Q: I am suffering from arthritis for the past 5 years. I have come to know thar there is significant improvement in pain and climbing stairs after the application of Celadrin Cream Is this cream available in India? Please furnish details to minimise my pain in knees.

A:Celadrin cream is an non-prescription product that can be freely advertised in the lay press and bought Over The Counter (OTC) without doctors prescription. It is marketed by a cosmetic company called Avon. There is no scientific evidence either on its safety or potential side effects. Under US laws, it is obligatory on the part of manufacturers to state that such products do not claim to prevent or control or cure any disease. Celadrin is not sold in India and has not been approved by the Drugs Controller General. It is much better to use well tried-and-tested topical products such as Diclomol Gel. As per scientific evidence, topical NSAIDs give relief in the first 15 days of use.