Shortage of methazolamide tablets

The American System of Health-System Pharmacists reports a shortage of methazolamide tablets. Neither Fera nor Sandoz provided a reason for this shortage. Since there is no shortage of Fera's brand name version of methazolamide, Neptazane, there will be the usual speculation that the active principle ingredient is being used to produce the more expensive brand name version rather than the less expensive generic versions. If this is untrue, giving a reason for the shortage of the generic versions would be a good way to combat the lie.


Inside the eye, methazolamide inhibits the following reaction, reducing the amount of water produced and thus the pressure that leads to nerve damage and blindness in the case of some types of glaucoma. It has also been used off-label to reduce pressure on the brain by the same mechanism when swelling is occurring due to trauma, etc.

Methazolamide has also been used off-label for some tumors that contain high concentrations of carbon dioxide. In that instance, methazolamide inhibits this reation, leading to tumor cell death.

A more recent off-label use has been inhibition of the carbonic anhydrases involved in the abnormally increased bone resorption in ankylosing spondylitis, a disease that destroys various of the body's joints.