Q: I am a 33 years and have been asked by a doctor to take Rejuspermin Capsules and Crotec-EC capsules twice a day. My wife has been prescribed Essvit F medicine. What are the uses of both the medicines? Do they have any side effects?

A:Before a doctor prescribes any medicine to any patient, it is his/her legal duty to inform the patient about the diagnosis and the purpose of treatment. The Supreme Court has recently ruled that major side effects should also be communicated to the patients by their doctors. Rejuspermin is an Ayurvedic preparation. Its prescription by allopathic doctors is banned under Indian laws since they are not taught Ayurveda. We do not keep information on products belonging to alternative medicine. Crotec-EC is a multi-ingredient product that contains some vitamins and minerals in minute, sub-therapeutic quantities. There is no specific disease or disorder where this product is to be prescribed. Essvit-F contains biotin (a B-complex vitamin substance) and folic acid. This is an irrational combination since there is no scientific logic to combine biotin with folic acid. Such a combination is not permitted to be sold in any advanced country. Folic acid alone (sold as Folet, Folvite etc) is given to women wanting to become pregnant or those who are already pregnant.