Leprosy
mailing list – October 28th, 2005
Ccn: all.
From:
A C Moreira de Sousa, MJ, Brazil.
Dear
Salvatore,
Please
find enclosed our paper about thalidomide.
My
best wishes,
Artur Custodio Moreira de Sousa
Coordenador
Nacional do MORHAN
Membro
do CONADE - MJ
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Thalidomide in Brazil:
monitoring with shared responsibility?
(Portuguese)
Cad. Saúde Pública,
Rio de Janeiro, 15(1):99-112, jan-mar, 1999
Maria
Auxiliadora Oliveira (1)
Jorge Antônio
Zepeda Bermudez (1)
Arthur Custódio
Moreira de Souza (2)
Abstract
This
paper discusses issues related to the regulation and rational use of
thalidomide in Brazil, by means of a historical approach comprising
three different stages. The
first part is a historical review of the controversial drug since it
was first synthesized, then marketed and subsequently banned during
the 1950s and 60s, until the present, when an apparently irreversible
process of rehabilitating the drug is under way. Brazilian experience
with the use of thalidomide is described, emphasizing legal,
political, and institutional work led by two social movements, the
Brazilian Association of People with Thalidomide Syndrome (ABPST) and
the Movement for Reintegration of People with Hansen’s Disease (Morhan).
The article describes the results and analyzes an active search of new
cases in what is a second generation of thalidomide syndrome in
Brazil. Finally, based on clinical and scientific evidence of
thalidomide’s therapeutic efficacy, the growth of social movements
struggling both for and against authorization of the drug, and a
restrictive regulation proposed by the Ministry of Health, the article
discusses the implementation of policies for the regulation and
rational use of thalidomide in Brazil.
Key
words: Thalidomide;
Drug Regulation; Drug Legislation.
1.
Núcleo
de Assistência Farmacêutica
Escola
Nacional de Saúde Pública.
Rua
Leopoldo Bulhões
1480/617,
Rio de Janeiro, RJ
21041-210,
Brazil.
2.
Movimento
de Reintegração das Pessoas Atingidas pela
Hanseníase
(Morhan).
Rua
do Matoso 6, grupo 205,
Rio
de Janeiro, RJ
20270-130,
Brazil.
