Xanax has been incorrectly included on lists of gluten-free meds.


From a Pfizer website:

Table 2. Pfizer U.S. Pharmaceutical Products That Contain Gluten as an Ingredient

Halcion® (triazolam) Tablets (a benzodiazepine derivative drug.)
Xanax® (alprazolam) Tablets
Xanax XR® (alprazolam, extended release) Tablets


www.pfizerpro.com/product_info/viagra_pi_ingredients.jsp

Inactive ingredients: Cellulose, corn starch, docusate sodium, lactose, magnesium stearate,
silicon dioxide and sodium benzoate. In addition, the 0.5 mg tablet contains FD&C Yellow
No. 6 and the 1 mg tablet contains FD&C Blue No. 2.

Which of those is glutenous?

Also your link doesn't lead to a real page.

I don't know why that link didn't work, but you may have to google Pfizer Pro Gluten Xanax

https://www.pfizerpro.com/product_info/viag...ingredients.jsp


Here is another way to see it:
http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:FlKKx...;celiac disease=1&gl=us

https://www.pfizerpro.com/product_info/viag...p;FullView=TRUE

Does anyone know of a generic that is gluten free.

I just had to switch my birth control pills, because I noticed that they weren't on the gluten free list but I called the generics and one of the generics is gluten free...

I have written down the numbers to call on Monday, but it's the weekend and I take it 4xday.

Generic Alprazolam made by Mylan is gluten free.

I am waiting on some more email replies from overseas companies, will post if they come back positive.

Novopharm alprazolam IS gluten free.

Actavis can not guarantee their alprazolam because they do not test.

Well, darn! I guess we all know we can't trust Pfizer, we have been warned enough times about this company. I have taken Xanax for years, only as needed. For the last several years it has been in a generic form. In September my doctor gave me a new RX for it and it is from Greenstone labs, I will be calling them today, if I can find a phone number for them. I do not know which lab my old pills were from now. I do know that taking them was always a big decision for me. I had to decide if I needed them bad enough right now to deal with tomorrow. When I take Xanax, the next day I usually have a bad day, a day of jumpiness, on edge, a day where anything can set me off--could that have been a gluten reaction----who knows.

How sad to know we may be glutening ourselves when we felt we were being safe.

You've been glutened. I had similar symptoms, and other reactions, the day(s) after taking Greenstone's Alprazom, which is generic Xanax.

Sorry to tell you this, but Greenstone is owned by Pfizer, and the ingredients, including gluten, are the same in both companies' Xanax. We called Pfizer and confirmed it.

I too called Pfizer today and talked with their pharmicist--he confirmed it too. Greenstone is their company and makes their generic which also contains gluten. I told him how unfair they have been to us--first telling us it is gluten free, only to have lied to us. How disgusting is that. It makes me so sad.

Is there any official documentation that Novopharm alprazolam is gluten free, such as on their website(s)?

When the prescribed medication contains gluten, an option sometimes is to use a pharmacy that does its own compounding. An example is Stokes Pharmacy in Mt. Laural, NJ. I attended a support group meeting in Cherry Hill where the pharmacy owner talked about the process. They can check the medication and identify which component contains the gluten. If the component is just the filler, they can often compound the medication using a different filler. Sometimes, they can change the medication from a tablet to a liquid.

The URL for Stokes Pharmacy is http://www.stokesrx.com/ There are no doubt other pharmacies that provide the same service.

I was on it for years then found out it was not gluten-free, My Dr switched me to Ativan...he said its gluten-free, sure hope hes right!

Novopharm told me on the phone that it is gluten free.

Along with Mylan.

Actavis does not test, so they can't guarantee.

I found the Mylan at my Walmart pharmacy but the other pharmacies in my town used Actavis and Greenstone

Anybody know which is the offending ingrediant at Greenstone. I printed out a list of the inactive ingrediants, and I can't tell which one it is. This is the one that my company (hospital) deals with, and I don't know if I can get it from another paharmacy and still have it covered under my insurance. Here are the ingrediants that they list:

cellulose
corn starch
docusate sodium
lactose
magnesium stearate
silicone dioxide
sodium bonzoate
FD&C Yellow #6

Thanks!

I would want to know the source of the cellulose. If the company states that it is not safe from what I can see that would be the most likely ingredient. Someone else maybe can shed a brighter light.

i know this is an old post, but everywhere i look, it says all of xanax is gluten free....i was prescribed it, and have the greenstone version, which apparently is phizer and has gluten?

anyone have any 2008 updates?

like for generic brands like upjohn and actavis?

