Is Verteporfin safe while breastfeeding?
Here is what NIH LactMed, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's authority on medicines and breastfeeding, reports about Verteporfin. This is a summary of that source — not our own verdict.
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. According to the manufacturer, verteporfin and its diacid metabolite were found in the breastmilk of one woman after a 6 mg per square meter IV infusion. The verteporfin levels in breastmilk were up to 66% of the corresponding plasma levels and became unmeasurable ( 2 mcg/L) within 24 hours. The diacid metabolite had lower peak breastmilk concentrations, but persisted up to at least 48 hours. 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 Verteporfin 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: NIH LactMed (National Library of Medicine).
Educational summary of an authoritative source — not medical advice. Never start, stop, or change a medicine while breastfeeding without confirming with your doctor.