VELCADE (bortezomib) - Advisories, Warnings & Recalls for health care professionals - VELCADE (bortezomib) - Fatal if Given Intrathecally

January 26, 2012

Dear Health Care Professional,

Subject: VELCADE^® (bortezomib): Fatal if Given Intrathecally

Janssen Inc., in consultation with Health Canada, would like to alert you to the risk of fatal outcome associated with the inadvertent intrathecal administration of the antineoplastic drug VELCADE^® (bortezomib).
Since the first global approval of VELCADE^® in May 2003, three cases of inadvertent intrathecal administration with fatal outcome have been reported worldwide........ Each case occurred when an intrathecal oncology chemotherapy was scheduled at the same time as the VELCADE^® intravenous administration.......

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Intrathecal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intrathecal

Intrathecal is an adjective that refers to something introduced into or occurring in the space under the arachnoid membrane of the brain or spinal cord.