A drug used to treat osteoporosis in women may no longer be prescribed for post-menopausal women in the US. A panel of the US Food & Drug Administration has advised following in the footsteps of the European Medicines Agency, which has already recommended not giving calcitonin salmon for osteoporosis because of an increased risk of developing cancer.
Calcitonin salmon has been used to treat osteoporosis in the US since 1986, either as an injection or as a nasal spray. Osteoporosis is a degenerative condition in which the density of the bones is reduced, making the bones more fragile and prone to fracture. The condition particularly affects older women.
Calcitonin salmon is a man-made version of the hormone calcitonin that is naturally found in salmon and is used to increase the amount of calcium in the bones while reducing the levels of calcium in the blood.
However, in 2012, it was revealed that women using the drug in nasal spray form faced a 2.4% higher risk of developing cancer, leading to first Europe and now the US no longer prescribing the drug for women who are more than five years past the menopause.
The FDA panel that debated the drug voted 12-9 to stop the drug being marketed for post-menopausal women. The dissenting panel members felt the low risk of cancer was outweighed by the effectiveness of calcitonin salmon in reducing the risk of fractures in those with osteoporosis. However, others argued that even a tiny risk of cancer had to be acknowledged and patient safety put first.
Some advocates for calcitonin salmon have argued that the drug should remain on the market but only be prescribed for specific patients, often those who have seen no benefits from other medication.
The FDA is not bound to follow recommendations from the panel but generally does so.
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