How does it work?

Filgrastim is a substance that stimulates the production of a type of white blood cell from the bone marrow, known as neutrophils. Neutrophils play a cental role in the body's immune system and defends the body from infections. Therefore a low level of neutrophils in the blood (neutropenia), leaves a person very susceptible to life threatening infections. Neutropenia can be caused by a number of factors, such as cancer chemotherapy and it often occurs in individuals who have recently had a bone marrow transplant or are suffering from AIDS. Filgrastim is commonly used after high dose chemotherapy regimes or bone marrow transplants, to correct low neutrophil levels in the blood and thereby reduces the duration and severity of the neutropenia. As a result, filgrastim minimises the need for antibiotic treatment, the risk of complications due to infections and length of time spent in hospital after bone marrow transplants.

What is it used for?

To increase production of immature blood cells (stem cells or progenitor cells)

To speed up production of a type of white blood cell (neutrophils) following bone marrow transplants

Very low levels of a type of white blood cell (neutrophils) in the blood caused by medicines used to treat cancers (chemotherapy induced neutropenia)

Warning!

For use only under specialist medical supervision

People taking this medicine should have regular blood tests to check the levels of their blood components.

Regular bone scans to check for thinning of bones, is recommended in individuals suffering from brittle bone disorders (osteoporosis) and taking this medicine for more than 6 months

This medicine may enlarge the spleen, therefore it is advised that spleen size should be regularly evaluated.

Use with caution in

An attack of the body by its own immune system, resulting in the destruction of a neutrophils (autoimmune neutropenia)

Babies less than one month old (neonates)

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.

There is no information available about the safety of this medicine during pregnancy, therefore it is not recommended for use during pregnancy, unless considered essential by your doctor. Seek medical advice from your doctor.

There is no information available about the safety of this medicine during breastfeeding. For this reason, the manufacturer states that it should not be used during breastfeeding. Seek medical advice from your doctor.

Side effects

Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.

Headache

Diarrhoea

Hair loss (alopecia)

Alteration in results of liver function tests

Nosebleeds (epistaxis)

Pain in muscles or bones (musculoskeletal pain)

Bone pain

Difficulty or pain on passing urine (dysuria)

Enlargement of the spleen

A sudden inability to breath (adult respiratory distress syndrome, ARDS)

Decrease in the number of platelets in the blood (thrombocytopenia)

The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the drug's manufacturer. For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.

How can this medicine affect other medicines?

Medicines used in cancer chemotherapy may affect filgrastim. The manufacturers advise to avoid use of filgrastim 24 hours before and 24 hours after chemotherapy.

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