Due to the possibility of causing side effects such as sleepwalking, the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) announced that physicians may no longer prescribe four types of hypnotic drugs to patients with a history of sleepwalking or who are prone to other activities in a sleep-like state to prevent potential harm and injuries.

A stream of reports on the severe side effects of hypnotic drugs from the U.S. have prompted the TFDA to set new contraindications for eszopiclone, zaleplon, zolpidem and zopiclone.

In a telephone interview, Medicinal Products Division Section Chief Hung Kuo-teng said that the four hypnotic drugs have led to many different types of dangerous behaviors such as sleepwalking and sleep driving in various countries and under different dosages. As a result, the U.S. last year barred physicians from prescribing the four hypnotic drugs to patients with a history of sleepwalking and/or sleep driving. Following a review of international data on the matter and reassessing the clinical benefits and risks of the hypnotic drugs in question with the Drug Safety Advisory Committee, the TFDA decided to follow the prescription ban implemented by the U.S.

Section Chief Hung said that currently, the four types of hypnotic drugs account for 46 drug licenses. However, being classified as class IV drugs and requiring prescriptions, the four hypnotic drugs are not easily obtained by the public.

According to TFDA data, Taiwan has recorded around 200 sleepwalking and sleep driving incidents, fortunately resulting in no casualties.

Hung urged the public to observe drug label instructions on dosage and to refrain from buying hypnotic drugs on their own or mixing hypnotic drugs to prevent adverse drug reactions.

[2020-04-27 / CNA]