Risk Management

Anti-VEGF Drugs for Adults

Vascular endothelial growth factor, or VEGF, is a protein that stimulates the growth of new blood vessels. Ophthalmologists administer intravitreal anti-VEFG agents to adults for a variety of indications. These include Avastin, BEOVU, Lucentis, and Eylea. Sometimes the indication has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), other times it is off-label, or the medication itself may never have been approved for any eye indication.

Time out before intravitreal injections is a sample protocol to verify the patient, drug, dose, etc.

AntiVEGF for adults (updated 2023) presents suggestions to increase patient safety and decrease the likelihood of lawsuits related to these drugs. It also provides information about our revised sample consent documents for anti-VEGF agents:

• Avastin

• BEOVU

• Lucentis

• Eylea