Why is thalidomide still available today?

Answer 1

THE FIRST CONTRIBUTOR ARGUED:

Thalidomide has legitimate medical uses. For example, it can be used to treat [Hansen]'s disease (used to be called leprosy) and multiple myeloma.

The risk vs reward ratio for all drugs must be carefully evaluated. The risk for pregnant women taking thalidomide for morning sickness clearly outweighs any possible benefit that the woman might receive through the mitigation of her morning sickness. So those women taking thalidomide for other treatment must take every precaution against becoming pregnant. But this is no different than other drugs that are demonstrated teratogens, such as Acutane, which is prescribed for the control of serious acne

THIS CONTRIBUTOR CALLS HIMSELF THE SECOND CONTRIBUTOR AND REPLIES:

Every mother knows that her child should not play with a toy the child does not understand. The mechanism of the biological action of thalidomide is still being debated.

Human nature is constituted as such that some individuals who have inside knowledge about the effects of thalidomide will 'always' deliberately and unnoticeably cause the serious harm thalidomide can 'so easily' cause. They do that precisely because the damage is so serious to the mother and to the child and because they can do that so easily and without being noticed. It may be that 'in clinical trials', thalidomide is shown to be effective against many things. But 'in real life', it is given to unsuspecting girls.

TWO REMAINING PUZZLES (for the second contributor):

ONE

Thalidomide is a cure against Hansen's disease, leprosy.

The second contributor is no medical doctor, but his understanding of leprosy is that it "takes" limbs "away". (1)

The effect of thalidomide on foetuses is thus similar to the symptoms of leprosy on human beings.

Still, thalidomide is cure of/against leprosy.

Since Aristotle, the principle of non-contradiction (the PNC) says that it is impossible to be and not to be at the same time and in the same respect. Contrary to what many authors argue, this principle, or law, is not applicable to reality, only to thought. (2)

Thought is submitted to the PNC. Reality is not.

How can the thought of the advocates of the use of thalidomide get away with the apparent contradiction that thalidomide is both the cause of and the cure of leprosy(-like symptoms)?

Is it being argued that using thalidomide on pregnant women and using it on non-pregnant people suffering of leprosy is using it in a different respect?

Multiple myeloma, say the ophthalmologists?

TWO

Thalidomide attacked the embryo, not the infant. It attacked the sensory, not the motor "nerves". (3)

It thus did not act on the limb bud. Indeed, thalidomide caused upper limb deformities by action before the limb had existed. (4)

The damaging drug may have been developed by the Nazis as an antidote to "nerve" gas. (5)

Again, the second contributor is no medical doctor, but he's surprised by the double occurrence of the same noun "nerve".

THE ULTIMATE PUZZLE:

Why is thalidomide still available today?

NOTES

(1)

Left untreated, leprosy can be progressive, causing permanent damage to the skin, nerves, limbs and eyes. Leprosy does not directly cause body parts to fall off on their own accord; instead they become disfigured or autoamputated as a result of disease symptoms.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leprosy

(2)

Fernand Van Steenberghen, (F.-X. de Guibert, ed.), Philosophie fondamentale , Longueuil, Québec, Editions du Préambule, 1989, footnote p. 296:

Contrairement à ce qu'affirment beaucoup d'auteurs, ces principes [the principle of non-contradiction, the law of the excluded-middle and the law of identity] sont des Lois logiques ou des Lois de pensée comme telle et non des Lois de l'ordre réel.

(3)

Janet McCredie, "Beyond Thalidomide - Birth Defects Explained", London, The Royal Society of Medicine Press, 2007, p. 405

(4)

McCredie, p. 152

(5)

From The Sunday Times

February 8, 2009

Thalidomide 'was created by the Nazis'

The damaging drug may have been developed as an antidote to nerve gas

Daniel Foggo

http://www.timesonline.co.UK/tol/life_and_style/health/article5683577.ece