Bevacizumab (Avastin), an angiogenesis inhibitor, is being used as an alternative therapy for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in some children's hospitals for premature babies. Results from a study of this off-label use were reported here at the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus 38th Annual Meeting. Helen Mintz-Hittner, MD, from the University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston Medical School, reported that her team found long-term effectiveness and safety with bevacizumab as long as strict protocols were followed, including written parental consent (the drug is not approved for this use by the US Food and Drug Administration), completely sterile conditions, and administration by trained ophthalmologists.
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