Procrit

Procrit is used to treat anemia in patients suffering from Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). It is also used to treat anemia in HIV-infected patients and people being treated with chemotherapy. Procrit is a man-made form of the protein that produces red blood cells in the body. It is manufactured by Amgen, Inc., and was approved by the FDA in 1989. Procrit is in a class of medications called erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESA) and makes approximately $2 billion a year.

Procrit is a dangerous drug that has a black box label warning about serious risks. After a number of studies showed that Procrit may accelerate the progress of certain types of cancer, the FDA advised doctors not to prescribe the drug to patients suffering from breast, head and neck cancer.

The black-box warning placed on Procrit advises “ESAs shortened overall survival and/or increased the risk of tumor progression or recurrence in clinical studies of patients with breast, non-small cell lung, head and neck, lymphoid, and cervical cancers.”

Serious side effects have been seen when the patient was prescribed a high dose of Procrit. In 2007, a warning about high doses of Procrit was placed on the label. Serious side effects that have been linked to the drug are heart attack, stroke, blood clots, pulmonary embolisms, deep vein thrombosis, rapid growth of pre-existing tumors and death.

Serious side effects may include:

• Chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea, sweating, general ill feeling
• Feeling short of breath, even with mild exertion
• Swelling, rapid weight gain
• Sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body
• Sudden severe headache, confusion, problems with vision, speech, or balance
• Pain, swelling, warmth, or redness in one or both legs
• Feeling light-headed, fainting
• Fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms, sores in your mouth and throat
• Pale skin, feeling short of breath, rapid heart rate, trouble concentrating
• Easy bruising, unusual bleeding (nose, mouth, vagina, or rectum), purple or red pinpoint spots under your skin
• Seizure (black-out or convulsions)
• Low potassium (confusion, uneven heart rate, extreme thirst, increased urination, leg discomfort, muscle weakness or limp feeling)
• Dangerously high blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, buzzing in your ears, anxiety, confusion, chest pain, shortness of breath, uneven heartbeats, seizure)

Less serious side effects may include:

• Cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, cough, sore throat
• Joint pain, bone pain
• Muscle pain, muscle spasm
• Dizziness, depression, mild headache
• Weight loss
• Sleep problems (insomnia)
• Nausea, vomiting, trouble swallowing
• Pain or tenderness where at the site of injection