Don’t women with cancer have enough to worry about? Now comes the news that women whose treatment includes the drug Avastin have a huge risk of becoming infertile.  According to the FDA, Avastin may increase the risk of “ovarian failure” by causing ovaries to stop releasing eggs regularly.

The agency cited a study of 179 women with colon cancer. Of the half receiving Avastin as part of their treatment, 34% experienced ovarian failure. That’s an astronomically high rate of occurrence of a devastating side effect.  After the drug was stopped, ovarian function returned in only 20% of these women, and the long-term effects for any woman on Avastin remain unclear.

This is just the latest bad news about this drug.  The FDA is in the process of revoking its approval of Avastin to treat metastatic breast cancer because studies show it seems to confer little benefit but many dangerous side effects. Avastin manufacturer, Genentech, is fighting the action.

The question remains why – with a potentially life-altering side effect occurring so often in so many women – didn’t Genetech discover, announce and take steps earlier to warn women and doctors?  The drug has been on the market since 2004. How many women and their doctors would have made a different choice if they had known the risks were high for a life-time of infertility?

Women undergoing cancer treatment using Avastin and who see children in their future need to talk with their doctors about this latest news.

Robert Jenner brings to the My Advocates medical and legal team more than 26 years experience representing injured consumers nation-wide against the manufacturers of dangerous prescription drugs, defective medical devices, tainted blood products, and other unsafe products. Mr. Jenner has been honored by his peers for inclusion in “The Best Lawyers in America” and “Maryland’s Super Lawyers”(named in Top 50). READ FULL BIO