The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 280 No 7492 p269
8 March 2008

This article
Reprint   Photocopy

  Acrobat Reader

News summary

Epoetin mortality and VTE risks

Treatment of chemotherapy-associated anaemia with epoetin and darbepoetin is associated with increased risks of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and mortality, a JAMA study reveals (2008;299:914).

Analysis of 51 trials that included mortality data (n=13,611) and 38 trials recording VTE events (n=8,172) showed higher risks of both outcomes for cancer patients taking the agents than for controls.

The authors express concerns about the safety of epoetins for patients with cancer.