Sorry Timothy, pfizer lied to all of us. Now, they deny ever having said Xanax is gluten free. I spoke to a pharmicist at Pfizer about Xanax and their generic company Greenstone's generic Xanax...he said they both contain gluten, always have. I took them both and reacted to them. I now have Alprazolam from Mylan Labs, their pharmicist told me it's gluten free, and I have no bad reactions to it.

Pfizer can not be trusted, even a drug rep who came into our office one day told me he will not give out samples of their meds to doctors, simply because they are not a trustworthy company.

I take Xanax (tablet says Xanax 1.0, manufactured in Puerto Rico) made by Pfizer.
I think it does not have gluten, but they are just saying that it does to protect themselves
from any possible litigation (liability reasons)...or perhaps there is cross-contamination
at the factory. ?

Here are the ingredients:

http://www.pfizer.com/files/products/uspi_xanax.pdf

Inactive ingredients: Cellulose, corn starch, docusate sodium, lactose, magnesium stearate,
silicon dioxide and sodium benzoate. In addition, the 0.5 mg tablet contains FD&C Yellow
No. 6 and the 1 mg tablet contains FD&C Blue No. 2.

I see nothing there that is suspect, although I stand to be corrected. I think cellulose is the one folks are thinking of, but I doubt it contains gluten.

http://www.medbroadcast.com/drug_info_deta...and_name_id=333

1 mg
Each lavender, single score tablet, embossed "Upjohn 90", contains alprazolam 1 mg. Nonmedicinal ingredients: cornstarch, docusate sodium, erythrosin sodium, FD&C Blue No. 2, lactose, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose and silicon dioxide. Gluten-free.

I am pretty sure that microcrystalline cellulose is gluten-free. Supposedly it is synthetic.

Even if it did contain wheat starch, a check on that from the European Union says:

http://www.emea.europa.eu/pdfs/human/produ...7a_200307en.pdf

"Wheat starch

Suitable for people with coeliac disease.
Patients with wheat allergy (different from coeliac
disease) should not take this medicine.

Wheat starch may contain gluten, but only in trace
amounts, and is therefore considered safe for people with
coeliac disease. (Gluten in wheat starch is limited by the
test for total protein described in the PhEur monograph.)"

In the UK, supposedly you don't have to worry. (I live outside the UK though)

http://www.coeliac.co.uk/glutenfree_living...ons/default.asp

Can gluten be found in medications?

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is the government agency which is responsible for ensuring that medicines are acceptably safe.

The MHRA have informed Coeliac UK that prescribable, licenced medicines which are listed in the BNF and MIMS (prescribing guides used by your doctor) are gluten-free.

There are European Guidelines on the issue of labelling ingredients on the packaging of medicinal products which are available from the European Medicines Agency website.

Sometimes medications can cause side effects that may present with symptoms that are similar to eating gluten. These side effects may then resolve once the course of medication is complete.

Prescribed medications should only be taken or stopped under medical advice: do not stop taking any medication without consulting your doctor. Your doctor is best placed to advise you regarding alternative medications.

If you are concerned about this issue, Coeliac UK would advise you to refer to the list of ingredients on the packaging, your pharmacist or to the manufacturer.

---

I hope this means that Xanax is fairly safe to take. After googling cellulose and microcrystalline cellulose, I just can't find a straight answer about whether it is safe or not, but some say it is safe.

Any ideas? Please discuss. :-)

thanks.

Best wishes,
Paul

Jakarta, Indonesia

Xanax is still listed here as being gluten-free.

http://www.glutenfreedrugs.com/list.pdf

Paul

Since the whole thing with Xanax happened, I do not trust Glutenfreedrugs.com. Pfizer's pharmicist told me on the phone, that Xanax has never been gluten free, nor has their generic made by Greenstone. What more do you want to hear??? I called Pfizer, they confirmed it IS NOT GLUTEN FREE!!!! The fillers probably contain gluten, besides the fact, I ALWAYS REACTED TO XANAX. If you are taking it, you are being glutened.

There were only 3 labs I found that make it gluten free, one of which is the one I use now, without reaction--Mylan Labs.

Paul, medications are not regulated like foods are. If you feel you can trust the Xanax, there is nothing I can do to stop you. As I said, Pfizer LAbs told me it is not gluten free...that's all I need to know.

Wow. I guess I can eat Corn Pops now. Anyone tried ingesting wheat starch?

best regards, lm

As I live in Indonesia, perhaps the product they ship here (from Arecibo, Puerto Rico's factory) is ok.

