Prescribing changes ‘crucial’ to manage tocilizumab shortage
The biologic has become scarce worldwide because of its use for COVID-19, the manufacturer says
Rheumatologists are being asked to prescribe tocilizumab solely for patients who have no other therapeutic options, in a bid to save dwindling supplies for treatment of severe COVID-19.
The manufacturer, Roche, has warned the TGA that supplies of IV formulations of tocilizumab (Actemra) are likely to remain scarce until January 2022 because of global demand in response to the pandemic.
