Expert attacks decision in US to stop use of bevacizumab for eye condition

Source: British Medical Journal (BMJ)
Area: News
A leading specialist has criticised the US Department of Veterans Affairs' decision to stop using bevacizumab (Avastin®) for wet age related macular degeneration (AMD), due to a possible increased risk of infection (see previous NeLM report at the link below).    According to a report by the British Medical Journal (BMJ), Philip Rosenfeld of the University of Miami told the New York Times that the recent incidents seemed to have stemmed from careless procedures by pharmacies and should not discourage the use of bevacizumab.  He noted that it has been used in practice for this indication since 2005 and that it "took six years for something like this to happen."  The report refers to a study that found the incidence of endophthalmitis in patients treated with intravitreal ranibizumab (total 14,320 injections) and bevacizumab (12,585 injections) was the same (three cases [0.02%] in each).    A spokesperson for the Department of Veterans ...