I called Pfizer here in Indonesia and told them about my health condition and the folks on the Celiac forums being told it contains gluten.

He was with the medical department and said he would call me back in 10-15 minutes. He then called back and confidently said, "Mr. Paul, Xanax 1mg tablets do not contain gluten. The inactive ingredients are..." (and he listed microcrystalline cellulose [instead of cellulose, which is synthetic]) as one of the ingredients.

I pressed him for more information, saying that others have called Pfizer in the US and that Pfizer's pharmacist said it contains gluten, but I couldn't see how cellulose could have gluten in it. I asked him if he could _certify_ that Xanax is gluten free, to which he said,

"No, I am sorry, we cannot certify that Xanax tablets are gluten-free".

Apparently, the source of the cellulose needs to be confirmed. He seemed to be confident that there is not a risk of it containing gluten, but then followed that up by saying,

"We do not test our products for gluten".

Bwah?

So, now I am confused. If I hadn't pressed him for more information, I would have hung up after hearing him say it doesn't contain gluten.

Maybe what I'm getting (I used to live in the US and take brand name Xanax there) is made by different specifications? I don't know if what you get in the US comes from Puerto Rico. There have been serious QC problems with drugs made in Puerto Rico by Roche laboratories. Not sure about Pfizer though.

Can someone find out for sure if their Xanax is coming from Puerto Rico? Reason I ask about that is because he says it is microcrystalline cellulose, yet their corporate website says "cellulose" (which could be suspect). Microcrystalline cellulose is synthetic.

Well, they don't test for gluten, so hell, who knows what IS in the tablets.

He was conscientious enough to bring up lactose and corn starch with me and asked if I have a problem with that because some people have problems with lactose and Celiac Disease patients can have trouble with corn.

Hmm..

I'm not doubting anyone who says they reacted to Xanax tablets. I'm just very curious where the gluten is coming from. It could only be from the cellulose and from what I read on another Celiac forum, cellulose should be safe.

I read here:

http://www.celiac.com/articles/181/1/Safe-...ents/Page1.html

"Cellulose is a carbohydrate polymer of D-glucose. It is the structural material of plants, such as wood in trees. It contains no gluten protein."

Can someone in the US please call their toll-free number and ask them where the gluten is coming from?

I react worse to corn than I do to gluten. I had the worst abdominal pains of my life (thought I had appendicitis) along with diarrhea after eating corn regularly. I've been gluten-free, casein-free and have avoided corn since January 2007 and thank God I got better. My acid reflux is 50% better and no more diarrhea when eating fatty foods. Anxiety is also markedly decreased and mood is better too after staying away from gluten.

I eat only whole foods (no processed foods whatsoever) and drink bottled water.
I've never been diagnosed, but the doctor is very suspicious of it. I just cannot afford the tests
as I don't have health insurance. That Xanax cost me a fortune too, so you can see why I really want to find out where that hidden gluten is coming from, if there really is any in it.

Supposedly if the amount is less than 200ppm (some say 20ppm), then it won't provoke a reaction.

I can understand though why a lot of folks would want to stay away from any, period, because there is a 10% risk of lymphoma in the colon if you don't maintain a strict gluten-free diet for the rest of your life.

I'd really appreciate it if someone can confirm where that gluten is coming from and if their pharmacy stocks the Puerto Rican version.

Thanks! :-)

Paul

Well, I just called Pfizer in the US at 1-212-733-2323. (it is 1:17am here in Jakarta, but 2:17pm in the US)

He says, "There is no gluten in our Xanax product. Yes, we do have factories in Puerto Rico that produce our product."

So I asked him about why the Pfizer website says there is gluten in it. He then said, "We can't certify that our products are gluten-free because of the manufacturing process".

Me: "you mean cross-contamination?"

Pfizer: "Yes, things like that could occur in the factory and would be beyond our control. In other words, to the best of our knowledge, it does not contain gluten, but we cannot certify or guarantee that 100%"

So, my take on it is that it probably does not contain gluten, but there is a possibility due to cross-contamination, because the excipients they use do not contain gluten. He said things can happen during the manufacturing process which are beyond their control.

So, this seems to be a cross-contamination issue at worst. I don't think they deliberately use gluten as a hidden ingredient.

That said, Xanax being gluten-free is not set in stone and better to be safe and take another brand.

However, how many companies actually do certify that their meds are gluten-free? Can they really guarantee there is no possibility of contamination?

