MANILA, Philippines ? The taller, the better. If human societies look more favorably upon its taller members (as a news story that appeared in the Inquirer?s front page May 19 seems to suggest?), then science is finding a way to make the shorter ones ?catch up? a bit?at least at the stage when they?re still young and growing.

A new growth-hormone brand now being made available brings to four the existing growth-hormone treatment options in the Philippines.

In a doctors? conference held March 5 at Edsa Shangri-La Hotel, Filipino endocrinologists and pediatric endocrinologists and pediatricians were introduced to SciGen?s SciTropin A (generic name: Somatropin), developed primarily to address growth-hormone deficiency and idiopathic short stature among children.

The term ISS has been in use since the 1980s, but there has been no precise data to statistically define ISS among specific populations. Pediatric endocrinologist Dr. Lorna Abad of the University of the Philippines told Inquirer Science/Health that no definitive data currently exist showing the prevalence of ISS in the country.

The natural growth hormone is secreted by the pituitary gland in the brain and is one of a number of hormones affecting a child?s growth. If the child is predicted to be very short, one option is for the child to undergo a growth-hormone treatment.

Singapore-based biotech company SciGen has stressed that its US FDA-approved GH therapy is available only under a pediatric endocrinologist?s supervision. It also revealed during the conference that it uses the recombinant human growth hormone (rbe hGH) to treat growth hormone deficiency and ISS. SciGen?s brochure indicates that SciTropin A is described as recombinant somatropin produced in genetically engineered E. coli and in ready-to-use liquid formulation.

SciTropin A solution for injection is indicated for the long-term treatment of children above 3 years old with growth disturbance associated with insufficient secretion of pituitary growth hormone, Turner?s Syndrome, chronic renal insufficiency, short children born small for gestation age and Prader-Willis syndrome.

Warnings, precautions

The SciTropin A literature also listed down several contraindications and warnings and precautions for patients, interaction with other medicinal products and other forms of interactions as well as adverse reactions.

For instance, it said there have been rare cases of leukemia that have been reported in growth-hormone deficient pediatric patients treated with somatropin, but the incidence appears to be similar to that in the pediatric subjects without growth-hormone deficiency. Also listed are immune system disorders and listed as ?rare? are endocrine disorders such as diabetes mellitus type II.

Abad explained that ?there are side effects which may occur but are rare and reversible.?

SciGen, in a statement, said ISS as a health issue has been under much medical scrutiny, especially since children considered of ISS are healthy and do not have severe physical problems. Parents and physicians can wait and observe how the child grows for several months to a year. This method would be called ?watchful waiting.?

?However, social disadvantages and psychological problems of short stature puts pressure on children and parents to look for growth-promoting medications. These potential disadvantages in children include teasing, bullying, exclusion and loss of independence or overprotection.?

Ensure normal growth

Liza L. Domingo, country manager of SciGen Ltd., told Inquirer Science/Health: ?Parents have to make sure that the child is growing normally. Sometimes when parents are short, the children are short. But that?s not necessarily true. They may not have been diagnosed before. They may be short because they may all be growth-hormone deficient in the first place.?

Nevertheless, some endocrinologists stress that growth hormone treatments should not be an automatic option. An endocrinologist who holds clinic at the Cardinal Santos Hospital and Chinese General Hospital, Dr. Sioksoan Cua, said: ?Many people come to me to have their (children?s) short stature assessed and to discuss what the outcomes would be with or without treatment. Many of them do not need treatment.?

The endocrinologist added: ?If growth hormone will make them tall, why not? But if it?s too late, you just have to ask them to list down 10 good things about themselves.?

Hopefully, that list won?t come up short.