Q: Since the last 2 years, I have been getting pain in my toe/heel area with swelling on the knee joint. It had not responded to medicines given by doctors. My BP, sugar, thyroid, uric acid (slightly above the standard level) etc. are normal. Doctors have now put me on two medicines (of course, by 2 different doctors) which are Renerve by Grandix and Rejineuron by Fourrts (both are Chennai based companies). I would, therefore, request you to kindly let me know the exact indications of these medicines and it is harmful or not if taken together.

A:Good clinical practice demands that in all cases, a diagnosis must first be established. Taking drugs without diagnosis can be harmful. I suggest that your doctors must first determine the precise disorder from which you are suffering. Renerve is a brand name with many ingredients such as methylcobalamin (a vitamin B-12 substance), vitamins B-1, B-6, and half a dozen other agents. Such multi-ingredient combinations are not allowed to be marketed in any developed, advanced country with effective regulatory system. Even in India, many are being marketed without mandatory approval from the Drugs Controller General, India (DCGI). Their efficacy and safety is not proven scientifically.