Epoetin Alfa Hexal

<p>Epoetin Alfa Hexal is a medicine used for the following:</p><ul><li>to treat anaemia (low red blood cell counts) that is causing symptoms in patients with ‘chronic kidney failure’ (long-term, progressive decrease in the ability of the kidneys to work properly) or other kidney problems;</li><li>to treat anaemia in adults receiving chemotherapy for certain types of cancer and to reduce the need for blood transfusions;</li><li>to increase the amount of blood that can be taken in adult patients with moderate anaemia and normal blood iron levels who are going to have an operation and donate their own blood before surgery (autologous blood transfusion);</li><li>to reduce the need for blood transfusions in adults with moderate anaemia who are about to undergo major orthopaedic (bone) surgery, such as hip surgery. It is used in patients with normal blood iron levels who could experience complications from a blood transfusion, if they do not donate their own blood before surgery and are expected to lose 900 to 1,800 ml of blood;</li><li>to treat anaemia in adults with myelodysplastic syndromes (conditions in which the production of healthy blood cells is defective). Epoetin Alfa Hexal is used when patients are at low or intermediate risk of developing acute myeloid leukaemia and have low levels of the natural hormone erythropoietin.</li></ul><p>Epoetin Alfa Hexal contains the active substance epoetin alfa and is a ‘biosimilar medicine’. This means that Epoetin Alfa Hexal is highly similar to another biological medicine (the ‘reference medicine’) that is already authorised in the EU. The reference medicine for Epoetin Alfa Hexal is Eprex/Erypo. </p>