The patients were injected with Avastin, a treatment for macular degeneration. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine this year showed Avastin is a cost-effective alternative to Lucentis, an FDA-approved treatment also for macular degeneration. However, Lucentis costs approximately $2,000, compared to $50 for Avastin, which is not available in single-dose vials, according to the report.
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Avastin is not FDA-approved due to that reason, forcing hospital pharmacies to compound the drug for intravenous use, according to the report. Notably, sterility issues stemming from compounding drugs was the subject of a VA advisory bulletin posted in 2006, warning patients of eyeball inflammation due to Avastin injections.
Read the report about contaminated Avastin injections at Nashville VA Medical Center.
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