A popular drug that is used to help chemotherapy patients with nausea has also been associated with anaphylactic shock, a severe allergic reaction. Varubi anaphylactic shock has been reported with some patients who have been administered Varubi to keep nausea and vomiting at bay.

Varubi, generically known as rolapitant, is often given to patients with their first dose of medication during a chemotherapy round. It was first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2015 as a pill form, but was then approved later for use as an intravenous drug.

It is a drug that helps reduce nausea during chemotherapy treatment. Emetogenic chemotherapy, or chemotherapy known to cause nausea and vomiting, is often accompanied by a dose of Varubi with the first dose of chemotherapy during treatment.

Varubi is made by drug company Tesaro. Shortly after Varubi was approved by the FDA, the drug maker was forced to communicate with doctors regarding an updated safety warning.

Allegedly, some patients were experiencing Varubi anaphylactic shock within minutes of receiving Varubi intravenously. Anaphylactic shock is an allergic condition in which the body, as a result of an allergen, is flooded with chemicals released by the immune system.

Varubi anaphylactic shock is a dangerous condition and can be characterized by hives or flushing, pain in the abdomen, chest or back, difficulty breathing or wheezing, swelling of the throat or face, vomiting, itching, hypotension and shock.

Often, a Varubi anaphylactic shock response happens within the first couple of minutes that the drug is administered. It is thought that those who already have allergies to legumes or soybeans may be especially at risk for Varubi anaphylactic shock.

According to the FDA, “Anaphylaxis, anaphylactic shock and other serious hypersensitivity reactions have been reported in the postmarketing setting [of Varubi], some requiring hospitalization.”

The FDA also recommends that “[h]ealthcare professionals must be vigilant for signs of hypersensitivity or anaphylaxis in all patients receiving Varubi (rolapitant) injectable emulsion, both during and following its administration.”

They advise that if a patient is hypersensitive to allergens like soybean oil, Varubi anaphylactic shock is a risk and the patient should not be administered the drug. The FDA also says that if an adverse event is noted, the FDA should be made aware of it through the Adverse Events Reporting Service.

Doctors have been warned that if signs of Varubi anaphylactic shock, such as swelling, itching or abdominal cramping and vomiting occur, administration of the injection should be ceased immediately and not continued in the future. In the case of a Varubi anaphylactic shock reaction, the doctor should administer the proper medical management including antihistamines or epinephrine.

If you or someone you love has been administered Varubi in association with emetogenic chemotherapy treatment, you may benefit from speaking with an experienced attorney. While legal compensation cannot take away the pain and suffering that can occur with a Varubi anaphylactic shock reaction, it can help alleviate medical costs and lost wages.