the patient for whatever reason, but it
doesn't sound like either of these apply in your case. Good luck!

That's a nice link to know about, sallymezzo.  Thanks for posting it,
and I hope it's a help to bakert-ga.

pafalafa-ga

Oh sorry, I just re-read your question and see that you've tried ADIS.

Hello. If you are still interested, I can point you to an online
pharmacy that sells mazindol (Diestet 1 mg.). I don't know if I can
post the link here though...

I checked also some of the sites linked above, and I found Sanorex
(Mazindol 1 mg)at Adv-Care.com
http://www.pharmacychecker.com/Pricing.asp?DrugId=20222&DrugStrengthId=40537
100 pills at $107.78
The other shop I know of, have Diestet at 48 pills for 32 $.

I don't know if it would be the same as Teronac, since the directions
for these drugs are as diet aids, but if the active substance is the
same... I think you should ask about that to your physician.