By Marie Rosenthal
The FDA issued a warning against the long-term use of azithromycin (Zithromax, Pfizer) to prevent bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome in patients with hematologic malignancies who undergo a donor stem cell transplant. The medication is not indicated for this treatment.
Results of a clinical study, which attempted to prevent this serious lung condition with azithromycin prophylaxis, found an increased rate of cancer relapse, including death, in these patients.