Jules–there’s no issue here for use of Avastin in treating colon cancer. The drug was first FDA approved for colon cancer in 2004, and the additional approval of Avastin for breast cancer came in 2008. Skeptics on an advisory panel thought the proof of benefit in breast cancer was thin more than 2 years ago, and, as usual, they wanted to see more results from clinical trials. As NYT’s Andy Pollack notes, when more data from breast cancer patients on Avastin came out, it showed “Avastin did not prolong lives and delayed the worsening of the cancer by only one to three months, while increasing side effects.” An F.D.A. advisory committee voted 13-0 in July that the new studies did not confirm the benefit of the drug. So it’s no big surprise that the FDA is now officially taking steps to revoke the breast cancer approval. It could cost Roche a lot of sales, maybe $500 million a year, but then again, maybe not that much. The drug is currently approved for colon and lung cancer, and oncologists are free to prescribe Avastin “off-label” for breast cancer if they choose. They might have to jump through more red tape with insurers to justify why they wrote the prescription, if they want to get reimbursed.