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,