I'll try not to worry about it for now. I'm pretty sensitive to gluten and will get bloating and acid reflux like crazy if I take in even a small amount of gluten and nothing like that has happened... that's not to say there isn't some sort of immunological reaction going on in my small intestine, but taking a look at the inert ingredients/excipients in Xanax and I really can't find one that comes from gluten.

More research that I've done over the past 12 hours tells me that cellulose contains no gluten protein and microcrystalline cellulose is 100% safe since it is synthetic. The other ingredients I looked up and they could not contain gluten.

It is possible that the lactose or corn starch could be causing reactions in those who take Xanax.

It is also possible that cellulose and microcrystalline cellulose is causing a reaction because on this very board there are folks who have complained of gluten-like reactions from consuming pharmaceuticals containing cellulose.

*sigh* I hope Xanax is safe to take and that there's no cross-contamination in their Puerto Rican plant.

Paul

Many companies will not guarantee their product is gluten free, because they do not test for gluten. They can state that there are no gluten ingredients. Under those circumstances, I would consider that product gluten free.

Many times it's a CYA Statement.

Well, I called them too, the pharmicist, and yes, he said, "I am a pharmicist here, and yes, there is gluten in Xanax, and always has been!" He never said anything about trying to certify it, just said it absolutely IS NOT gluten-free." That's all I need to know. Besides the fact, I always reacted to it, and now, I have Xanax which is gluten free, and no reaction.

Be your own judge!

I received a call from Pfizer today from the Indonesian office which imports Xanax from Puerto Rico.
He said with confidence that he had contacted the manufacturer over there and they said it does not contain gluten.

Perhaps Pfizer cannot get its story straight. I don't know.

To be more sure I emailed their global branches and got this reply today:


Dear Paul Krenz,



Thank for your enquiry to Pfizer.



Pertaining to your enquiry regarding Gluten content of Xanax (Alprazolam), Pfizer is please to provide the following information.



"Pfizer Medical Information- gluten content of prescription products"



¨ Gluten is a mixture of two proteins, gliadin and glutenin, that are present in wheat flour and to a lesser extent in barley, oats, and rye.



¨ Alprazolam Tablets and Alprazolam XR [extended release] Tablets



DO NOT CONTAIN GLUTEN



¨ Please note that Xanax is product of Greenstone.



Greenstone Limited is a subsidiary of Pfizer Inc. Please note that Greenstone Limited lists active and most inactive ingredients in the package inserts or on the product containers. Inactive ingredients present in trace amounts (e.g., imprint ink) may not be listed. The accuracy of our statements is based upon the final product composition formula only and cannot guarantee that minute amounts of substances are not contained in raw materials obtained from various suppliers for our manufacturing process.



I hope that the above information is useful to you. Should you need further information please feel free to contact Pfizer again.



Thank you for your interest in Pfizer. We look forward for your continued support.





Best Regards,



Dr. Chan Min Kyi

Safety / Medical Information Associate

Pfizer Pte Ltd ( Singapore )



1 Science Park Road

#04-01 The Capricorn

Singapore Science Park II

Singapore 117528



Tel (65) 64038888; 64038752 (DID)

Fax (65) 64038868

There you go, this man did not know what he was talking about. Xanax is the original name for the Pfizer product, they had the patent on it, they created this product. When the patent came off, then the generic brands (the generic name is Alprazolam), were produced. Greenstone is a generic company, a subsidiary of Pfizer, they only make generics.

I have taken Xanax and Alprazolam for nearly 20 yrs. I have been gluten free for 8 yrs, and since going gluten free, my Xanax caused reactions. I now have a gluten-free version made by Mylan Labs, and never, ever have a reaction to it. The last gluten containing Alprazolam I reacted too was from Greenstone Labs.

I know it contains gluten, I know Pfizer's does too. You do what you have to do. I will never trust Pfizer/Greenstone again. Recently I talked with a drug rep who is a patient of ours and he will not give out samples of Pfizer products, simply because he has caught them in too many lies. So, I have my own reactions to judge by, plus a pharmicist at Pfizer, and a drug rep who will not represent them...I do not need anymore reasons.

It's hard to trust big pharma these days. They have covered up so many things
in the past, who knows what is truth and lies anymore.

They used tricky language in that email.

By examining it more carefully I can see that they are
saying it doesn't have gluten on some technicality.

Basically they admit they do not test the raw materials
for gluten, and don't have to and can still say it is gluten-free.

I think this means that we should all avoid Xanax and
the generic Greenstone products until Pfizer can certify
under third-party and neutral laboratory tests that it is
100% gluten-free.

