Avastin (bevacizumab) has been controversial for awhile now, because the federal government was pulling Avastin off the market and away from breast cancer victims who were very loyal to Avastin as being helpful to them (see our earlier post on this issue). Now, Avastin is back in the news — not for breast cancer, but for blindness. Seems Avastin can cause people to lose their eyesight.
Blind, from an injection of a drug designed to help a patient. Imagine that horror happening to you or someone you love.
The U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs already pulled Avastin from treatment of macular degeneration. Lawsuits based upon state products liability laws are starting to be filed across the country, where plaintiffs blinded by Avastin are suing for justice, and the New York Times has taken notice.
Two big questions: how many people have been blinded by Avastin, used in the treatment of their macular degeneration? (There are estimates that the number of Avastin blindness victims is shockingly high.)
And, did the manfacturer (Genetech, a division of Roche) actually encourage this off-label use of Avastin? The volume of off-label use suggests that it was actively marketed, since health care professionals would have to not only have been told about this alternative use of the breast cancer drug, they would have had to have had some instruction on how to inject the drug into the eye. (If this is shown, then the manufacturer’s legal responsibilities are higher under the law. )
If you or a loved one has been treated for macular degeneration, then it might be wise for you to investigate the use of Avastin in your treatment – immediately.
