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CNN Live At Daybreak
Debate on Over-the-Counter Claritin
Aired April 23, 2002 - 06:45 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Allergy sufferers, this one is for you. An FDA advisory panel is recommending the popular allergy drug Claritin be sold over-the-counter. So how will that affect you?
Joining us is Dr. John DelGaudio, an ear, nose and throat specialist at Emory University Medical Center.
Thanks for joining us this early morning.
DR. JOHN DELGAUDIO, EAR, NOSE AND THROAT SPECIALIST, EMORY UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER: My pleasure.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning.
COSTELLO: Want to bring Chad in here to help ask questions, because are you an allergy sufferer?
MYERS: You know I was when I lived in Columbus, and I actually took Claritin and it seemed to work. I also used the Flonase nasal thing...
DELGAUDIO: Right.
MYERS: ... because I was constantly getting these sinus infections. And I was taking this Viaxin for 10 days and it was really annoying.
COSTELLO: Yes, it this supposed to be a particularly bad year for allergies?
DELGAUDIO: Especially here in Atlanta, and nationwide it is because the weather has been so mild. And any places have mild winter, that allows the plants to bloom earlier than they normally do and that allows the pollen counts to be higher than they normally would.
COSTELLO: In D.C. last week the pollen count was 2,000.
MYERS: Wow!
DELGAUDIO: That's in the very high range.
MYERS: That's...
COSTELLO: Wow!
MYERS: Yes, that's fun (ph).
DELGAUDIO: Even mild allergy sufferers will be suffering then.
COSTELLO: We want to talk a little bit about Claritin.
DELGAUDIO: Right.
COSTELLO: When will it be available over-the-counter and is this a good thing?
DELGAUDIO: Well we don't know for sure whether it will be available over-the-counter and that's what's being discussed right now. If it is, we're looking at the end of this year. The patent on Claritin runs out this December. And in my opinion, it is a good thing. Claritin has been a very well accepted drug and it's very safe. And right now a lot of people who have allergies self treat themselves without ever seeing a physician.
COSTELLO: Yes.
DELGAUDIO: And the only thing that's available for them is sedating antihistamines, which are over-the-counter. Claritin is one of the second-generation antihistamines that are non-sedating. They have much less drowsiness and that will give customers, consumers an option of a non-sedating medication to treat their allergy.
COSTELLO: What's the big hold up though, I mean Claritin is readily available over-the-counter in 33 other countries...
MYERS: Yes (ph).
COSTELLO: ... so who's holding it up? Is it the insurance agencies who want it sold over-the-counter because then they won't have to pay for it anymore?
DELGAUDIO: Well exactly. There's two issues. One of course is the pharmaceutical company would like to keep it prescription because they make more money that way, but the managed care companies would like to have it over-the-counter because it's much cheaper when it's an over-the-counter medication.
MYERS: When the -- when the -- it runs out, you said in December.
DELGAUDIO: Yes.
MYERS: It's -- the monopoly runs out or the word...
DELGAUDIO: The patent.
MYERS: The patent runs out. Is it going to be generic?
DELGAUDIO: Well when a patent runs out then other companies can make generic brands of Claritin. And at that point, Claritin, or the Schering-Plough who makes Claritin, is seeking approval to make it generic and so that it could be sold under their...
MYERS: I see.
DELGAUDIO: ... Claritin name.
COSTELLO: Hey, we want to get some e-mails before we run out of time for this segment...
MYERS: OK.
COSTELLO: ... so let's slap one up there and we'll read it for the doctor here.
Does exercise help reduce allergy symptoms? Is it bad if you take two Tylenol Allergy Sinus caplets each day?
Ooh, that's two separate questions. Let's start with the first. Does exercise help?
DELGAUDIO: Exercise doesn't necessarily help allergy. It helps your overall health, which can improve your immune system. But as far as making a big impact on allergy, I don't believe it has a big impact.
MYERS: If you're exercising outside it could actually hurt, right, because you're breathing in more of this stuff?
DELGAUDIO: Of course that's true. The more pollen you get into your nasal cavity then the more symptomatic you'll become.
COSTELLO: So sit in your house with the windows closed.
DELGAUDIO: With the air conditioner on.
MYERS: Right.
COSTELLO: We have to wrap it up now. We couldn't get to any more e-mail questions. Hopefully we can have you back so we can have some more questions answered from our viewers.
MYERS: Sounds good.
COSTELLO: Bummer.
Thank you, Dr., for...
DELGAUDIO: You're welcome.
COSTELLO: ... checking in with DAYBREAK this morning.
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