Prescribing the landmark hemangioma drug: The challenges and the benefits

• Monitor guidelines regarding safety and protocols. “Over time, we’re getting more and more expertise,” Dr. Drolet said. For example, her clinic no longer performs ECGs on babies who take the medication because research has suggested they are not needed.

• Spend time developing an education program for parents. Dr. Drolet’s clinic provides the educational video to teach parents about how oral propranolol is used. “We haven’t done that for any other drugs,” she said. “But we want to make sure we aren’t overdosing it. We’ve been very careful about our parent education to prevent that.”

Guidelines on the diagnosis and management of infantile hemangioma were published in 2015 in Pediatrics (2015 Oct;136[4]:e1060-104).

Dr. Frieden has consulted for Pierre Fabre Dermatologie, the manufacturer of the oral propranolol product, marketed as Hemangeol. Dr. Drolet has received an investigator-initiated grant from the company.