A small niche in the PPI market

Implications: Which PPI to prescribe?  We already have a myriad of choices between brands, which in general, are all quite effective when used for the correct indications.  An oral suspension is useful in a patient who requires PPI therapy, but who is unable to swallow pills for a variety of reasons.  This scenario, however, represents a very small percentage of the large patient population who are on PPI's.  This formulation would be unlikely to dramatically affect prescribing habits for most physicians in the community.

Analysis: This particular formulation addresses a small niche in the PPI market.  Most patients are able to swallow pills, and if not, are able to use formulations or options already available, i.e, solutabs, etc.  There may be a convenience factor in having a premixed oral suspension rather than opening capsules and mixing with juice or applesause, etc, in certain settings, such as nursing homes, hospitals (again, only in patients who are unable to swallow pills), however how much it will be used in this very specific situation will, in the end, depend on cost related issues compared to present options.  While there may be a place for using Protonix oral suspension, it will likely be a small place, and it would be unlikely that this will have a significant impact on the overall PPI prescrbing habits of physicians prescribing in an ambulatory care setting.