FDA Reports New Risks Posed by Anemia Drugs

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For hemoglobin levels less than 12 grams per deciliter, the label says there's no evidence to determine if the drugs cause any of these problems, the FDA said.

The revised label also made it clear that ESAs should be used in cancer patients only when their anemia is caused by chemotherapy and not from other causes. Also, ESAs should be stopped when the patient's chemotherapy has ended, the FDA said.

The revised label also said there's no evidence that ESAs improve symptoms of anemia, quality of life, fatigue, or patient well-being in cancer patients or patients with HIV taking the drug AZT.

More information

For more information on ESAs, visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.