Federal health advisers are now considering whether Iressa, a lung cancer medication approved two years ago by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, should be pulled from the market because of questions on whether it improves survival rates and links to deaths in the United States and Japan.
The advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration, which met Friday, was not asked to vote on the fate of the drug, which is made by AstraZeneca. And FDA officials said they would await more data before making any decision.
The officials indicated, however, that they would not deprive patients now taking Iressa from continuing to receive it, and panel members did not seem inclined to remove the drug from the market, The New York Times reported.
The advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration, which met Friday, was not asked to vote on the fate of the drug, which is made by AstraZeneca. And FDA officials said they would await more data before making any decision.
The officials indicated, however, that they would not deprive patients now taking Iressa from continuing to receive it, and panel members did not seem inclined to remove the drug from the market, The New York Times reported.