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Injured by Epogen?

On November 30, 2006, reports came out that two studies in this month’s New England Journal of Medicine have called into question the overuse of drugs in the treatment of anemia in kidney patients. Amgen’s Epogen and Johnson and Johnson’s Procrit, are the two most common anemia drugs which are at the center of the controversy, as researchers try to determine whether they’ve been over-prescribed by medical professionals. Sales of anemia drugs are nearing $10 billion annually. Epogen (Generic: Epoetin alfa) was approved by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on July 26, 1999.

According to the above studies, Scientists established that anemic kidney patients are susceptible to heart problems or death when aggressively treated with Epogen or other anemia drugs. The drugs are intended to boost hemoglobin in anemic patients, but the increase in hemoglobin is apparently associated with other serious risks. Prior to the arrival of these anemia treatments, patients had to undergo transfusions to keep their red blood cell counts at healthy levels. The new drugs have been very successful in boosting red blood cell counts, but the fear today is that doctors have become too reliant on the drugs and that they aren’t sufficiently aware of the risks related to boosting hemoglobin (a main component of red blood cells) in kidney patients, which can include heart attack, stroke, and high blood pressure.

Legal help for Epogen Users
If you or a loved has taken Epogen and suffered heart problems or death, please fill out the form at the right for a free case evaluation from a qualified defective drugs attorney.
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FDA Says Another Safety Review of Anemia Drugs in the Works

Jan 7, 2010 | Parker Waichman Alonso LLP
Anemia drugs Procrit, Epogen and Aranesp are slated to undergo another safety review, following the publication of a clinical trail that linked one of them to an increased risk of stroke.According to The New York Times, that study, called “Treat” was published in October in the New England Journal of Medicine. The goal of Treat was to see if using Aranesp to increase the red blood cell levels of people with diabetes and kidney disease would prevent death and cardiovascular problems....

Procrit, Similar Drugs Linked to Increased Death Risk By Two More Studies

May 5, 2009 | Parker Waichman Alonso LLP
Two more studies have found that anemia drugs like Epogen, Procrit and Aranesp raise the risk of death among cancer patients.  Despite known safety risks, drugs like Procrit continue to be used because it is believed that they help reduce the number of blood transfusions some cancer patients need, while improving quality of life. According to a report on MedicineNet.com,  these two studies may raise  questions about that theory.Epogen, Procrit and Aranesp are known as...

FDA Investigating Procrit and Epogen Following Clinical Trial Deaths

Sep 26, 2008 | Parker Waichman Alonso LLP
Epoetin alfa, an anemia drug sold in the U.S. as Procrit and Epogen, is being reviewed by federal regulators after patients in a German stroke study treated with the drug died at a higher rate than those administered a placebo.  The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) said it will be receiving more data about the German epoetin alfa trial in the next several weeks.  Once that data has been analyzed, the FDA will communicate its conclusions and recommendations regarding this drug to...

Amgen Ends Controversial Aranesp Marketing Practices

Aug 29, 2008 | Parker Waichman Alonso LLP
The maker of Aranesp is halting marketing practices that critics said encouraged over-use of the anemia drug.  Criticism of the policies, in which Amgen  paid rebates to doctors for the purchase of Aranesp, had grown along with questions about the drug's safety. Aranesp is an erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA).  Two other ESA's, Epogen and Procrit, are also currently available.   All are made by Amgen, but Procrit is sold by Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Ortho...

More than 44,000 Vials of Procrit Recalled

Aug 6, 2008 | Parker Waichman Alonso LLP
Procrit is being recalled by Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Ortho Biotech.  According to the company's recall notice, the action is necessary because cracks in the necks of a small number of Procrit vials were discovered upon post-manufacturing inspection.The Procrit recall involves approximately 44,292 vials of lot P114942A distributed between April 15, 2008 and July 17, 2008.  The recalled Procrit vials were available in  the following packaging configurations:Individual...

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