Thiruvananthapuram: SAT Hospital superintendent Dr R S Riyas has urged the public not to spread misinformation about the Indian-made drug being provided to patients with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), saying the move would help provide quality treatment at a lower cost to more beneficiaries.He said the initiative to replace expensive imported medicines with an Indian-made alternative was based on the recommendations of an expert committee appointed by the state govt. He also cautioned against attempts to undermine the development activities of SAT Hospital, which provides specialised treatment for children and pregnant women in the govt sector.The drug was made available quickly because procedures initiated during the previous govt were completed within the stipulated time under the present govt, he said. The Supreme Court and the Drugs Controller General of India had granted the necessary approvals after assessing the completion of the required procedures, he added.Health experts had also conducted a detailed scientific assessment of the drug’s reliability and efficacy in recent days, Riyas said. He urged people not to create misconceptions by describing the initiative as a drug trial, warning that such claims could cause unnecessary anxiety among patients and their families.The medicine has been available in the open market for nearly a year and has been used by several SMA patients. Questions about it have now been raised after the govt began distributing it free of cost, he said.
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