Anti- and pro-lobbies lock their horns over the renewed use of the much maligned drug thalidomide
THUS much maligned drug thalidomide
- flushed from the market in the '60s,
after a furore over birth defects associated with it - is back. Although touted as
an experimental treatment for fatality
inducing conditions associated with
cancer, organ transplants, Alus anti
other diseases, a strong anti-thalidomide lobby has emerged recently.
"We are outraged that thalidoi
has suddenly raised its ugly head ag,
says Randy Warren, head of
Thalidomide Victims Associatim
Canada. "We thought we were the
and last generation of thalidomidi
Warren's outrage is shared by
Brazilian Movement for Reintegra
of Leprosy Sufferers (MORHAN)
located 47 people under the age
deformed by thalidomide. Its inves
tions also revealed 10 other thalidomide
babies who died shortly after birth,
eight women who resorted to abort
after sonograms revealed deformities
the foetus.
Although the chilling ptoportions of
the problem may not be apparent
because of Brazil's geographical size
a lack of an official record of cases,
Custodio, president, MORHAN, beh
that the number of second genera
victims in Brazil, where the drug
never banned, could be as high as
"Thalidomide can be an effective
to counter leprosy," says Custodics'
an irresponsible lack of control can
it in the hands of people who have no
idea what its effect can be."
Thalidomide's dismal track record
has alerted many countries. The drug
was removed from the market in the
early '60s after it caused birth defects in
an estimated 7,000 to 12,000 babies
worldwide. Among the countries who
shunned it were Sweden, Germany,
France the UK, Switzerland, Australia,
and Mexico. Thalidomide was
ZsoW in the us. But learning from
dutlidornide tragedy, the Food and
@ Administration (FDA), us framed
CI rules for evaluating new medicines
I nearly banned testing of drugs on
According to some estimates,
ZI 7,000 thalidomide victims in
the world today. At least a 1,000 live in
Germany, 14 are in the us and 450 live in
the UK.
However, scientists and doctors
found thalidomide to be effective for
a wide range of maladies. "It is
am of research that is gathering
negeturn and a lot of studies are
Vning started," says Georgia
pip" of John Hopkins University
Smal School in Baltimore, whose
up has been testing thalidomide
cwKer patients receiving bone
ww transplant& Says Roger Jones,
managing director of Penn Pharmaceutical, UK, "There is also great hope
In the treatment of rheumatoid
arthristis.
Altough clinical trials of thalidomide are just beginning, there is widespread bope about the drug being used
AIDS patients. In fact, last
AIDS groups in the us began
drug from Brazil and selling
to AIDS victims. The FDA
quickly last summer by ask
of the groups to stop sell
g, However, the groups say
is hardly any reason for fear
have adopted a cautious
Says Sally Cooper, director,
With AIDS Health Group in New
'We have been distributing the
JuDe and we have a very con
programme. People have to get
ption every 10 days, read
It 20-page booklet of information on the drug.
However thalidomide, cannot be
View in simple black and white terms
In the near future. "There is always
be the question of how
the drug is for women and
it is for the embryo. And
looked at on a case-by
Wbe
says James Mills of the
National Institute of Child Health and Human
Development in Bethesda,Maryland.
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