Where to report amazing reduced dementia side effect from common med?

[Hisgirl]

I'm hoping someone can help me know who to report this to.

Either someone involved with paxlovid at pfizer OR, probably better, someone involved with dementia research.

When my elderly father took paxlovid, in December, something remarkable happened. He had diagnosed vascular dementia and within 24 hours of taking paxlovid for a covid case, his dementia basically disappeared. I spoke with him multiple times a day by phone, and his struggling to speak, struggle to get a word out, struggle to say the right thing, disappeared. I had a 100% normal conversation with him. The following day, my sister called to ask what on earth had happened as she also had a normal converstion with him.

I think this is important and I want to share it with the researchers who study dementia. Just not sure where to go. CDC? Alzeheimers research? I want to get past the phone reps. Anyone know a researcher?

 

[sam_gordon]

Maybe his doctor?

 

[mousefan73]

interesting...you said this was in December? and how is your father now?

 

[Marrila]

You could check here:
https://www.pfizer.com/products/medicine-safety/reporting

They take reports of adverse effects, but I would think they would be interested in unexpected positive effects as well.

 

[_19disnA]

Since you can't just go to the drugstore and buy this medication clearly a medical professional (most likely his doctor) must have issued a prescription. That is where I would start. Doctor would want to know or any good/bad results from taking something they prescribed. Am not a medical expert and won't attempt to play one on the internet but would imagine his doctor would also look at what other medications he is taking along with other relevant medical history information. Probably would want to see him to assess his current condition and determine if the results are temporary or not.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

I’m so happy that your dad had a day of clear thoughts! You take those small wins whenever you can with dementia!!

 

[DLgal]

You would contact Pfizer directly. They have a way of doing so to report side effects.

You can also find literally anyone who works for Pfizer. They are obligated to report side effects that they hear about from medication users. At least, that is the case for the pharmaceutical company my husband works for (he is not in any way directly involved in the manufacturing of these meds, he's just a project manager, but he has to report any side effects if someone tells him about them directly). It's a company policy. I'm guessing Pfizer has a similar policy.

They may already know about this effect and may already be studying it. A cursory Google search uncovers some studies that link the use of antimicrobial and antiviral agents to improvement in Alzheimers symptoms.

 

[tasha99]

Is he still better? I'd be talking to his doctor--maybe some of the dementia symptoms he had before weren't from vascular changes in his brain to begin with. He could either be misdiagnosed or have a correct diagnosis, but the severity was from something else. I have an uncle with a diagnosis of dementia. He's really pretty sharp most of the time, but sometimes is very, very demented. So far, that's not been a worsening of his dementia but a sign that he's getting lithium poisoning.

 

[Hisgirl]

I did reach out to Pfizer and they contacted me and wanted to know more. I had a very long phone call, giving them all the info. It truly was an amazing side effect, even though it only lasted a couple of days.

For those who asked, my daddy passed away about six weeks later, at the age of 92, followed eleven hours later by my mama, who never went anywhere without him, so it made sense. 72 years of marriage.

 

[Moliphino]

It was just paxlovid, he didn't get monoclonal antibodies? Because this is a known side effect of monoclonal antibody treatment (only temporary, unfortunately).

 

[hulagirl87]

I did reach out to Pfizer and they contacted me and wanted to know more. I had a very long phone call, giving them all the info. It truly was an amazing side effect, even though it only lasted a couple of days.

For those who asked, my daddy passed away about six weeks later, at the age of 92, followed eleven hours later by my mama, who never went anywhere without him, so it made sense. 72 years of marriage.

My goodness. I'm so sorry for your losses. I'm so glad that he had those few days of that "side effect".