European Society for Medical Oncology

Cancer drug causes patient to lose fingerprints and be detained by US immigration

Published in Biotech Business Week, June 8th, 2009

Immigration officials held a cancer patient for four hours before they allowed him to enter the USA because one of his cancer drugs caused his fingerprints to disappear. His oncologist is now advising all cancer patients who are being treated with the commonly used drug, capecitabine, to carry a doctor's letter with them if they want to travel to the USA.

The incident is highlighted in a letter to the cancer journal, Annals of Oncology [1], published online today (Wednesday 27 May). According to the oncologist, several other cancer patients have reported loss of fingerprints on their blog sites, and some have also commented on similar problems entering the USA.

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Source: Biotech Business Week (2009-06-08)

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