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