Is Gemtuzumab Ozogamicin safe while breastfeeding?
Here is what LactMed, the Drugs and Lactation Database published by the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), reports about Gemtuzumab Ozogamicin. The text below is quoted from that source — it is not our own verdict.
Summary of use during breastfeeding
No information is available on the clinical use of gemtuzumab ozogamicin during breastfeeding. Because gemtuzumab is a large protein molecule with a molecular weight of about 152,000 Da the amount in milk is likely to be very low.[1] It is also likely to be partially destroyed in the infant's gastrointestinal tract and absorption by the infant is probably minimal.[2] Ozogamicin (N-acetyl gamma calicheamicin) is a small-molecule that causes double-stranded DNA that might enter milk and be absorbed by the infant. Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in the breastfed infant, the manufacturer recommends that women not breastfeed during treatment and for at least 1 month after the final dose.
Effects on the breastfed infant
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Levels in milk
Maternal Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
“No published information” means the studies do not exist yet — not that Gemtuzumab Ozogamicin is known to be harmful, and not that it is known to be safe. Your prescriber or pharmacist can weigh your baby's age and whether a better-studied alternative would do the same job. Worth asking before stopping a medicine you need.
Source: Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), via NCBI Bookshelf, record “Gemtuzumab Ozogamicin” (gemtuzumab_ozo). LactMed on NCBI Bookshelf. LactMed is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Educational summary of an authoritative source — not medical advice. Never start, stop, or change a medicine while breastfeeding without confirming with your doctor.