FDA panel warns of anemia drug risks

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Health News
FDA panel warns of anemia drug risks

May 11, 2007, 17:42 GMT


WASHINGTON, DC, United States (UPI) -- A U.S. Food and Drug Administration panel is warning that the popular anemia drug erythropoietin may shorten the lives of some cancer patients.

The panel says the FDA should consider prescribing it less often, for shorter periods and not at all for certain cancers, The Washington Post said Friday.

The newspaper said the panel is concerned about data from studies of breast, lung, lymphoid, and throat cancers that suggest erythropoietin caused 'tumor promotion' and shorter survival in patients.

Erythropoietin was approved in 1988 for use in patients with kidney failure and in 1993 for use in cancer patients who become anemic from chemotherapy.

The New York Times said the drugs, known generically as darbepoetin and epoetin, are used by about a half-million U.S. cancer patients a year.

The brand name Aransep is from Amgen and Procit is from Johnson & Johnson.

One panel member said some doctors may be overprescribing the drugs because they sometimes receive more from insurers than they pay for the drugs and receive rebates from the manufacturers, The Times said.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International