Leprosy mailing list - 30 December 2003

Ccn: all;
Ref.: thalidomide*;
From:
1. S Talhari, Manaus, Brazil;
2. V Pannikar, Geneva, Switzerland;
3. S Krishnamurthi, Chennai, India.

---

 

 

Dear Dr Noto,

I refer to Dr. Pannikar's messages regarding the use of thalidomide*. It is interesting the way he is discussing the problem. I respect him as an excellent leprologist but I must disagree with most of his points of view regarding this drug.
As doctors we are the responsible for our prescriptions. Dermatologists are prescribing every day drugs like isotretinoin and acitretin for different diseases. Like thalidomide they can cause severe problems for pregnant women. It is our responsibility to prescribe these very important drugs. Drugs can cause lots of problems but we need them.
Thalidomide is a very important drug and fortunately it is available in our country. It would be interesting to give a look on the huge number of patients suffering of the side effects related to cortisone (to treat ENL). I don't like both drugs. But fortunately in Brazil we have thalidomide. We have severe rules to prescribe it. It is the best drug for ENL.
Sorry for my English.

Sincerely yours,

Sinésio Talhari, MD

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Mr Krishnamurthi,

Many thanks for your quick response. I will be grateful if you can post this to Dr Salvatore's address. We appreciate very much your concern and support in avoiding misuse of thalidomide*, particularly in the light of its capacity to cause serious harm to the next generation. We very much hope that you will continue to follow the strictest policy for thalidomide's distribution and use in the community.

Best wishes for the New Year.

Regards,
Dr V. Pannikar

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Dear Dr Pannikar,

We are indeed thankful for your concern and wish to inform you that we are as well concerned being a reputed marketing organization working towards Anti Cancer treatment.
Firstly, we wish to inform you that we are not into random marketing to get business since we are quiet sufficient with the sales we generate in our country.
Moreover, we have not informed anyone outside the country regarding our product. Only when one of the NGO in India, while having a discussion with us said that one Mr Salvatore is in need of the said product.
We inform you in this regard that in no way we have supplied even a single pill to anyone without the request from a proper channel, i.e., either through their government or through an NGO or through a qualified doctor with written undertaking from their side.
We are well aware of the consequences and we assure you that there is no unconditional or random marketing from our side.
Hope you will appreciate our stand.

Thanking you,

Krishnamurthi S

Business Manager