BOEHRINGER OFFERS PARKINGSON'S RELIEF
By Adnews Staff
Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd. of Burlington, Ont. has launched a new drug for the treatment of the early and advanced stages of Parkinson's disease. In Parkinson's, the brain cells that produce the chemical messenger, dopamine, die, interfering with the transmission of messages to specific receptors that control body movement. The new drug, called Mirapex, goes directly to these receptors and mimics the action of dopamine. There is no cure for Parkinson's. The goal of the treatment is to improve a patient's quality of life and help them manage everyday tasks. Advertising for Mirapex is done by Jeffrey Simbrow & Associates of Toronto, while Veritas Communications of Toronto handles PR. Symptoms of Parkinson's include tremors, slowness and stiffness, as well as difficulty in walking or standing, loss of facial expression, sleep disturbances, speech problems, drooling and depression.