Colony Stimulating Factors (Systemic)

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For colony stimulating factors, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to the colony stimulating factor. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Colony stimulating factors have not been studied in pregnant women.

• Filgrastim - In studies in rabbits, filgrastim did not cause birth defects but did cause internal defects, a decrease in average weight, and death of the fetus at high doses.
• Sargramostim - Studies on birth defects have not been done in animals.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether colony stimulating factors pass into human breast milk. However, these medicines have not been reported to cause problems in nursing babies.

Children - Although there is no specific information comparing use of colony stimulating factors in children with use in other age groups, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in children than it does in adults. In Canada, data from clinical trials in children indicate that the safety of filgrastim is similar in both adults and children receiving certain cancer medicines.

Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults. Although there is no specific information comparing use of colony stimulating factors in the elderly with use in other age groups, this medicine has been used in many elderly patients and is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your health care professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of colony stimulating factors. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Conditions caused by inflammation or immune system problems - There is a chance these may be worsened by colony stimulating factor

• Heart disease - Risk of some unwanted effects (heart rhythm problems, retaining water) may be increased

• Kidney disease or
• Liver disease - May sometimes be worsened by colony stimulating factor

• Lung disease - Colony stimulating factor may cause shortness of breath