The German Medical Association (AkdÄ) Drug Commission sent out information on the intravenous use of gadolinium-containing contrasting agents. In cooperation with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and The German Institute for Pharmaceuticals and Medical Products (BfArM), the Drug Commission confirms that the intravenous use of Gd-containing contrasting agents results in Gadolinium (Gd) to deposit in brain, but so far, no brain damage has been observed. Because long-term risks have not been researched, the commission recommended the suspension of approvals for the use of intravenously applied linear Gd-containing contrasting agents: Omniscan (gadodiamide), Optimark (gadoversetamide), and generic products. Magnevist (gadopentetic acid) will remain available, but only for intra-articular use. The linear Gd-contrasting agents Gadoxetsäure (Primovist) and Gadobensäure (Multihance) remain available for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Also available are macrocyclic Gd-containing contrasting agents.

Infromation about Gadolinium-containing contrast agents from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) you can find here:

www.ema.europa.eu/ema/index.jsp?curl=pages/medicines/human/referrals/Gadolinium-containing_contrast_agents/human_referral_prac_000056.jsp

The original message from the German Institute for Pharmaceuticals and Medical Products (BfArM) you can find here (in German only):

https://www.akdae.de/Arzneimittelsicherheit/RHB/20180108.pdf