Making a case for domperidone in the treatment of gastrointestinal motility disorders

There are very few treatment options currently available for patients with gastrointestinal motility disorders, especially patients with gastroparesis. Domperidone, a peripheral dopamine receptor antagonist, has been successfully used for decades in the US and marketed in many countries for the treatment of gastroparesis. Its use, however, has recently become controversial owing to safety concerns, and it has never been approved for marketing by the FDA. During the 1990s, domperidone was available to US gastroenterologists under a compassionate-use program by Janssen Pharmaceutica, as the manufacturer worked towards, and fell short of, full US market approval. Medical studies, trials and case reports demonstrate the superior efficacy of domperidone when compared with placebo and other pharmaceutical therapies available. Data on the cardiac toxicity associated with oral use of domperidone fail to be convincing.