Heck, I was thinking of something.. maybe I can take
my Xanax pills to a laboratory here and have them run
it through a machine to see how many ppm (parts per million)
gluten it has?

That would really set the record straight, but then my wallet
would be a lot lighter. hehehe

Yeah, tricky language.. language that covers them from being sued.

I hope Pfizer googles this because he called me up and told me to
"spread the good news" to the Celiac forums on the internet about
Xanax being free of gluten.

Hopefully they'll take notice, because apparently it was important
enough for that rep to tell me to spread the word about it on Celiac
Disease forums, so they know they need our money.

We need some kind of bill in the Congress to regulate them for
gluten. I know that with foods (which I've been told are regulated
differently) the FDA is going to make them state on the label if
foods have gluten in them or not.

I hope to God they can do this someday for pills.

Big Pharma companies have a way with twisting words.
Too bad really. :-( I spent $60 on the Xanax and can't take
it back for a refund even though it is still in the original blister
packaging.

Paul

This is the truth. This is the only thing that will work for all of us. They can tell a diabetic when a med is safe for them, why not us? There really is no need for gluten in meds.

Well, check this out. Remember that site that listed all the "gluten-free" drugs from Pfizer? They only listed Xanax, Xanax XR and Halcion as containing gluten.

Well, the doctor from Singapore said that data is old and out of date. Pfizer now has several drugs listed that are containing gluten! Beware! Nardil is on the list containing gluten, whereas before it was listed as not containing it.

Ok, here's what his email said today after I told him about this site:

https://www.pfizerpro.com/product_info/viag...p;FullView=TRUE

I told him this site above says that Xanax has gluten in it, so I want a straight answer for me and other folks with Celiac Disease.

He sent me updated files and said that website is OUT OF DATE. They changed things as of August and September 2008.

Dear Paul Krenz,

Thank you for your feedback.
I found the website that you gave and there was written Gluten DO contain in Xanax.

From our medical information which was updated recently (01 August 2008 and 16 September 2008) stated that Xanax DO NOT Contain Gluten.

Please find the attached files for your reference.

By the way, may I know the doctor (name and clinic name-if possible address) who prescribes you the Xanax?

I also would like to send this information to doctor and so next time he or she can explain to patient who want to know this information.

I will contact to website that you gave me regarding your feedback and inform them to update the information.

Thank you and Best Regards,

Dr. Chan Min Kyi
Safety / Medical Information Associate
Pfizer Pte Ltd ( Singapore)

1 Science Park Road
#04-01 The Capricorn
Singapore Science Park II

Singapore 117528

Tel (65) 64038888; 64038752 (DID)
Fax (65) 64038868


Pfizer

Medical Information-General gluten content of Pfizer prescription products

The Pfizer U.S. pharmaceutical products in Table 1 below do contain gluten as an ingredient.
Please note that Table 1 does not contain a complete listing of all Pfizer pharmaceutical products.

Last QA Reviewed On: 08/01/2008 10:50:56

Table 1. Pfizer U.S. Pharmaceutical Products That DO Contain Gluten 2

Aromasin® (exemestane) Tablets
Colestid® (colestipol HCl) Flavored Granules for Oral Suspension *
Exubera® (insulin human [rDNA origin]) Inhalation Powder
Nardil® (phenelzine sulfate) Tablets
Neurontin® (gabapentin) Oral Solution †
Sutent® (sunitinib malate) Capsules
Zyrtec® (cetirizine HCl) Chewable Tablets ‡
Zyvox® (linezolid) for Oral Suspension §

* Please note that Colestid® (colestipol HCl) Flavored Granules for Oral Suspension DO contain gluten; and that
Colestid® (colestipol HCl) Tablets and Granules for Oral Suspension DO NOT contain gluten.
† Please note that Neurontin® (gabapentin) Oral Solution DOES contain gluten, and that Neurontin®
(gabapentin) Capsules and Tablets DO NOT contain gluten.
‡ Please note that Zyrtec® (cetirizine HCl) Chewable Tablets DO contain gluten, and that Zyrtec® (cetirizine
HCl) Oral Syrup and Tablets DO NOT contain gluten.
§ Please note that Zyvox® (linezolid) for Oral Suspension DOES contain gluten, and that Zyvox® (linezolid)
Tablets DO NOT contain gluten.

The Pfizer U.S. pharmaceutical products in Table 2 below do not contain gluten as an ingredient.
Please note that Table 2 does not contain a complete listing of all Pfizer pharmaceutical products.

