The approval of Sepracor's new drug Lunesta might awaken the sleeping pill market from its sales slumber. Lunesta breaks the barriers of sleeping pill taboos by bearing a label that doesn't recommend its usage be limited to seven to 10 days. Experts are concerned that the approval of this drug will lead to the practice of over prescribing. They also felt the six-month duration of research wasn't long enough to determine whether or not there would be long-term side effects of the drug.
One insomnia specialist described the market for long-term sleeping pills as "questionable and probably inappropriate." Rather than resorting to sleeping pills experts recommended using talk therapy as a study has shown it to be the more effective and longer lasting treatment over sleeping pills.
Lunesta's Ad Message: Take a Pill Night After Night
Primetime and cable television plan to imbed the Lunesta message into the minds of Americans at a rate of $60 million in advertising costs in 2005. At $3.70 a pill this drug surpasses the cost of the current leading sleep drug, Ambien.
According to a national sleep survey nearly 60 percent of American adults live with at least one symptom of insomnia. Other studies have shown that 10 percent to 15 percent of Americans experience severe or chronic cases of insomnia.
Despite the widespread breadth of this problem, sleeping pill sales have remained comparatively modest totaling 35 million prescriptions sold in the United States in 2003. This placed them as the 29th most frequently prescribed group of drugs trailing behind the leaders of prescribed drugs, antidepressants, of which 142 million prescriptions were prescribed, and cholesterol-lowering statins, with 126 million prescriptions.
Researchers attribute the lower sleep drug numbers to the perception that insomnia is not considered as serious a condition as depression or high cholesterol. The likelihood of addiction and possible daytime drowsiness were two other reasons cited for their lower prescription rates.
The FDA is taking precautions regarding taking this drug by including information in the packaging advising patients not to take the drug long-term before talking to their doctor first.
New York Times December 17, 2004
I was quite alarmed when I read this report about Lunesta, the first sleep drug approved by the FDA for long-term use (longer than 10 days). Not only will this give a boost to a lagging market niche -- and further line the pockets of Big Pharma -- but this newest approval will likely clear the way for people to use Lunesta and other similar drugs far longer than they should. Many will use them for months and many more for years.
This is a prescription ripe for disaster, especially since drug maker Sepracor has published data on only six months of continuous use of Lunesta, and long-term effects are unknown!
How contemptuous can a company be? Are you are willing to put your complete trust in the FDA's approval that Lunesta is safe for long-term use? I highly suggest you read the two related articles in this issue before popping your first pill: Finally -- FDA Admits That ALL Anti-Inflammatories May Kill You and Can You Trust the FDA?.
Promoting a long-term sleeping drug is another example of the spreading greed of the drug companies. It seems there isn't any line they won't cross in order to make a buck including marketing sleeping drugs to kids.
If you are one of the 58 percent of Americans who struggle with getting a full night of sleep, I suggest reading my Guide to a Good Night's Sleep. Whether you are not able to fall asleep, wake up too often, or don't feel well-rested when you wake up in the morning, my guidelines will provide you with various useful techniques to improve these problems. Some of my recommendations include:
In addition to my sleep guidelines, there is an excellent tool that will help you improve your sleep: the Insight CD, which is a rapid type of brain-wave entrainment that I personally use myself and recommend to all of my patients. Listening to this CD will provide you relief from stress you encounter throughout the day. This is an amazing technology that has helped many of my patients improve their sleeping habits.
Finally, please understand that the way you wake up in the morning is just as important as making sure you get enough sleep at night. The safest and most effective way to wake up in the morning, feeling refreshed and energized, is by the rising of the sun.
With that, I am excited to present The Sun Alarm™ SA-2002, which provides an ideal way to wake up each morning if you can't wake up with the real sun. I use this clock to wake up each morning -- it's not a typical alarm clock that "startles" you out of sleep, a very unhealthy way to start any day.
Combining the features of a traditional alarm clock (digital display, AM/FM radio, beeper, snooze button, etc) with a special built-in light that gradually increases in intensity, this amazing clock simulates a natural sunrise. It also includes a sunset feature where the light fades to darkness over time, making it ideal for kids or anyone who has trouble falling asleep.
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Want to Prevent Cancer? Make Sure You Sleep Well
Get Enough Sleep to Avoid Diabetes
Less Than 8 Hours of Sleep May Not Hurt Health
If You Sleep Less Than Six Hours You Are Creating a 'Sleep Debt'
Sleep-Deprived Children More Prone to Injury
New Treatment for Sleep Apnea