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Revised GBCA Product Labeling with Medication Guide is now available for all agents
As of April 26, 2018, the revised Product Labeling with the Medication Guide for all gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) were posted on the FDA’s website. The FDA announced on December 15, 2017, that it was requiring GBCA manufacturers to revise product labeling and create a Medication Guide for each GBCA. The purpose of the Medication Guide is to provide patients with information about gadolinium retention in the body so that they can make an informed decision before agreeing to have an MRI with contrast – an MRI with a gadolinium-based contrast agent. Gadolinium (Gd) is a toxic metal and any amount that remains in the brain and other parts of the body has the potential to have a harmful effect. While the linear GBCAs are the least stable, macrocyclic agents have been found to leave residual gadolinium in patients’ bodies as well. The long-term effects of gadolinium deposition are still unknown; however, research is ongoing.
The Medication Guide for each agent mentions “many doses of gadolinium medicines” as a possible risk factor. Gadolinium-based contrast agents are intravenously administered prescribed drugs that can have a toxic effect even after one dose of contrast. Currently, no one knows why some patients become symptomatic after having one or more MRIs with a GBCA, while others do not. However, it appears that everyone retains an unknown amount of gadolinium from each dose of a gadolinium-based contrast agent they receive.
Links to the new Product Labeling for each agent are provided below. (more…)
FDA Public Meeting about Risk of Gadolinium Retention from GBCAs
On September 8, 2017, the FDA’s Medical Imaging Drugs Advisory Committee (MIDAC) will meet to discuss the potential risk of gadolinium retention in the brain and other body organs in patients receiving gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) for MRI procedures.
During the Open Public Hearing (OPH) portion of the meeting, 75 minutes have been allotted to interested persons to present data, information, or views, orally or in writing. The deadline for requesting time to speak has passed. However, interested parties have until September 7, 2017 to submit electronic or written/paper submissions related to the issue of gadolinium retention. Note that the Docket No. for the meeting is FDA-2017-N-1957 and it must be included on all submissions
An updated announcement about the meeting can be found here: https://www.fda.gov/AdvisoryCommittees/Calendar/ucm571112.htm
CDER (Center for Drug Evaluation and Research) plans to provide a live webcast of the September 8, 2017 MIDAC meeting. Information about the web address for the webcast will be made available at least 2 days before the meeting. See the updated announcement for more information about the webcast.
The Medical Imaging Drugs Advisory Committee Meeting Briefing Document titled, Gadolinium Retention after Gadolinium Based Contrast Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients with Normal Renal Function, is available for download: https://www.fda.gov/downloads/AdvisoryCommittees/CommitteesMeetingMaterials/Drugs/MedicalImagingDrugsAdvisoryCommittee/UCM572848.pdf
Sharon Williams and Hubbs Grimm have submitted comments and supporting materials from The Lighthouse Project at GadoliniumToxicity.com for Docket No. FDA-2017-N-1957.
Help Fund a Gadolinium Toxicity Researcher
The Berkeley Labs Foundation is raising $120,000 for a full-time researcher who will be dedicated to understanding and treating gadolinium toxicity.
I hope you will consider making a tax-deductible donation and sharing this information with your family, friends, and doctors too.
You can find out about the fundraising effort here: http://www.berkeleylabfoundation.org/support-berkeley-lab/ Gadolinium Toxicity is the entry to the far-right and the “Donate” button is above it.
On behalf of affected patients around the world, thank you for donating! No amount is too small to give.
Sharon Williams
Gadolinium Toxicity 