Fedratinib
Fedratinib may cause encephalopathy (a serious and potentially fatal disorder of the nervous system), including Wernicke’s encephalopathy (a type of encephalopathy caused by a lack of thiamine [vitamin B1]). Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had a thiamine deficiency. If you experience any of the following symptoms, stop taking fedratinib and call your doctor immediately or get emergency medical treatment: difficulty moving or keeping your balance, weakness of the legs or arms that keeps getting worse, confusion, drowsiness, difficulty understanding or speaking, loss of memory, vision problems (including double vision and abnormal eye movements), or changes in personality.
Your doctor may prescribe medications to reduce the risk of side effects you may have from taking fedratinib. Tell your doctor right away if you have nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or weight loss that does not get better with treatment.
Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor will order certain tests to check your body’s response to fedratinib.
Your doctor or pharmacist will give you the manufacturer’s patient information sheet (Medication Guide) when you begin treatment with fedratinib and each time you refill your prescription. Read the information carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. You can also visit the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website (http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm085729.htm) or the manufacturer’s website to obtain the Medication Guide.
🔔 Why is this medication prescribed?
Fedratinib is used to treat adults with certain types of myelofibrosis (MF; a cancer of the bone marrow in which the bone marrow is replaced by scar tissue and causes decreased blood cell production). Fedratinib is in a class of medications called kinase inhibitors. It works by blocking the action of the abnormal protein that signals cancer cells to multiply. This helps stop or slow the spread of cancer cells.
🔔 How should this medicine be used?
Fedratinib comes as a capsule to take by mouth. It is usually taken once a day, with or without food. Taking fedratinib with a high fat meal may help to reduce nausea and vomiting. Take fedratinib at around the same time every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take fedratinib exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
Major health insurance companies have faced legal trouble over their claim denial practices. In February 2018, the insurance commissioner of California announced plans to investigate Aetna’s coverage denial practices after a former medical director of the insurance company admitted that he never once looked at a patient’s medical records when deciding whether to deny claims over the three years he worked in the position, according to CNN.
Your doctor will order blood tests before and during your treatment to see how you are affected by this medication. Your doctor may increase or decrease your dose of fedratinib during your treatment, or may tell you to stop taking fedratinib temporarily or permanently. This depends on how well the medication works for you, your lab test results, and if you experience side effects. Talk to your doctor about how you are feeling during your treatment.
🔔 Other uses for this medicine
This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
