Chloramphenicol & Aplastic Anemia

[rodsika]

Is opthalmic chloramphenicol drops proven to be safe or not? Does it promote aplastic anemia or is it the oral version only? What's the mechanism of interaction that is so far discovered?

 

[nismaratwork]

Is opthalmic chloramphenicol drops proven to be safe or not? Does it promote aplastic anemia or is it the oral version only? What's the mechanism of interaction that is so far discovered?

This is a summation of what's known:

Eye dropsIn the West, chloramphenicol is still widely used in topical preparations (ointments and eye drops) for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis. Isolated cases report of aplastic anaemia following chloramphenicol eyedrops exist, but the risk is estimated to be less than 1 in 224,716 prescriptions.[9] Note. http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/40025037/ suggests that the link between chloramphenicol eye drops and aplastic anemia is "not well founded". In Mexico, this is the treatment used prophylactically in newborns.

I don't believe there is anything more definitive.