Wednesday September 29, 1999 - Question 12

A physician calls your center asking for information and availability of a medication used in the management of children with lead poisoning.  You look up the medication in DrugDex and find it listed as an orphan medication.  What should the physician be told?

A. Orphan medications are still investigational and one has to be enrolled in a study to obtain it

B. Orphan medications are those that have been abandoned by the initial developer and are not available.

C. Orphan medications are only available on an emergent basis when no other medications are available to treat the disease for which it is indicated

D. Orphan medications may be FDA approved or investigational.  The exact status of the medication in question will need to be verified.

E. Orphan medications can only be obtained with permission of the Office of Orphan Products Development (OOPD).
 

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