Q: I am suffering from PCOD at the age of 28. I am yet to have my first child. Since my cycles were not happening on time, I consulted a doctor who prescribed me Hyponidd, M2tone, Letroz, Pravy (folic acid), Primolut-n and Conviron (iron). I have started the medicines last week. I recently found that Letroz is an anti-cancer drug and is toxic. I have taken about 7 tablets of letroz till now. Will I have any problems? In the future when I become pregnant, will this affect my child? I am very worried. Please help.

A:As per Supreme Court orders issued in 1996, allopathic doctors are totally prohibited from prescribing Ayurvedic/Unani and other alternative medicines about which they know nothing. Such doctors are liable to be fined and punished (including a jail term) as if they are quacks, if a complaint is lodged with consumer court. Action can also be taken by the Medical Council of India to suspend/cancel their registration to practice medicine. Hyponidd and M2Tone are such non-allopathic products. There is no documented evidence about their safety and efficacy, particularly in pregnancy. Primolut-N contains norethisterone (a progesterone). It is indicated in several disorders where there is deficiency of progesterone. Conviron contains iron, folic acid and some other vitamins in very small quantities. Letroz is the brand name of an anti-cancer medicine called letrozole. There is legal and scientific prohibition in its use in young women in the reproductive age group. It is allowed for use in only postmenopausal (whose menses have stopped) women with breast cancer. Women who are given Letroz to improve fertility are at risk of abortion (soon after conception), giving birth to babies with defective organs and even cancer. This warning has been issued both by the Canadian drug regulatory authority and Novartis - the research company that discovered letrozole. Unfortunately in clear violation of law and ethics, some Indian companies have been aggressively promoting its use for fertility just to make more money. Doctors are equally to blame for using the drug in contravention of ethics and law. Letroz is a restricted drug to be sold only on prescription of a cancer specialist or cancer hospital. This warning is clearly printed on every strip (cover) of Letroz. The long-term effects of letrozole have not been studied. You should stop this drug immediately. However it is necessary to consume folic acid (such as Globac-Z - one daily) by women who are planning to have a baby before and during pregnancy.