Is Rusfertide safe while breastfeeding?
Here is what LactMed, the Drugs and Lactation Database published by the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), reports about Rusfertide. The text below is quoted from that source — it is not our own verdict.
Summary of use during breastfeeding
No information is available on the clinical use of rusfertide during breastfeeding. Because rusfertide is more than 99% bound to plasma proteins, the amount in milk is likely to be low. Additionally, it is a peptide that is likely digested in the infant’s gastrointestinal tract, so it is unlikely to reach the clinically important levels in infant serum. Nevertheless, the manufacturer recommends that breastfeeding be discontinued during rusfertide therapy and for 30 days after the final dose because of a concern for potential infant toxicity.
Effects on the breastfed infant
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Levels in milk
Maternal Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
“No published information” means the studies do not exist yet — not that Rusfertide is known to be harmful, and not that it is known to be safe. Your prescriber or pharmacist can weigh your baby's age and whether a better-studied alternative would do the same job. Worth asking before stopping a medicine you need.
Source: Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), via NCBI Bookshelf, record “Rusfertide” (rusfertide). LactMed on NCBI Bookshelf. LactMed is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Educational summary of an authoritative source — not medical advice. Never start, stop, or change a medicine while breastfeeding without confirming with your doctor.