Thalidomide is available, but you may remember birth defect issues with it.
Thalidomide!! I can’t hear the name of that drug without seeing the multitude of profoundly deformed children the world found out about some 50+ years ago.
Apparently, it can be helpful in specific circumstances.
I’m very surprised the name was not changed, but that might be the chemical compound name, vs generic.
Thalidomide is an interesting case. I am surprised to learn that people are still working with it, but it was always good at what it was supposed to do. It has been many years since I read up on it, but when last I checked the assessment was that Thalidomide was a human-specific mutagenic agent. It had passed its animal trials, and the incidence of adverse side effects was low enough that it passed its human trials as well. It wasn’t until it was widely distributed that enough cases emerged to allow clinicians to spot a pattern. And that took some time.
Huh. Had no idea they still made it.
I took Thalidimide for about a week, maybe 10 days. Made me nauseous and dizzy, fell and broke a wrist. Apparently, it is therapeutic for the skin and I have an auto-immune disease affecting the skin.
Prescribing doctors must be registered with whatever gov’t agency to dispense, patients must sign forms stating that they are on birth control (or had hysterectomies), women of child-bearing age must have monthly pregnancy tests in order for the pharmacy to dispense.
Thalidomide is used for multiple myeloma, and in Leprosy.
I saw the name Thalidomide and immediately thought of the birth defects. I remember those days.
What? This stuff didnt cause enough heartache last century? Were gonna test it some more and make sure!!