Q: I was given Letrofil (two tablets) a day from day 2 of my cycle. On follicular study, the follicles did not grow beyond 13 mm. What could be the reason?

A:Letrofil is the brand name of a medicine called letrozole. This medicine is an anti-cancer drug and is a very potent agent meant for post-menopausal, old women with breast cancer. Gynaecologists are NOT legally permitted to prescribe this drug. It is also illegal on the part of the chemists to sell it unless a prescription is produced from a cancer specialist. Letrofil is approved by Drugs Controller General, India (DCGI) for the treatment of breast cancer in post-menopausal women only. Letrozole is not allowed to be used in young pre-menopausal women. Both, the Canadian drug regulator and letrozole innovator company Novartis, have warned gynaecologists all over the world not to misuse it for female infertility. Recent research on 150 letrozole-related pregnancies has shown that babies born to such mothers have suffered from bone malformations, cardiac stenosis and malignancies. Using Letrofil in young, pre-menopausal women is not only unethical but also illegal and the prescriber can be hauled up in the consumer and other courts for medical negligence. Such doctors under the influence of drug companies are putting patients to grave risk.