FDA Revokes Approval of Avastin for Treating Breast Cancer

On Friday, the FDA ruled that cancer drug Avastin should not be used to treat breast cancer because Avastin’s risky side-effects outweigh its benefits for breast cancer patients. “Women who take Avastin for metastatic breast cancer risk potentially life threatening or serious side-effects, such as heart attacks or heart failure, severe high blood pressure, bleeding or hemorrhaging,” FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg said.   Avastin still has FDA approval for treating lung, kidney, and colon cancer, and despite the ruling, Medicare will still cover Avastin for breast cancer patients.  Joe Nocera, op-ed columnist for  The New York Times, argues that the FDA made the right decision.