Thalidomide Returns As Leukemia Fighter

[TZ]

The drug thalidomide was pulled from the market in the 1950s after causing horrible birth defects.

But doctors now say a new version is a powerful tool in fighting leukemia, according to a news release from the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, N.Y.

Norman Zobel, a cancer patient, said he was surprised how quickly the drug worked.

"The first week of taking these pills -- I take one in the morning -- the elevated white cells depleted right away and I went back into remission again," he said.
http://www.nbc4.com/health/15075515/detail.html?dl=mainclick
I know several people with leukemia like chronic conditions that are having VERY good results with this drug. And these are people who have gone through several different types of therapies without any luck. This drug is doing some very good things for them.
FYI, the reason that thalidomide caused problems in the first place was because doctors were prescribing it off label to treat morning sickness in pregnant women, something it was NEVER tested for in the first place.

[Ellen Forradalom]

1. Having lost a loved one to leukemia...

...I say terrific!

[Sarah Ibarruri]

2. Interesting. So they were feeding poisons to pregnant women? (Since chemo is poison) nt

[TZ]

3. It worked well for morning sickness, too well

But because they hadn't done clinical trials to establish toxicity, they DIDN'T know it was a teratogen (causes birth defects).And it led to the establishment of the FDA and stricter protocols on clinical trials, a very good thing.
But thanks for the Doctors are Nazis comment.
Next time you are in the ER why don't you say THAT to your docs. I'm sure they would appreciate the love.
:sarcasm:

[Sarah Ibarruri]

4. Who said doctors are Nazis? I didn't. I MEANTthey (the company that makes thalidomide) was giving

poisons to women. Calm down. I have doctors in my family, for chrissakes. They're not the bad guys. Pharma companies are.

[TZ]

5. Ah. So the evul pharma companies ORDERED the doctors

to prescribe the drug off label then?. Gee thats funny considering how my biotech/pharma employer spent a long time explaining to new employees the history of thalidomide and why drugs should NEVER be used off label. Guess their mind control hasn't taken hold on me yet. I can still think for myself!

You are being obtuse. The drug maker neither knew nor RECOMMENDED that doctors do this. And funny how its not okay to stereotype people on DU yet everyone knows that ALL pharmas and its employees are evul unethical money grubbing shills.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

6. OH! I'm sorry. I forgot that pharma companies are allowed to lie, and it's caveat emptor

when it comes to whether we believe or not what's in the insert of meds. Nice!

[TZ]

7. They aren't allowed to lie by LAW

If so why the fuck do I spend so much time having our data scrutinized by the FDA?
I'm sorry if you are so IGNORANT you don't realize that Pharma companies are subject to MORE regulation than govt labs and scientists know which companies are unethical and won't work for them. I'm seen some of them and quit two of them becuase of it.
BTW, Pharmas HAVE to accurately report everything in their drugs. But you know who doesn't? Herbalists and supplements. Now THEY can sell sugar as Vitamin C and it would still be legal.
But what the fuck do I know? Ten years of industry/QA regulatory experience..multiple FDA inspections...means nothing You have GOOGLE you know all, right?

On edit: If you actually want to learn anything (god forbid we actually give up cherished bigotry) you might want to read about Good Laboratory Practices, Good Manufacturing Practices, and Good Clinical Practices. Something ALL Pharmas are subject to.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

9. OH! By law they're not allowed to lie! But they seem to lie constantly...

.. as evidenced by the constant lawsuits! But they're the good guys, oh yeah I forgot pharma companies are the good guys. Sorry! My bad!

[TZ]

11. You are psychic now and know all?

You think the stuff you hear on the news is everything. Hey we got a sheeple who thinks the MSM tells ALL the story. Yeah they LOVE to report on boring stuff that works right.
Face the fact. You are bigoted, ignorant and came in this thread with a political agends. All pharmas are teh EVUL.
There is a lot of very good science that never goes reported. Or do you think you know all that goes on in everylab?
Pharmas aren't all good nor are they all bad either. And its obvious you don't care to think critically about this.
Despite the fact that the "near constant lawsuits" is a complete exaggeration. Outside Vioxx and Avandia what are the other lawsuits hah?

[Sarah Ibarruri]

13. No, I'm just not stupid enough to accept lies, yours or the pharma companies' nt

[Celebration]

14. well there is Rezulin.........

Vioxx is the real biggie because of the number of people that take it. I actually blame our short term profit margin horizons for a lot of this stuff. CEO pay can be based on next year's stock price due to issuing options. So they can fiddle around with the statistics in studies like they did with Vioxx, the executives can reap the profit, and then be gone by the time the shit hits the fan. This is a problem with companies other than big pharma as well.

In a practical sense there just is not enough stockholder oversight. It is like our capitalist system is too "collective." I'm not sure what the answer is, but I do think that it might be a good idea to look at criminal prosecutions in some of these cases............

It's really too bad that a lot of us don't have confidence in pharmaceutical companies and the FDA. The regulators are in bed with the regulated.

The other big problem is that FDA personnel tend to get hired by big pharma after they make favorable decisions.

[Celebration]

12. Absurd statement

"Herbalists and supplements. Now THEY can sell sugar as Vitamin C and it would still be legal."

Fraud is illegal in all 50 states.

[cosmik debris]

10. That's an irrational over reaction

Nobody is going to feed poison to pregnant women. The sky is not falling. Get a grip.

[LeftishBrit]

8. Good news!

I know it's also a helpful treatment for the related condition of myeloma - especially as my father died from that, I really want to see progress in the treatment of such conditions!


www.bcshguidelines.com/pdf/BJH18_26.pdf · Cached page· PDF file

[Warpy]

15. Thalidomide is turning out to be a remarkably useful drug

for a number of conditions. In fact, it's one of the last line drugs for lupus, too.

They just have to make damned sure there is no possibility a patient will get pregnant while on it. The consequences are more than merely devastating.