VICTIMS OF
SEPTRIN
SUPPORT GROUP
Patron:
Professor R. W. Lacey, MA, MD, Ph
D, FRC Path, DCH
Professor of
Medical Microbiology - University
of Leeds
Telephone 0000
000000 Address xxxxx xxxxx xxxx xxxxx
xxxxxxxx xx xxxx x xxx xxxxxxx
- The
Right Honourable Virginia
Bottomley, JP, MP.,
- The
Department of Health,
- Richmond
House,
- 79
Whitehall,
- London
SW1A 2NS.
1st
September 1994
Dear
Mrs Bottomley,
On
behalf of all those injured by the
prescribed Drug Septrin, which is
also marketed under the name of
Bactrim and the chemical name of
Co-trimoxazole, we wish to draw your
attention for the urgent need of a
Review on the issuing of this Drug
and an independent assessment of its
safety, as well as an assessment of
the accurate number of people
suffering serious side effects from
its administration.
For
your information we include a
"Review on the Sulphonamide
Trimethoprim Combination" by our
Patron, Professor R. W Lacey, a copy
of "Blind Comparison of the
Efficacy and Incidence of Unwanted
Effects of Trimethoprim and
Co-trimoxazole" by A. J. Martin
MB,BS, MRCS, and R.W. Lacey, E.L.
Lewis, and M.A. Sellin. Also enclosed
are copies of articles by Britain
Deer which appeared in the Sunday
Times earlier this year, and 1994
Wellcome Data Sheets.
The
first meeting of a group of people
injured by Septrin, was held in Sands
Village Hall, in Hugh Wycombe,
Buckinghamshire, on the 6th August
this year. Many wrote supporting this
gathering as they were too ill to
attend from immediate or long term
side effects. It was co-ordinated by
a sufferer who was injured sixteen
years ago by Septrin, unnecessarily
prescribed, as is often the case, for
a sore throat, and who is now
disabled and partially sighted in one
eye, as a result - and the Mother of
a little girl, who suffered what is
supposedly a rare but horrendous
syndrome "Stevens-Johnson",
just two years ago, when Septrin was
given to her prophylactically. Our
findings are that neither these case
histories or the side effects are
rare at all. We had no difficulty
finding others and we are members of
the public.
The
response locally, following this
event, is very indicative that
official Government statistics of
severity of side effects are
completely wrong. The scale
Nationwide must be horrendous, and
indeed, Internationally.
Our
meeting was attended by 'Experts' who
have suffered, continue to suffer, or
those who have watched others die or
suffer, sometimes for many years from
the totally unacceptable side effects
this combination of Drugs -
Sulphamethoxazole (an unnecessary
component) and Trimethoprim (which
acts equally well alone) produces.
We
are sure you are aware of the many
and increasing warnings which have
appeared in Medical Journals since
this dangerous combination of
components was introduced in 1969.
Quite
apart from the human suffering
involved, the cost to the Government
must be enormous, both in supplying
the Drug, paying Doctors to prescribe
it, Pharmacists to dispense it,
Hospitals to treat the many,
sometimes confusing side effects,
which are finding are inextricably
linked with Septrin. Benefits to
compensate for loss of earnings, the
cost of disrupted family life, and
legal costs in fighting victims
cases.
In
our opinion monitoring of safety and
side effects has not been accurately
maintained as Doctors do not always
'yellow card' side effects, often
purely from fear of litigation. Some
Doctors fail to recognise side
effects as they are swamped with
data.
If
Drug Companies were enforced to set
aside funds in Trusts, not simply for
Research, but for those who suffered
side effects from their products,
they would evaluate their findings
more carefully. Testing of Drugs
should be done independently - not by
those funded by Drug Companies. Data
Sheets produce interesting and varied
results on side effects, dependent on
the source of testing.
Legal
scanning for those injured,
misrepresents the true picture and
scale of side effects, as only those
"poor enough" or "rich
enough" to pursue their case can
seek compensation. This is morally
and medically unethical.
The
accompanying signatures and names of
sufferers and supporters who want
this Drug banned are just a small
sample gathered as an indication to
you that the time has come for
serious Government intervention. We
would like to know the source of '135
deaths per 85 million prescriptions'?
We have already proved, after one
Meeting in one local Village Hall,
that the Government Statistics of '1
side effect per 10,000' is completely
wrong. Deaths can similarly be
attributed to an illness not the
Drug.
You
may feel the enclosed photograph of a
little girl, who looks as if she has
been drenched in acid, not treated
medically - and she is one of many -
as acceptable. Victims of Septrin do
not.
You
may also feel that the life of a
Mother or Father, maimed by Septrin,
sometimes for a trivial complaint and
often within hours of taking this
dreadful Drug, is acceptable. Victims
of Septrin do not.
It
is our opinion that the onus is on
the Government to withdraw this Drug.
Drug
Companies waive responsibility.
Doctors are also exempt from
liability on what they administer.
The
Expert view is that Trimethoprim
alone is of equal value in treating
infections - Why subject patients to
this poisonous often lethal cocktail
of Drugs?
Yours
sincerely,
- Mrs.
Zofia Mescall and Mrs Judith
Mullan
- Joint
Co-ordinators of VICTIMS OF
SEPTRIN Support Group