According to the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the frequency of side effects from the anti-cancer drug docetaxel has not increased for two years.
The National Medicines Safety Agency (ANSM) has implicitly confirmed that 18 patients died after being treated with the anti-cancer drug docetaxel between January 2015 and February 2017. But the list of victims of this medicine does not stop the.
The ANSM “expects larger figures” knowing that the pharmacovigilance survey covers all drugs containing docetaxel, since the first of them was marketed in 1995, Taxotère, before the appearance. generics.
Pending the results of this ongoing investigation, the National Cancer Institute (INCa) and the ANSM recommended on January 17 that oncologists temporarily avoid, as a precaution, using docetaxel for patients with localized, operable breast cancers, in favor of an alternative, paclitaxel. Information published on Monday may be able to reassure worried patients.
No increase in enterocolitis
Following his reassessment of the adverse effects of the anticancer drug, the Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) informs this Monday not have noticed a recent increase in enterocolitis (infections of the small intestine and colon) for two years. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) recalls that this is “a known but rare side effect of docetaxel, which may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people”.
“However, a thorough assessment of the available data is underway and the final findings will be released once the review is complete,” she said. In the meantime, the EMA recommends that doctors continue to prescribe this drug according to the recommendations contained in the current product leaflet.
They must take into account in particular the detailed information for the prevention and management of neutropenia (disorder of the blood system). “Patients who have questions about their treatment should speak to their doctor,” concludes the EMA.
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