Queensland Viagra Trial For Pregnant Woman Called Off After 11 Dutch Babies Die In Similar Study

No adverse reactions in Australian study


Article heading image for Queensland Viagra Trial For Pregnant Woman Called Off After 11 Dutch Babies Die In Similar Study

AAP

A trial using the drug Sildenafil, also known as Viagra, has been halted after a similar trial resulted in the death of 11 babies in the Netherlands.

When the trial was stopped on Monday, roughly half of the 183 participating pregnant women were taking sildenafil, the Amsterdam University's Academic Medical Centre (AMC) said in a statement on Tuesday.

The study which started in 2015 involved 11 hospitals and was designed to look at possible beneficial effects of increased blood flow to the placenta in mothers whose unborn babies were severely underdeveloped.

"Previous studies have shown that sildenafil would have a positive effect on the growth of babies. The first results of the current study showed that there may be adverse effects for the baby after birth," the AMC said.

Yet the results showed that 17 babies were born with lung conditions and 11 died.

The study is part of broader research in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. The Australian study was different to the Dutch study.

Sailesh Kumar, from the University of Queensland and the Mater Research Institute told the ABC his study was different in that it aimed to reduced foetal distress during child birth and used a lower dose of Sildenafil over a shorter time.

The Queensland trial has had no adverse effects so far.

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25 July 2018




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