Media Materials
Media contact: Lindsay Peterson, lpeterson@meca.ca, 416-425-9143 x229
Powder Room Boiler Plate: About the Powder Room
The Powder Room (www.powderroom.ca) is a national and fully bilingual educational program developed in collaboration with Canadian healthcare professionals. The program works to improve the quality of life of individuals with OAB by helping them to understand, manage and treat the condition. More information on the Powder Room can be found at www.powderroom.ca. The Powder Room is supported by a grant from Astellas Pharma Canada, Inc., a leader in the field of urology.
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October 2007: What Happens in the Powder Room, Stays in the Powder Room
Botox For Your Bladder
By on December 31, 1969
In an interview with Reuters, Allergan Inc Chief Executive David Pyott gushes about the toxin's ability to treat the condition, which causes a variety of unfortunate bathroom issues including frequent urination, the urgent need to urinate, and inability to control urination. "Current drugs for overactive bladder just don't work that well," says Pyott "and studies show that after a year 70 percent of patients don't respond to treatment."
The pills typically used to treat overactive bladder can cause dry mouth, constipation, and other side effects. One shot of Botox to the bladder could work for about nine months. This application would actually mark a return to Botox's original use, which was treating excessive muscle contractions, as the condition is caused by uncontrollable contractions of the bladder.
Botox is already approved for a variety of non-cosmetic purposes, including the treatment of migraines, neck pain, and eye muscle problems. The prospect of a better method of controlling what sounds like a pretty unpleasant ailment is exciting, but Pyott quickly veers off his message of how much the drug could help people. If U.S. regulators approve the use of Botox for overactive bladder, Allergan stands to make up to $500 million annually. Pyott says, "For a company with a revenue base of $5.2 billion to $5.4 billion, another $500 million franchise is kind of cool." We're guessing those will bladder issues will find not wetting themselves "kind of cool" too, so the situation is win-win. Except for the rest of us, who will be subjected to commercials in which a woman takes a break from running on the beach to convince us that we all have an overactive bladder.
