Permanent or Temporary Irradiation of blood/blood products for patients on Fludarabine therapy

[conwaysbb]

The package insert for Fludarabine, states the following:

TA-GVHD has been observed after transfusion of non-irradiated blood in Fludarabine Phosphate for injection, USP treated patients. Fatal outcome as a consequence of this disease has been reported. Therefoe, to minimize the risk of TA-GVHD, patients who require blood transfusions and who are undergoing. or who have recived treatment with Fludarabine Phosphate for injection, USP should recieve irradiated blood only.

It is also recommended for patients receiving other purine analogues, such as Claribine, Deoxycoformicin, and Campath and patients on anti-lymphocyte globulin should also recive irradiated blood products. in fact, thier have been some law suits against hospitals that did not follow this policy, as the package inserts state this in the Warning statements for the drugs.

We have arranged with the pharmacy departmetn to get a list of any patients on therapy of any of the drugs stated above. The question I am posing is does anyone know if this is a permanent special requirement/instruction for irradiation of blood the patient or is this a temporary one and if so how long after the patient stops the treatment with these drugs should the special irequirement/instruction for irradiation stay with the patient

[Malcolm Needs ☆]

Within the UK, this requirement is life-long.

[adiescast]

We only cancel irradiation requirements on the order of a physician. If the physician decides that it is no longer medically necessary, that is their call. That's why they make the big bucks.