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Human Growth Hormone Could Get Wider Use

Aired June 12, 2003 - 13:42   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: And staying on a health note this afternoon, for young kids in school, being called "shorty" or "pipsqueak" is no laughing matter. Now FDA advisers are backing a bid to market growth hormones to abnormally short, but otherwise healthy children.
It is certainly a controversial move and CNN medical correspondent Dr. Gupta joining us now live with all of the details.

All right, so what's skivvie, here?

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I'll tell you, it's a very interesting move, as well. A growth hormone is something people have heard a lot about over the years, no question about it, mainly in adults.

What has happened now is an FDA advisory panel has recommended by a vote of 8-2 that the FDA actually expand the use of growth hormone for children, children of short stature, who are otherwise healthy.

Take a look at some of the numbers now. Some of the numbers, in terms of how much improvement in terms of heights kids would actually get. If you take a look, on average, about 1 to 1.5 inches increase in height versus the placebo group. Sixty-two percent of the children, 2 inches or more than expected. And 31 percent, 4 inches or more than expected. So some significant increases in height.

And just really quick, Heidi, I think it's worth pointing out, you know, growth hormone, as well, comes from the brain. It comes from a specific gland in the brain called the pituitary gland. This particular gland produces all kinds of different hormones. You can see an animation there. The pituitary gland sort of at the base of the brain, produces this growth hormone. It has all kinds of affects on the body, including lengthening bones, lengthening the skeletal structure. And the really big thing that we're talking so much about, possibly increasing the height.

COLLINS: And the other really big thing we have to talk about are the ethical concerns. I mean, if these kids are otherwise healthy, are there not several questions that come up about drugging a child who is healthy because he may be smaller than the rest?

GUPTA: I think you're asking exactly the right question. And people have talked about this for quite some time. They've talked about it with regards to adults and growth hormone. With children and growth hormone, as well, there are some significant concerns. This particular hormone, at least in some of its early stages, is found to be relatively safe. Take a look at some of the side effects that people have talked about with regard to growth hormone in a child. Some simple ones, joint aches, muscle pain, things like that. Ear infections, nausea. There can also be some more significant side effects such as diabetes and problems with the hypothyroid gland.

But I think the question you're asking, which I think is the right question is, you know, someone who's short, and could take this medication to become taller, should they subject themselves to these risks?

It also is an expensive thing. I mean, to bring finances into it. It's probably not going to be covered by health insurance: $10- 20,000 a year. Three to five injections a week and going on for three to five years. So this is not gong to be an easy task for any of these parents who put their kids through this.

COLLINS: Do the kids get a say? They're all going to want to be tall, I guess.

GUPTA: And I don't want to liken this to sort of the Botox or any of these other sort of cosmetic medications out there, but I think that there is this concern or ethical dilemma, I should say, about medications like this, especially being given to healthy kids. These are healthy kids who are otherwise just short.

The numbers, incidentally -- and people always ask me, how short are we talking about here, in terms of who would qualify this? The drug company that's marketing this at least initially says less than 5'3" tall as a man and less than 4'11" as a woman.

COLLINS: But this is the drug company...

GUPTA: This the drug company. This is the guidelines that they're sort of talking about. And this is also based on a growth curve. Obviously, these kids, boy or girl, haven't reached their full height so they're just anticipating that if a boy is going to be less than 5'3" tall, it is possible in the future they may have an option in terms of growth hormone if they want to be taller.

COLLINS: OK. All right, well, much more to come on this.

GUPTA: We'll keep an eye on that one.

COLLINS: I bet. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, thanks so much for the update on that.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired June 12, 2003 - 13:42   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: And staying on a health note this afternoon, for young kids in school, being called "shorty" or "pipsqueak" is no laughing matter. Now FDA advisers are backing a bid to market growth hormones to abnormally short, but otherwise healthy children.
It is certainly a controversial move and CNN medical correspondent Dr. Gupta joining us now live with all of the details.

All right, so what's skivvie, here?

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I'll tell you, it's a very interesting move, as well. A growth hormone is something people have heard a lot about over the years, no question about it, mainly in adults.

What has happened now is an FDA advisory panel has recommended by a vote of 8-2 that the FDA actually expand the use of growth hormone for children, children of short stature, who are otherwise healthy.

Take a look at some of the numbers now. Some of the numbers, in terms of how much improvement in terms of heights kids would actually get. If you take a look, on average, about 1 to 1.5 inches increase in height versus the placebo group. Sixty-two percent of the children, 2 inches or more than expected. And 31 percent, 4 inches or more than expected. So some significant increases in height.

And just really quick, Heidi, I think it's worth pointing out, you know, growth hormone, as well, comes from the brain. It comes from a specific gland in the brain called the pituitary gland. This particular gland produces all kinds of different hormones. You can see an animation there. The pituitary gland sort of at the base of the brain, produces this growth hormone. It has all kinds of affects on the body, including lengthening bones, lengthening the skeletal structure. And the really big thing that we're talking so much about, possibly increasing the height.

COLLINS: And the other really big thing we have to talk about are the ethical concerns. I mean, if these kids are otherwise healthy, are there not several questions that come up about drugging a child who is healthy because he may be smaller than the rest?

GUPTA: I think you're asking exactly the right question. And people have talked about this for quite some time. They've talked about it with regards to adults and growth hormone. With children and growth hormone, as well, there are some significant concerns. This particular hormone, at least in some of its early stages, is found to be relatively safe. Take a look at some of the side effects that people have talked about with regard to growth hormone in a child. Some simple ones, joint aches, muscle pain, things like that. Ear infections, nausea. There can also be some more significant side effects such as diabetes and problems with the hypothyroid gland.

But I think the question you're asking, which I think is the right question is, you know, someone who's short, and could take this medication to become taller, should they subject themselves to these risks?

It also is an expensive thing. I mean, to bring finances into it. It's probably not going to be covered by health insurance: $10- 20,000 a year. Three to five injections a week and going on for three to five years. So this is not gong to be an easy task for any of these parents who put their kids through this.

COLLINS: Do the kids get a say? They're all going to want to be tall, I guess.

GUPTA: And I don't want to liken this to sort of the Botox or any of these other sort of cosmetic medications out there, but I think that there is this concern or ethical dilemma, I should say, about medications like this, especially being given to healthy kids. These are healthy kids who are otherwise just short.

The numbers, incidentally -- and people always ask me, how short are we talking about here, in terms of who would qualify this? The drug company that's marketing this at least initially says less than 5'3" tall as a man and less than 4'11" as a woman.

COLLINS: But this is the drug company...

GUPTA: This the drug company. This is the guidelines that they're sort of talking about. And this is also based on a growth curve. Obviously, these kids, boy or girl, haven't reached their full height so they're just anticipating that if a boy is going to be less than 5'3" tall, it is possible in the future they may have an option in terms of growth hormone if they want to be taller.

COLLINS: OK. All right, well, much more to come on this.

GUPTA: We'll keep an eye on that one.

COLLINS: I bet. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, thanks so much for the update on that.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com