Table 2. Pfizer U.S. Pharmaceutical Products That DO NOT Contain Gluten 2

Accupril® (quinapril HCl) Tablets
Aldactazide® (spironolactone/hydrochlorothiazide) Tablets
Aldactone® (spironolactone) Tablets
Aricept® (donepezil HCl) Tablets
Aricept® ODT (donepezil HCl, orally disintegrating) Tablets
Arthrotec® (diclofenac sodium/misoprostol) Tablets
Azulfidine® (sulfasalazine) Tablets
Azulfidine EN-tabs® (sulfasalazine, delayed release) Tablets
Caduet® (amlodipine besylate/atorvastatin calcium) Tablets
Cardura®XL (doxazosin mesylate, extended release) Tablets
Celebrex® (celecoxib) Capsules
Chantix™ (varenicline) Tablets
Cleocin® (clindamycin hydrochloride) Capsules
Cleocin® (clindamycin) Pediatric Flavored Granules for Oral Solution
Colestid® (colestipol HCl) Tablets, Granules for Oral Suspension *
Cortef® (hydrocortisone) Tablets
Detrol® (tolterodine) Tablets
Detrol®LA (tolterodine, extended release) Capsules
Diflucan® (fluconazole) Tablets, Oral Suspension
Dilantin® (phenytoin) Capsules, Infatabs, Kapseals, Oral Suspension £ ¥
Dostinex® (cabergoline) Tablets
Estring® (estradiol) Vaginal Ring
Geodon® (ziprasidone HCl) Capsules
Glucotrol® (glipizide) Tablets
Glucotrol XL® (glipizide, extended release) Tablets
Glyset® (miglitol) Tablets
Halcion® (triazolam) Tablets
Inspra® (eplerenone) Tablets
Lipitor® (atorvastatin calcium) Tablets
Lomotil® (diphenoxylate hydrochloride/atropine sulfate) Tablets, Liquid
Lyrica® (pregabalin) Capsules
Medrol® (methylprednisolone) Tablets
Micronase® (glyburide) Tablets
Minizide® (prazosin hydrochloride/polythiazide) Capsules
Neurontin® (gabapentin) Capsules, Tablets †
Norvasc® (amlodipine besylate) Tablets
Relpax ® (eletriptan hydrobromide) Tablets
Revatio™ (sildenafil citrate) Tablets
Selzentry™ (maraviroc) Tablets
Sinequan® (doxepin HCl) Capsules3
Tikosyn® (dofetilide) Capsules
Vantin® (cefpodoxime proxetil) Tablets, Oral Suspension
Vfend® (voriconazole) Tablets, Oral Suspension
Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Tablets
Vibramycin® (doxycycline calcium) Oral Syrup
Vibramycin® (doxycycline hyclate) Capsules
Vibramycin® (doxycycline monohydrate) Oral Suspension
Vibra-Tabs® (doxycycline hyclate) Film Coated Tablets
Xanax® (alprazolam) Tablets
Xanax XR® (alprazolam, extended release) Tablets
Zithromax® (azithromycin) Tablets, Oral Suspension, Single-Dose Powder Packets (all strengths)
Zmax™ (azithromycin, extended release) Oral Suspension
Zoloft® (sertraline HCl) Tablets, Oral Concentrate
Zyrtec® (cetirizine HCl) Oral Syrup ‡
Zyrtec® (cetirizine HCl) Tablets (all strengths) ‡
Zyrtec-D 12 Hour® (cetirizine HCl/pseudoephedrine HCl, extended release) Tablets
Zyvox® (linezolid) Tablets §

* Please note that Colestid® (colestipol HCl) Flavored Granules for Oral Suspension DO contain gluten; and that Colestid® (colestipol HCl) Tablets and Granules for Oral Suspension DO NOT contain gluten.

† Please note that Neurontin® (gabapentin) Oral Solution DOES contain gluten, and that Neurontin®
(gabapentin) Capsules and Tablets DO NOT contain gluten.

‡ Please note that Zyrtec® (cetirizine HCl) Chewable Tablets DO contain gluten, and that Zyrtec® (cetirizine HCl) Oral Syrup and Tablets DO NOT contain gluten.

§ Please note that Zyvox® (linezolid) for Oral Suspension DOES contain gluten, and that Zyvox® (linezolid) Tablets DO NOT contain gluten.

£ Pfizer discontinued the manufacturing of Dilantin Kapseals 100 mg in September 2007, but they may remain in distribution until the supply is exhausted. The Dilantin Kapseals 30 mg strength is still available.

