Leprosy Mailing List – September 20th, 2007
Ref.:
New cases of thalidomide embryopathy
From: Salafia
A., Mumbai, India
Dear Salvatore,
I refer to Prof. Schuler Faccini’s message (LML
September 19th, 2007).
This report is shocking and at the same time surprising; we are
using thalidomide for the last few years, here in India, and we have
never come across with embryopathy.
The reason might be that, as per Government of India rules, we
cannot dispense this tablet to the patients, we are supposed to
supervise the actual intake, i.e. the patient is given thalidomide and
the nurse/doctor makes sure that he/she swallows it then and there.
Thalidomide tablet is not dispensed and cannot be taken home. When a patient insists on
having this medication, he/she is admitted into the hospital
until the course is over.
No need to say that in case of ladies of chid-bearing age, we
do a mandatory urine test in order to rule out pregnancy. May be
in Brazil too they should have a more stringent supervision
systems.
Best
regards,
Antonio
Salafia
