Thalidomide (Oral Route)

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Thalidomide (Oral Route)

US Brand Names

Description

Thalidomide is used to treat and prevent erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL), a painful skin disease associated with leprosy. It is also used together with dexamethasone (eg, Decadron®) to treat patients with multiple myeloma (a cancer of the blood). Thalidomide works on the immune system to reduce inflammation. It also interferes with the growth of multiple myeloma cells, which are eventually destroyed in the body. Thalidomide is an antineoplastic (cancer medicine) and leprostatic agent.

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription. The Thalomid® product is only available under a restricted distribution program. You will have to read and sign papers that explain how the medicine is used when you pick up your prescription.

Once a medicine has been approved for marketing for a certain use, experience may show that it is also useful for other medical problems. Although these uses are not included in product labeling, thalidomide is used in certain patients with the following medical conditions:

• Esophagus ulcers in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.
• Multiple myeloma in newly diagnosed patients who are elderly or cannot have transplant surgery, in combination with oral melphalan and prednisone chemotherapy.

This product is available in the following dosage forms:

• Capsule

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