FDA Panel Weighs Safety of Anemia Drugs for Cancer Patients

Dental Plans: "When a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel meets Thursday to weigh whether blood-boosting drugs are safe to use in cancer patients suffering from anemia, the question will not be an easy one to answer.
According to FDA briefing documents filed this week, there are now a total of eight clinical trials that suggest these widely used medications, sold as Epogen and Aranesp by Amgen Inc. and as Procrit by Johnson&Johnson, actually speed the growth of tumors and shorten the lives of cancer victims. Known as erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs), they work by stimulating red blood cell production."