Fact Check: The message claiming IMITINEF MERCILET cures blood cancer is misleading

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Last Updated on July 9, 2020 by Team THIP

Quick Take

A message is circulating through various social media platforms advising the recipients that IMITINEF MERCILET, a medicine that cures blood cancer, is available free of cost from the Yashoda Hematology Cancer Institute, Pune. We investigated and found that the message is misleading. The ‘Imitinef Mercilet’ is apparently an alternative spelling of the drug Imatinib mesylate as mentioned in the viral message. The medicine is used in the treatment of some forms of leukaemia along with other types of cancer.

The Claim

A message is doing rounds on social media making an astonishing claim that a medicine named IMITINEF MERCILET can cure blood cancer and is available free of cost at a cancer institute in Pune.

Here is a snapshot of the viral message:

viral-misleading-message

Investigation

We performed a Google search using relevant keywords and found out that various versions of this message have been doing rounds since 2010 with different details of the hospitals. Many posts shared earlier mentioned the name of Adyar Cancer Institute in Chennai and not Yashoda Clinic of Pune. Here are some examples:

Misleading-Post-Imitinef-Mercilet
Post shared on Facebook in 2011. The claim is same but the same of the hospital is different
Misleading-Post-Imitef-Mercilet-2
Post shared on Facebook in 2012. The claim is same but the name of the hospital is different

                          

Team THIP tried calling the numbers mentioned on the viral message in order to seek information of the medicine mentioned. All the numbers mentioned were disconnected or unreachable.

On Practo, we found a doctor responding to an enquiry related the medicine named ‘IMITINEF MERCILET’.

Dr. Kaushal Yadav, Surgical Oncologist responded: “Any drug is given based on certain characteristics of cancer. There is no blind drug for all cancer.”

Dr. Kaushal Yadav’s medical registration and profile were verified from the Practo site.

In a press conference held in 2012, Dr Vishal Rao, Consultant, Head and Neck surgery, HCG Cancer,  said,

“We don’t know who are spreading such rumours or it’s just a trick. People are coming to us and inquiring about it. In allopathic medical system, we only prescribe evidence based medicine which cures the disease.”

Here is a Times of India coverage on the Press Conference.

Team THIP contacted Dr. Manish Singhal, Oncologist, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, Noida asking the information related to the viral claim and he quoted: “The correct name of the medicine is IMATINIB MESYLATE. It is for chronic myeloid leukemia, a chronic blood cancer. It is a slow cancer. Even if untreated usual survival is 5 years. So not all cancers. IMATINIB is a breakthrough no doubt. It is Novartis research product.. Trade name is GLIVEC. Doctors registered under GLIVEC INTERNATIONAL PATIENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (GIPAP) can prescribe.”

Is the drug available free of cost?

While the IMATINIB medicine is not applicable for all types of cancers, Adyar Cancer Institute as mentioned in the messages circulated online provides free treatment for cancer.

Team THIP searched the claim on the official website of Adyar Cancer Institute and it read: Of the hospital beds, only 40% are paying beds and the remaining are general beds where patients are boarded and lodged free of cost. 40% of the patients are treated totally free and remaining patients pay a nominal amount.

As per SEHAT (an online database and finder of doctors across India), Adyar Cancer Institute is mentioned in the list of top hospitals in India that offer free cancer treatment. The description in SEHAT reads: Out of its 535 beds, 40 percent are chargeable and on an average 66% get either free or reduced rate treatment.

However, there is no such mention at Pune’s Yashoda Hematology Clinic’s social media pages.

Conclusion

The message claiming IMITINEF MERCILET cures blood cancer is misleading. ‘Imitinef Mercilet’ is apparently an alternative spelling of the drug Imatinib mesylate as mentioned in the viral message. The medicine is used in the treatment of some forms of leukaemia along with other types of cancer.

Disclaimer: Medical Science is an ever evolving field. We strive to keep this page updated. In case you notice any discrepancy in the content, please inform us at [email protected]. You can futher read our Correction Policy here. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment because of something you have read on or accessed through this website or it's social media channels. Read our Full Disclaimer Here for further information.

