Experts have warned parents of teenagers about a new trend known as "height craze," in which some resort to cancer drugs with the aim of increasing height.
According to reports, some teenagers, mostly males, are taking erdafitinib, also known as ERDA or Erta, a drug intended to treat a specific type of bladder cancer.
Reports indicate that teenagers are buying the drug online, hoping it will help them grow after reading posts claiming it increases height. Doctors have warned against taking the drug without medical supervision, emphasizing that it can cause permanent complications and may not even lead to any real increase in height.
Dr. Stephanie Widmer, an emergency physician in New York, said: "It is extremely concerning that teenagers are experimenting with powerful cancer drugs in an attempt to increase their height. These drugs were developed to treat serious medical conditions, not to improve appearance, and taking them without a legitimate medical reason or medical supervision could have devastating consequences."
Doctors warn that taking the medication may cause:
Damage to the bone growth plates.
- Bone fractures.
- Severe pain.
- Organ damage.
The drug, sold under the brand name Balversa, is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of certain forms of advanced bladder cancer. It works by slowing tumor growth through blocking a protein that promotes cancer cell growth. However, previous research has suggested it may accelerate bone growth in children and adolescents, potentially leading to increased height, a claim some scientists question.
This medication is only available with a prescription and is associated with several side effects, including:
- Damage to eyesight.
- Changes in the skin and nails.
- Severe pain in the muscles and bones.
However, reports indicate that some teenagers were able to purchase it from online sellers outside the United States.
According to Rolling Stone, a 17-year-old boy, identified only as "Zach," said he bought the drug online for $300 for a month's supply, hoping to grow taller. He explained that he grew several inches between the ages of 15 and 17 while taking the drug, but suffered from severe joint pain and frequent nosebleeds, to the point where he feared he would need to be hospitalized.
Another teenager, James, said the drug made his nails turn yellow and ooze pus, adding that he grew about three inches in two months after he started taking it in late August.
Johnson & Johnson stated that the drug "has not been approved for height increase, and its safety and effectiveness for this purpose, or for use in children or adolescents, have not been established." Doctors also confirm that whether the drug actually increases height is inconclusive.
The rumor stems from a 2024 study published in the journal Hormone Research in Paediatrics, which found unexpected growth spurts in children taking erdafitinib to treat tumors in the central nervous system. During puberty, bone growth occurs in the growth plates, which are areas of cartilage located near the ends of bones.
This pathway is believed to be linked to the FGFR3 protein, but researchers hypothesized that erdafitinib might inhibit it, potentially leading to accelerated growth. However, Dr. Adalbert Reimann, a pediatric endocrinologist at the Medical University of Vienna and one of the study's authors, cautioned that the drug carries serious risks. He explained that the receptors it targets are present in almost every cell, and no one knows what might happen in 5 or 10 years, especially in children.
Dr. Widmer explained that one of the biggest concerns is that these drugs may cause serious side effects, including:
- Potential permanent damage to eyesight.
- High phosphate levels.
- Other metabolic disorders.
She said: "We are talking about teenagers whose bodies are still developing, and exposing them to these risks for a cosmetic purpose is extremely worrying. We should be encouraging them to prioritize health, not gamble with it. No increase in height is worth risking permanent vision damage or serious and unknown medical complications."
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