September 30, 2015: Severe Harm and Deaths Associated with Incidents Involving Low-Dose Methotrexate
For patients with the autoimmune disease rheumatoid arthritis (RA), oral or parenteral methotrexate is the preferred disease-modifying antirheumatic drug with respect to efficacy and safety, unless it is specifically contraindicated. In contrast to dosing for antineoplastic indications, methotrexate for RA is administered once weekly as low-dose therapy. ISMP Canada has received multiple reports of severe harm or death in patients taking methotrexate for RA and other autoimmune diseases. The findings and recommendations from selected recent case reports are shared here to highlight system-based opportunities to improve safety. Read more...
