French authorities allow pegaptanib administration outside hospitals

Marketing authorities in France have determined that pegaptanib sodium may be administered in ophthalmic treatments outside a hospital setting, according to a news release.

In making its decision, the marketing authorization committee of the French medical regulator, Afssaps, determined the number of people with age-related macular degeneration would continue to rise as the country’s population aged and disease detection at earlier stages is occurring. As a result, hospital resources would be overwhelmed unless the product could also be administered in the community.

The committee reiterated that Macugen (pegaptanib sodium, Pfizer) “should be administered only by experienced ophthalmologists in aseptic conditions and that a broad-spectrum antibacterial should be used before the injection.”