November 21, 2011 | In: Articles, Diseases, Health Care, drugs

Avastin : The United take back the use of breast cancer drug

Use of the breast cancer drug ‘Avastin’ feared cause side effects that are harmful to patients.

U.S. draw use of one of the world’s best-selling cancer drug as a treatment of heavy-stage breast cancer.

Government health officials said Friday that there was no evidence of the use of Avastin to prolong the lifespan of patients and its use may cause harmful side effects.

Commissioner of the FDA or the Agency for the American Food and Drug Administration Margaret Hamburg said that risk might include very high blood pressure, bleeding, heart attack and perforations or small holes in the parts of the body.

The FDA declared various tests by the manufacturer about the use of the drug showed only limited effect on tumor growth in patients, so the benefits are not enough to beat his side.

Drug ‘Avastin’ produced by the company Genentech, part of Roche, the Swiss pharmaceutical company. Genentech said it was disappointed by the decision and will conduct a new trial on the drug. The company has earned revenues of about $ 1 billion per year.

Many breast cancer patients in the Avastin-Americans say they save lives. Treatment could cost nearly 100 thousand dollars a year.

Such testimony, said Hamburg, is a “difficult decision” to revoke its use. But he said, patients “need to know for sure” about the safety and efficacy of these drugs to treat their disease. With a prescription, the drug can still be obtained to treat colon cancer, lung cancer, kidney and brain cancer.