The FDA was recently asked by the Bombay high court to consider issuing a circular for doctors pointing out the side effects of the drug thalidomide, which is prescribed to pregnant women for nausea and morning sickness.
A division bench of chief justice Mohit Shah and Justice M.S. Sanklecha, while hearing a petition filed by Rajdeep Deshmukh, who claimed that the drug causes congenital deformity (a defect that is present at birth).
Mr Deshmukh, whose two fingers each on both his hands have been affected by the disorder, said that the use of the drug is widely known to cause malformation of limbs. “The petitioner’s mother was prescribed the drug for nausea and to lessen morning sickness. However, the drug was banned earlier due to its severe side effects. However, the doctor treating her prescribed the drug, unaware about its consequences,” the petition states.
The high court had earlier directed that FDA be included as a respondent in the matter with a suggestion for it to consider issuing a circular regarding the drug for gynaecologists and obstetricians.
The matter has been posted for hearing on September 6.
However, gynaecologists have said that they have stopped prescribing the said drug for pregnant women. “It is really odd to hear that there is a petition seeking a ban for application of thalidomide in pregnant women, because it has already been banned. At lease in my personal experience of about 20 years, I have never prescribed the drug, nor do I know of fellow doctors who still write the drug for pregnant women,” said Dr Piyush Goyal, gynaecologist.
Mr Deshmukh had approached the high court after the Special Medical Board certified that he was unfit for Health Science Courses. The HC has now asked the report for the disability test to be submitted by September 6.