Health · Healthcare & Policy · 1 hr ago
Calls grow for warnings about low phosphate after iron infusions
Kate Russell says an iron infusion left her in intensive care after she developed dangerously low phosphate levels in her blood.
This condition, called hypophosphataemia, can occur after treatment with ferric carboxymaltose, an intravenous iron product commonly used in Australia.
TGA data recorded 46 associated reports in 2025, up from 17 in 2020.
Iron infusions are being used more often across Australia, particularly among women of reproductive age.
Russell says she was not warned about this risk and experienced muscle weakness and heart palpitations before collapsing and being taken to hospital.
Low phosphate can require treatment, and the complication can cause serious illness.
Australia's medicines regulator is considering a warning label to alert patients and healthcare professionals, following the US lead.
Calls are growing for stronger warnings about low phosphate, or hypophosphataemia, after iron infusions in Australia.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration is considering whether to introduce a warning label for patients and healthcare professionals.
The TGA recorded 46 reports of hypophosphataemia associated with ferric carboxymaltose in 2025, up from 17 in 2020.
Kate Russell said she was not warned about the risk before an infusion and later became critically ill.
Medical experts say ferric carboxymaltose can cause low phosphate by increasing how much phosphate the kidneys excrete.
- Who
- Patients receiving iron infusions, including Kate Russell, and the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
- What
- Calls are growing for stronger warnings about hypophosphataemia, a possible complication of iron infusions.
- When
- The article was published on October 15, 2026. Russell received her infusion in October 2025.
- Where
- Australia; Russell was admitted to Toowoomba Hospital’s intensive care unit.
- Why
- Ferric carboxymaltose can cause phosphate levels in the blood to become dangerously low.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The TGA recorded 17 reports of hypophosphataemia associated with ferric carboxymaltose.
Russell received an iron infusion and later experienced muscle weakness and heart palpitations.
Russell collapsed at a doctor's surgery and was taken to hospital.
The TGA recorded 46 reports of hypophosphataemia associated with ferric carboxymaltose.
ABC Australia reported that the TGA was considering whether to introduce a warning label.
- TGA reports in 2020
- 17 cases of hypophosphataemia associated with ferric carboxymaltose
- TGA reports in 2025
- 46 cases of hypophosphataemia associated with ferric carboxymaltose
- Patient
- Kate Russell, 46
- Hospital
- Toowoomba Hospital ICU
- Treatment
- Ferric carboxymaltose is an intravenous iron preparation used in Australia
What people are saying
It's taken a huge financial toll on my family.
I just could not continue to breathe, so they decided that they needed to take over my breathing and intubate me.
They felt really, really terrible at a time when they're expecting to feel really great because we've done the iron infusion.