Epogen® (
epoetin alfa) is a medication approved to treat anemia caused by a variety of conditions, including chronic kidney failure, chemotherapy, and
zidovudine (an
HIV medication). It is also used to prevent the need for blood transfusions in people with anemia who are undergoing surgery. At this time, there are no known Epogen drug interactions. However, since specific studies to check for drug interactions have not been performed, there may be interactions that are not currently known.
Epogen should not be combined with
darbepoetin alfa (
Aranesp®). Epogen and Aranesp are almost identical (with a few important differences), and using them together could increase the risk of side effects.
Since not all Epogen drug interactions may be known at this time, you should talk with your pharmacist or healthcare provider about any specific drug interactions that may apply to you.