¥ Dilantin 100 mg Capsules are produced using updated manufacturing methods; and the National Drug Code (NDC) numbers have been changed from the discontinued 100 mg Kapseals NDCs of 0071-0362-24; 0071-0362-32; and 0071-0362-40 to the new 100 mg Capsule formulation NDCs 0071-0369-24; 0071-0369-32; and 0071-0369-40.

Last QA Reviewed On: 08/01/2008 10:50:56

Refs.
1. Sweetman SC. Martindale: The Complete Drug Reference. 33rd ed. London, UK: Pharmaceutical Press, 2002.
2. Data on file (53) − Pfizer Inc. Database search on March 13, 2008.
3. Data on file (51) − Pfizer Inc.
Last QA Reviewed On: 08/01/2008 10:50:56

Pfizer

Medical Information-General gluten content of Greenstone prescription products

The Greenstone Limited products in Table 1 below contain gluten as an ingredient. Please note
that Table 1 does not contain a complete listing of all Greenstone Limited pharmaceutical products.

Table 1. Greenstone Limited Products That DO Contain Gluten2

Colestipol HCl Flavored Granules for Oral Suspension *
* Please note that Colestipol HCl Flavored Granules for Oral Suspension DO contain gluten, and that Colestipol HCl Tablets and Granules for Oral Suspension DO NOT contain gluten.

The Greenstone Limited products in Table 2 below do not contain gluten as an ingredient. Please
note that Table 2 does not contain a complete listing of all Greenstone Limited pharmaceutical
products.

Last QA Reviewed On: 09/16/2008 08:38:51

Table 2. Greenstone Limited Products That DO NOT Contain Gluten2

Alprazolam Tablets
Alprazolam XR [extended release] Tablets
Amlodipine Besylate Tablets
Azithromycin Oral Suspension, Single-Dose Powder Packets, Tablets (all strengths of formulations)
Cabergoline Tablets
Clindamycin Hydrochloride Capsules
Colestipol HCl Tablets, Granules for Oral Suspension *
Eplerenone Tablets
Fluconazole Oral Suspension, Tablets
Gabapentin Capsules, Tablets
Glipizide XL [extended release] Tablets
Glyburide Tablets
Methylprednisolone Tablets
Quinapril HCl Tablets
Sertraline HCl Oral Concentrate, Tablets
Spironolactone Tablets
Spironolactone/hydrochlorothiazide Tablets
Sulfasalazine Tablets
Sulfasalazine [delayed release] Tablets
Triazolam Tablets
* Please note that Colestipol HCl Flavored Granules for Oral Suspension DO contain gluten, and that Colestipol HCl Tablets and Granules for Oral Suspension DO NOT contain gluten.

Refs.
1. Sweetman SC. Martindale: The Complete Drug Reference. 33rd ed. London, UK: Pharmaceutical Press, 2002.
2. Data on file (53) − Pfizer Inc. Database search on September 11, 2008.
Last QA Reviewed On: 09/16/2008 08:38:51

Here are the updated pdf files I received from Pfizer in their original form:

http://rapidshare.com/files/152007727/Othe...SR_802ce9dc.pdf

http://rapidshare.com/files/152008210/Othe...SR_802cc635.pdf

Very good!

Thank you knightrider for that information. The questions regarding Xanax has been answered.


