Designed to fight cancer, this drug might cause serious birth defects.
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Temodar Bone Marrow Injury & Birth Defects

The label on the anticancer drug temozolomide—sold under the brand name Temodar and less commonly as Temodal—states that it can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. If you took Temodar while you were pregnant and you believe it caused your child to develop birth defects, you need a sympathetic advocate who will represent only your interests—and who will make the process of obtaining compensation for your injuries as painless as possible. The Rottenstein Law Group knows this, and we want you to believe it. We might be the Temodar law firm you are looking for.

What Is Temodar and What Is Prescribed For?

Temodar is the brand name for the drug temozolomide. Made and sold by Schering-Plough before it merged into Merck and Co., this prescription medication is used to treat adults with two types of brain tumors: glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and nitrosourea- and procarbazine-refractory anaplastic astrocytoma.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first approved Temodar in August 1999 in oral capsule form and again in February 2009 as an intravenous injection. Merck sold $1.07 billion worth of Temodar in 2010.

As an alkylating antineoplastic agent, Temodar attacks cancer cells by damaging their DNA. Cancer cells replicate more quickly than most types of cells and as a result they are not as good at correcting DNA errors, making them vulnerable to alkylation. Temodar works with chemotherapy and radiation therapy and afterwards.

Temodar Might Cause Birth Defects and Infertility

Temodar’s drug label warns that the drug can cause fetal harm to pregnant women who take it. Administering Temodar to rats and rabbits below the maximum recommended dose caused birth defects in external organs, soft tissues, and the skeleton after only five days. As a result, the FDA placed Temodar in Pregancy Category D, a classification reserved for drugs for which there has been found positive evidence of human fetal risk based on adverse reaction data from investigational or marketing experience or studies in humans. The FDA advises doctors to tell women not to plan on becoming pregnant while taking Temodar.

The FDA also warns that, because Temodar is an alkylating substance, it damages all cells that divide rapidly. For instance, the drug label warns that Temodar is myelotoxic, meaning it inhibits bone marrow from producing the blood cells required to carry oxygen, prevent clotting, and provide immunity. In severe cases, myelotoxicity can lead to anemia and even death. Similarly, Temodar is also genotoxic, meaning it disrupts the DNA of gamete producing organs: ovaries and testes. Researchers do not yet know whether Temodar causes infertility in women.

RLG’s Lawyers Will Make Things Easier


If you believe you have experienced adverse side effects as a result of taking Temodar, submit this simple secure form for a free and confidential evaluation of your eligibility to file a Temodar lawsuit.

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