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These are but a few of the pre-approval scientific medical papers spinal movement, weakness in the legs and a need for regular published. Hundreds of other medical-scientific reports of analgesia. Headache, bladder and bowel dysfunction are common. extremely serious adverse (and fatal) reactions to this chemical were Burning pain is the significant feature, with one study reporting 96% published prior to the Australian Federal Government's approval of _ of patients with lower back pain and 98% with leg pain. No other the chemical for use in Australia. The evidence was so voluminous disease causes this burning sensation, which is also reported in the and overwhelming at the time that the Department of Health cannot _insteps, inner aspects of the knees and in the lumbosacroiliac area. claim ignorance of the dangerous consequences of the chemical's However, arachnoiditis can go undiagnosed for years, and even then . use. The Government has a legal and moral obligation to give full may only be diagnosed by excluding all other causes. Arachnoiditis recognition to these suffering victims and the dignity of sufferers are often unable to work; the average life-span is reduced acknowledging their special needs. by 12 years (although another study stated "by up to 20 years"). The NSW Health Department's Radiology Advisory Committee in its 4 July 1995 report acknowledged that "Myodil is a cause of Liability of manufacturers arachnoiditis, a condition that may result in chronic severe and Manufacturers should be financially accountable for all costs debilitating pain". incurred by the victims. The Australian Government should be In relation to the dangers apparent in using the chemical, funding litigation against the manufacturers to recover the millions Professor F. J. Palmer, Director of Diagnostic Radiology at the of dollars' worth of medical expenses that have accrued over the last Prince Henry and Prince of Wales hospitals, 30 years and will be incurred in the future. wrote about Myodil in his December 1994 The current compensation system requires report: "By the mid-1960s, anyone practising . the compulsory reimbursement of medical myelography should have been aware of the lophendylate 1s costs before any compensation to the victim is association of | Myodil/Pantopaque [Iophendylate] with arachnoiditis." paid. If you win a medical or injury corrosive: it dissolves compensation payment, the Australian Health paint, linoleum, rubber, Commission holds your award at its leisure Symptoms and diagnosis of until it searches its files and deducts all arachnoiditis glue, cork tiles and medical costs associated with this injury—and A great number of medical professionals do polystyrene coffee cups. then pays you the residual. This often means not know how to diagnose arachnoiditis, and, that the victim receives no compensation after in fact, some even deny that arachnoiditis the legal fees have been paid. This is exists. Lack of information prevents the Injecting it into bureaucratic nonsense, as it results in lawyers physician from making the correct diagnosis of this disease. Even the physicians who administer the myelographic procedure do not know all the symptoms and effects of arachnoiditis. When questioned by patients, they may become frustrated and angry. Package inserts which list side effects and toxicity are supplied by the manufacturers and distributed mainly to hospitals and radiology groups. Physicians who treat the problems associated with arachnoiditis are not provided information on the devastating long-term consequences brought on by this contrast medium. Due to time not taking cases they can win because only the medical expenses get paid. These disabled victims are left destitute and unable to fund any attempt for compensation, so they rely on solicitors who do pro bono work. Recovery of medical and hospital expenses has been a high government priority and is enforced by specific legislation, so why are chemical companies exempt from paying for the damage their chemicals cause? Why doesn't the Australian Government hold the same priority with the pharmaceutical companies for costs incurred by the Health Commission? Where is the legislation to recover people's spinal canals where it corrodes the nerves and spinal cord and wreaks havoc throughout the body and brain is stupidity... constraints and the fact that much of the data is published in expenses against these pharmaceutical companies for the injuries specialist literature, the average physician is poorly informed about _—_ sustained from their deadly chemicals which are often used the link between iophendolic acid and arachnoiditis. illegally—or is this just another torture for the victim and their The disease is often labelled as failed back surgery syndrome families to endure, another ongoing discrimination to bear? (FBSS), lupus, multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, stiff- Taxpayers via the Health Commission (Medicare) have to man syndrome and degenerative disc disease, just to mention a few. maintain the massive expense of maintaining the lives of these Millions of people all over the world who have arachnoiditis are suffering, debilitated victims. Arachnoiditis sufferers often unaware of the cause of their suffering. Proper treatment cannot be experience the double-whammy of family break-up and they live a obtained because diagnostic criteria cited in medical reports are not life worse than the average dog. You may think this is being overtly readily shared with the medical professionals who treat people with descriptive, but not so. It is very blunt reality: just talk to some of the disease. the disabled people, as I have. Where is the equality of one law for Failure to recognise the insidious nature of the disease isa major _ all? complication, especially when the symptoms may occur immediately or take years to develop, can be inconsistent and can Manufacturers’ reported side effects manifest themselves in many ways. This often results in Regarding Myodil, the manufacturer Glaxo's package insert misdiagnosis with chronic fatigue syndrome, asthma, motor neurone _ stated: "Acute side effects reported by the manufacturers include disease or multiple sclerosis. headache, backache, neck stiffness, nausea, vomiting, fever and the The symptoms often include impotence in males, limitation of more serious effect of allergy. An acute aseptic meningitis has been spinal movement, weakness in the legs and a need for regular analgesia. Headache, bladder and bowel dysfunction are common. Burning pain is the significant feature, with one study reporting 96% of patients with lower back pain and 98% with leg pain. No other disease causes this burning sensation, which is also reported in the insteps, inner aspects of the knees and in the lumbosacroiliac area. However, arachnoiditis can go undiagnosed for years, and even then may only be diagnosed by excluding all other causes. Arachnoiditis sufferers are often unable to work; the average life-span is reduced by 12 years (although another study stated "by up to 20 years"). lophendylate is corrosive: it dissolves Injecting it into people's spinal canals where it corrodes the nerves and spinal cord and wreaks havoc throughout the body and brain is stupidity... Manufacturers’ reported side effects Regarding Myodil, the manufacturer Glaxo's package insert stated: "Acute side effects reported by the manufacturers include headache, backache, neck stiffness, nausea, vomiting, fever and the more serious effect of allergy. An acute aseptic meningitis has been NEXUS 35 AUGUST — SEPTEMBER 2006 www.nexusmagazine.com