Thalidomide may be a mutagen

BMJ 1994;308:1635-1636 (18 June)

Letters

Thalidomide may be a mutagen

EDITOR, - The birth of two malformed children in England raisesthe question whether thalidomide, (alpha)-phthalimidoglutarimide,is a human mutagen as well as a potent teratogen. The fathersof both children are thalidomide victims.

Case 1

In July last year a girl was born in Peterborough with no thumbsand only two digits on both hands. She has severe malformationsof both legs, and the left leg is much shorter than the right.Both feet taper to one toe, neither of which has nails. Herfather was born in 1960 with malformations of both hands andboth legs. He was treated at the Hospital for Sick Children,Great Ormond Street, and his legs were amputated below the kneebecause of the severe malformations of both feet. He was assessedby the Thalidomide Victims' Compensation Panel and was awardedsubstantial damages and an annual pension for his severe disabilities.His mother, . . . [Full text of this article]