User:Mr. Ibrahem/Darbepoetin alfa

Darbepoetin alfa, sold under the brand name Aranesp among others, is a medication used to treat low red blood cells due to chronic kidney failure or chemotherapy. It is given by injection into a vein or under the skin. Doses to achieve a hemoglobin greater than 110 g/L (11 g/dL) is not recommended.

Common side effects may include high blood pressure, allergic reactions, and swelling. Other side effect may include blood clots and worsened cancer. It works in the same way as erythropoietin, to increase red blood cell production by the bone marrow. It is made by recombinant DNA technology.

Darbepoetin alfa was approved for medical use in the United States and Europe in 2001. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. In the United Kingdom 4 weeks at a dose of 40 micrograms per week costs the NHS about £235. This amount in the United States costs about 1,200 USD.