About PEN Prep
PEN Prep is a colon preparation kit that was developed by Jose Rodriguez, MD, FACP (a board certified gastroenterologist from Texas) in an effort to make the preparation of the colon more palatable and more efficacious while at the same time making it easier for the patients. PEN Prep has an international patent-pending designation at the present time.
PEN Prep is a combination of polyethylene glycol and magnesium citrate with the addition of a proprietary blend of flavor enhancers and non-absorbable disaccharides. A dose of simethicone has been added to the final step in an effort to diminish the bubbles that can be problematic with other bowel preps. It is given in a split dosing format that is adaptable to the patient’s situation and timing of the anticipated procedure. The kit consists of six separate bottles that are taken in four steps which are color-coded to make it easier for the patients to follow along. The flavor enhancers and non-absorbable sugars have made PEN Prep much more palatable and improve patient compliance.
Most of the time, the prep kit is taken by the patient beginning the day prior to the procedure. Our experience is that most patients can still go to work or continue with their regular activities after starting the prep until around 4 or 5 pm if the regimen is started at 8 am. We advise most of our patients to go home a little earlier than usual from work the day prior to the procedure and finish taking the prep at home that evening. Of course, the timing of the prep is very adaptable depending on each individual patient’s particular circumstance.
The kits are bottled and prepared at our plant in Tempe, AZ to exacting industry standards. They are shipped nationally and internationally from our distribution center at the plant.
The kits are sold primarily to pharmacies, hospitals and physicians who then “retail” the kits to their patients.
After our first full year of distributing PEP Prep, our clients have given us very positive feedback. One of the big advantages in our larger groups has been the standardization of preparing the bowel among the different practitioners in the groups, after switching to a single, group-wide, method. The lower ingested volume of our prep has been another source of significant positive feedback.