After follow-up studies in July did not show benefits for patients, a panel of cancer experts announced that the government should take out its backing of Roche’s drug Avastin for breast cancer. The panel of experts from the Food and Drug Administration voted 12-1 in favor of removing the drug’s acceptance for use against breast cancer combined with chemotherapy treatment.
Even though it is not mandatory that the FDA take the advice of its panel, it often cooperates.
This negative vote is the very first upset for the popular drug that has accumulated approvals for around six forms of the disease. Avastin is also accepted for combating colon, kidney, lung and brain cancer. The ruling from the panel refers only to Avastin’s use to fight breast cancer.
If the FDA retracts the drug’s approval for breast cancer, doctors can still use the option to prescribe it “off-label”. This said, medical societies and hospitals usually follow FDA guidance, which influences prescribing patterns for thousands of U.S. physicians.
Last year, Avastin was Roche’s top-selling cancer drug with sales climbing to 5.9 billion.
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