In wake of NSF victims, Bayer still in the business of gadolinium dyes
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, in the midst of product safety issues concerning their MRI imaging contrasting agent Magnevist, announced that they have been awarded a three-year contract renewal by HealthTrust Purchasing Group to make the injection available to their HealthTrust network. Bayer holds more that 50 percent of the U.S. market share for gadolinium containing contrasting agents and has the broadest range of FDA approved usage than any other MRI agent for adult and pediatric patients. However, a cloud is over the company due to a link between their product and the debilitating, painful and sometimes deadly disease Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis. In fact, in their news release they initiate a warning to readers about who the agent should not be used on, such as those with acute renal insufficiency or perioperative liver transplantation. They further caution for all patients to undergo a screening for renal dysfunction as well as not to exceed the recommended dose and to allow a sufficient period of time for the agent to eliminate itself from the system. What they fail to elucidate is that there are other options available to technicians that do not use the sometimes toxic gadolinium. Toshiba recently announced its fourth generation contrast-free imaging technique known as Time and Space Angiography (TSA). TSA creates images that show dynamic blood flow without using contrast agents. In contrast, Bayer’s press release warns of possible serious and life threatening anaphylactic reactions, as well as cardiovascular and respiratory manifestations when using Magnevist. It makes one wonder what these health groups are thinking to allow their patients access to such a controversial treatment.