Disclaimer
Medical Science is an ever evolving field. We strive to keep this page updated. In case you notice any discrepancy in the content, please inform us at [email protected]. You can further read our Correction Policy here. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment because of something you have read on or accessed through this website or it's social media channels. Read our Full Disclaimer Here for further information.

Geetika
Geetika
A content research professional she has over 12 years of work experience managing content and research for multiple blue chip companies including Accenture, Evalueserve and Economic Times. At THIP, she manages secondary research and fact finding.

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Last Updated on July 9, 2020 by Team THIP

Disclaimer: Medical Science is an ever evolving field. We strive to keep this page updated. In case you notice any discrepancy in the content, please inform us at [email protected]. You can futher read our Correction Policy here. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment because of something you have read on or accessed through this website or it's social media channels. Read our Full Disclaimer Here for further information.

Last Updated on July 9, 2020 by Team THIP

Disclaimer: Medical Science is an ever evolving field. We strive to keep this page updated. In case you notice any discrepancy in the content, please inform us at [email protected]. You can futher read our Correction Policy here. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment because of something you have read on or accessed through this website or it's social media channels. Read our Full Disclaimer Here for further information.

Last Updated on July 9, 2020 by Team THIP

Disclaimer: Medical Science is an ever evolving field. We strive to keep this page updated. In case you notice any discrepancy in the content, please inform us at [email protected]. You can futher read our Correction Policy here. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment because of something you have read on or accessed through this website or it's social media channels. Read our Full Disclaimer Here for further information.

Last Updated on July 9, 2020 by Team THIP

Disclaimer: Medical Science is an ever evolving field. We strive to keep this page updated. In case you notice any discrepancy in the content, please inform us at [email protected]. You can futher read our Correction Policy here. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment because of something you have read on or accessed through this website or it's social media channels. Read our Full Disclaimer Here for further information.

Last Updated on July 9, 2020 by Team THIP

Disclaimer: Medical Science is an ever evolving field. We strive to keep this page updated. In case you notice any discrepancy in the content, please inform us at [email protected]. You can futher read our Correction Policy here. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment because of something you have read on or accessed through this website or it's social media channels. Read our Full Disclaimer Here for further information.

More in

Questions
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Last Updated on July 9, 2020 by Team THIP

Disclaimer: Medical Science is an ever evolving field. We strive to keep this page updated. In case you notice any discrepancy in the content, please inform us at [email protected]. You can futher read our Correction Policy here. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment because of something you have read on or accessed through this website or it's social media channels. Read our Full Disclaimer Here for further information.

Last Updated on July 9, 2020 by Team THIP

Disclaimer: Medical Science is an ever evolving field. We strive to keep this page updated. In case you notice any discrepancy in the content, please inform us at [email protected]. You can futher read our Correction Policy here. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment because of something you have read on or accessed through this website or it's social media channels. Read our Full Disclaimer Here for further information.

Last Updated on July 9, 2020 by Team THIP

Disclaimer: Medical Science is an ever evolving field. We strive to keep this page updated. In case you notice any discrepancy in the content, please inform us at [email protected]. You can futher read our Correction Policy here. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment because of something you have read on or accessed through this website or it's social media channels. Read our Full Disclaimer Here for further information.

Last Updated on July 9, 2020 by Team THIP

Disclaimer: Medical Science is an ever evolving field. We strive to keep this page updated. In case you notice any discrepancy in the content, please inform us at [email protected]. You can futher read our Correction Policy here. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment because of something you have read on or accessed through this website or it's social media channels. Read our Full Disclaimer Here for further information.

Last Updated on July 9, 2020 by Team THIP

Disclaimer: Medical Science is an ever evolving field. We strive to keep this page updated. In case you notice any discrepancy in the content, please inform us at [email protected]. You can futher read our Correction Policy here. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment because of something you have read on or accessed through this website or it's social media channels. Read our Full Disclaimer Here for further information.

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