Anemia Drugs Need New Warnings

Jamie Sheller

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Cancer and kidney disease patients have an increased risk of serious problems, including death, with the use of anemia drugs. The FDA has issued new warnings about the anemia drugs, including Procrit, Epogen and Aranesp, ordering more careful prescribing. According to the FDA, studies show that overuse of the anemia drugs can lead to blood clots, strokes and heart attacks in patients with kidney failure. In addition, more rapid tumor growth has been shown in patients with head and neck cancer, who use higher than recommended doses. Serious risks are also involved when the drugs are used with cancer patients who are not on chemotherapy and patients who have had orthopedic surgery. The new warnings are "black box" warnings, the most serious kind of warning, on the drug labels.