Q: My wife and I are 34 years of age. We have a 7 year old daughter. We are trying for second child for the last 4 years, but in vain. All test of ours are normal. Now our doctor has suggested us for IUI and recommended Letrozole tablets to my wife to be taken twice from 2nd day of period for 5 Days. I have heard that these tablets are not safe & have side effects. Please advise.

A:Letrozole is an anti-cancer drug with serious side effects. For the treatment of cancer, even serious side effects are sometimes acceptable because the disease is life-threatening. It is approved for use in breast cancer in those women whose menstrual cycles have stopped. The drug is legally barred for use in women whose cycles are continuing. Nowhere in the world is Letrozole approved for use in female infertility. It is illegal to promote the use a drug for which it is not approved. The innovator of Letrozole is Novartis. According to the documents filed by Novartis with US and UK Governments, Letrozole can cause heart attacks, angina, stroke, etc. Furthermore, Letrozole in animal tests is found to be embryotoxic and fetotoxic and resulted in the birth of mutilated offsprings. Taking advantage of the lax laws in India, some drug companies have been unethically and illegally promoting the dangerous misuse of Letrozole to increase their profits and sales. The Drugs Controller General of India has issued show cause notices to them and they have accepted that they were doing a wrong thing and have promised not to do the same again.