Table 2. Pfizer U.S. Pharmaceutical Products That DO NOT Contain Gluten 2

Accupril® (quinapril HCl) Tablets
Aldactazide® (spironolactone/hydrochlorothiazide) Tablets
Aldactone® (spironolactone) Tablets
Aricept® (donepezil HCl) Tablets
Aricept® ODT (donepezil HCl, orally disintegrating) Tablets
Arthrotec® (diclofenac sodium/misoprostol) Tablets
Azulfidine® (sulfasalazine) Tablets
Azulfidine EN-tabs® (sulfasalazine, delayed release) Tablets
Caduet® (amlodipine besylate/atorvastatin calcium) Tablets
Cardura®XL (doxazosin mesylate, extended release) Tablets
Celebrex® (celecoxib) Capsules
Chantix™ (varenicline) Tablets
Cleocin® (clindamycin hydrochloride) Capsules
Cleocin® (clindamycin) Pediatric Flavored Granules for Oral Solution
Colestid® (colestipol HCl) Tablets, Granules for Oral Suspension *
Cortef® (hydrocortisone) Tablets
Detrol® (tolterodine) Tablets
Detrol®LA (tolterodine, extended release) Capsules
Diflucan® (fluconazole) Tablets, Oral Suspension
Dilantin® (phenytoin) Capsules, Infatabs, Kapseals, Oral Suspension £ ¥
Dostinex® (cabergoline) Tablets
Estring® (estradiol) Vaginal Ring
Geodon® (ziprasidone HCl) Capsules
Glucotrol® (glipizide) Tablets
Glucotrol XL® (glipizide, extended release) Tablets
Glyset® (miglitol) Tablets
Halcion® (triazolam) Tablets
Inspra® (eplerenone) Tablets
Lipitor® (atorvastatin calcium) Tablets
Lomotil® (diphenoxylate hydrochloride/atropine sulfate) Tablets, Liquid
Lyrica® (pregabalin) Capsules
Medrol® (methylprednisolone) Tablets
Micronase® (glyburide) Tablets
Minizide® (prazosin hydrochloride/polythiazide) Capsules
Neurontin® (gabapentin) Capsules, Tablets †
Norvasc® (amlodipine besylate) Tablets
Relpax ® (eletriptan hydrobromide) Tablets
Revatio™ (sildenafil citrate) Tablets
Selzentry™ (maraviroc) Tablets
Sinequan® (doxepin HCl) Capsules3
Tikosyn® (dofetilide) Capsules
Vantin® (cefpodoxime proxetil) Tablets, Oral Suspension
Vfend® (voriconazole) Tablets, Oral Suspension
Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Tablets
Vibramycin® (doxycycline calcium) Oral Syrup
Vibramycin® (doxycycline hyclate) Capsules
Vibramycin® (doxycycline monohydrate) Oral Suspension
Vibra-Tabs® (doxycycline hyclate) Film Coated Tablets
Xanax® (alprazolam) Tablets
Xanax XR® (alprazolam, extended release) Tablets
Zithromax® (azithromycin) Tablets, Oral Suspension, Single-Dose Powder Packets (all strengths)
Zmax™ (azithromycin, extended release) Oral Suspension
Zoloft® (sertraline HCl) Tablets, Oral Concentrate
Zyrtec® (cetirizine HCl) Oral Syrup ‡
Zyrtec® (cetirizine HCl) Tablets (all strengths) ‡
Zyrtec-D 12 Hour® (cetirizine HCl/pseudoephedrine HCl, extended release) Tablets
Zyvox® (linezolid) Tablets §


Table 2. Greenstone Limited Products That DO NOT Contain Gluten2

Alprazolam Tablets
Alprazolam XR [extended release] Tablets
Amlodipine Besylate Tablets
Azithromycin Oral Suspension, Single-Dose Powder Packets, Tablets (all strengths of formulations)
Cabergoline Tablets
Clindamycin Hydrochloride Capsules
Colestipol HCl Tablets, Granules for Oral Suspension *
Eplerenone Tablets
Fluconazole Oral Suspension, Tablets
Gabapentin Capsules, Tablets
Glipizide XL [extended release] Tablets
Glyburide Tablets
Methylprednisolone Tablets
Quinapril HCl Tablets
Sertraline HCl Oral Concentrate, Tablets
Spironolactone Tablets
Spironolactone/hydrochlorothiazide Tablets
Sulfasalazine Tablets
Sulfasalazine [delayed release] Tablets
Triazolam Tablets

The only problem I see now is the older batches of Xanax that could contain gluten.
If this was a recent change in the fillers/binders, then it might be a while until the newer
batches make it to the pharmacy. Just a guess though.

Thank you Knightrider for all of your research, I can see you worked really hard at getting this.

However, I will never trust Pfizer. They lied before, then they lied about lying...I will never use a drug from Pfizer or Greenstone again. I put my faith in them and repeatedly got ill, while they lied. I am a very trusting person, yet once someone breaks that trust, it is very difficult to get it back. They messed with my health, that is unforgiveable in my book.

Well over one year ago, I was told Zyrtec was gluten free too, now I see on this list it wasn't, until recently. My insurance would not pay for it, so I got something different, thankfully.

Too many lies, and a very good drug rep says dont trust them, I agree.

Thanks.

kn,

I take Celebrex daily and several other meds on this list occasionally. Thank you for the info and for your efforts. It is very much appreciated.

best regards, lm

I was just reading in Neurotalk, a forum I frequent for my neuropathy and there is a new thread about Pfizer. Thought it may interest some of you.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/art...study_on_drug/

Here is a little snipet of the article: