Letrazole, an approved breast cancer medication for women who have breast cancer and have already reached menopause age, is being prescribed to increase women fertility. Novartis, the manufacturer is reaching out to doctors around the world to warn about the risks if giving to pregnant women. Birth defects have been associated with Letrazole and warns United States doctors and patients on the label. Even with this warning a Canadian report was released speaking of situations where pregnant women were taking the medication. Novartis inspected a database of safety and uncovered 13 cases of women who were pregnant taking the medication, even with the label of warning. “Of those 13, at least two had miscarriages and two had children with birth defects… It was not clear how many of these women were given the drug to increase their fertility as opposed to some other reason”(Mcnamara). Novartis and Health Canada (Canada’s health agency) teamed up to send letters of warning to fertility doctors, obstetricians (doctors who specialize in childbirth and the care of women giving birth) and gynecologists (doctors who specialize in functions and diseases specific to women and girls, especially those affecting the reproductive system), stating the manufacturing company knows …show more content…
Even though “off-label” prescribing is necessary at times, like prescribing with children when the drug was not tested on children, there are unknown complications can could exist. Doctors knew the dangers of prescribing Letrazole in pregnant or wanting to become pregnant women and still prescribed the drug. With so many alternatives that are FDA approved, did these doctors prescribing Letrazole just lack knowledge of those alternatives or do they get some form of payment when they prescribe the