Four adult patients treated for lymphoma at the Nantes University Hospital Center (CHU) presented serious complications during their chemotherapy between 10 and 13 November and three of them died. The 4th patient is still hospitalized in Nantes. “At this stage, the origin of these complications is not established” underlines the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health in its press release.
The four patients were undergoing intensive chemotherapy with autografting in the hematology department of the hospital center. This chemotherapy included the drug cyclosphosphamide as a replacement for the drug melphalan, which is generally used due to certain supply difficulties on the European market. Doctors explain that they have reserved the batches of melphalan for patients with myeloma, a form of cancer for which there is no other treatment alternative.
A drug used without problem in other hospitals
Cyclophosphamide has been used for years to treat lymphoma and this drug is validated by the medical community. “It is currently used by other establishments in France, in the same context, without such complications having been reported” adds the ministry.
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Marisol Touraine approached the General Inspectorate of Social Affairs (IGAS) to conduct an inspection on the exact causes of these serious complications, as well as on the organization, means and conditions for carrying out chemotherapy. In addition, the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM) has launched an investigation into the products.
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