Spanish Agency for Medicine and Health Products issues warning for deadly medicine

THE Spanish Agency for Medicine and Health Products (AEMPS) has warned that a potential side effect of the drug methotrexate is death. 

The medicine specifically designed to treat scoliosis and arthritis can aid in preventing rapid cell regeneration but it can also be deadly if used in abundance or incorrectly according to the AEMPS. 

Methotrexate is also often used in several cancer treatments such as uterine, breast, lung and leukaemia and if used incorrectly in these particular cases where the patients’ immune system is down, it can be particularly fatal. 

AEMPS warns that patients often confuse their dosage of this medication, taking a prescribed weekly dose every day instead of once a week. Doctors have also been accused of over medicating this drug. 

In recent years 55 adverse reactions have been reported and of these seven were fatal. 

To avoid any further errors occurring whether it be from the patients or doctors, the AEMPS has recommended that the word ‘weekly’ be written on all prescriptions of methotrexate in the future.