Herbal Spotlight
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 erythropoietin stimulating agents |
| Epogen, Procrit, Aranesp |
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Pharmaceutical
company:
Amgen, Inc.
www.amgen.com |
NEW WARNING
The FDA issued a news alert reporting data regarding the safety of erythropoietin stimulating agents (Epogen, Procrit, Aranesp). The latest study showed that patients with breast or advanced cervical cancers who received these drugs to treat anemias caused by cancer chemotherapy died sooner or had more rapid tumor growth than similar patients who didn’t receive the anemia drugs. This data, combined with data from other studies, further stresses the concerns involved in using these drugs in patients with cancer. The FDA will further study these data to see if further steps are needed to ensure patient safety. Healthcare providers are urged to be aware of the risks outlined in the prescribing information and carefully weigh benefits and risks and discuss these with the patient.
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