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Jan Schlichtmann discusses the FDA ruling on Procrit and Aranesp
The Civil Action Channel
1 Comment
In today’s edition of Speaking of Justice host Scott Drake is joined by Civil Action lawyer Jan Schlichtmann as they discuss the news of the day concerning the Procrit and Aranesp and the potential cancer causing anemia drug issues. Since the fall of 2006 the medical, consumer and legal community have been closely watching the studies and investigations into these widely prescribed drugs for people on chemotherapy.
Just today the ODAC committee of the FDA have now voted 13-1 that the drugs should stay available on the market and for use in cancer patients, but by a 12-2 vote that they should only be used in patients whose cancer is so far into it’s final stages that there is little hope for survival. Essentially they are baring it’s use in cases where there is early stage cancer or treatment so that the feared cancer accelerating aspects of these drugs are not a risk to patients. There are very few circumstances under which these drugs should be used if you or a family member have cancer and if you do use it you need to be in constant communication with your oncologist regarding it’s safety in your particular case.
Reader Comments (1)
I was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2006 and underwent surgery, 8 doses of toxic chemotherapy and 6 weeks of radiation treatments. During the course of my chemo I became anemic and was given a total of 6 doses of Aranesp to boost my red cell counts in addition to 8 doses of Neulasta to boost my white cell counts.
The general public probably cannot relate or even begin to imagine what it is like to be diagnosed and treated for cancer unless you have been through this horrible experience or lived with a cancer patient. Then the additional psychological torment to the patient is to read a short time after treatment completion about the potential life threatening side effects of the drugs used to heal you? Bad enough that we live the daily fear of recurrence to mets but now have the added stress of other cancers caused by our so called treatments.
When will this lack of accountability end? Were the oncologists made aware of these risks by the drug companies? Why aren't the risks discussed with the patients? When will this poisoning of our environment end? What is enough evidence to make changes in the use of pesticides and hormones in our food? When will the pharmaceutical companies find a cure for cancer instead of profitting from our suffering? How many more men, women and children are required to die before there are results and accountability?