Teens Take Cancer Drug to Grow Taller
Some adolescents are using erdafitinib, a bladder cancer medicine, in hopes of increasing their height despite warnings from doctors.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Cancer
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Some teenagers are taking erdafitinib, a cancer drug sold as Balversa, to increase their height. Doctors warn the practice is dangerous, and one 17-year-old from New York reports side effects after using the drug he obtained from overseas online sellers.
Why it matters
The belief stems from reports of unexpected growth in children receiving the medicine during cancer treatment, which has led some teens to seek it out without medical supervision. Experts caution that the drug is not approved for height growth and carries risks.
Zak, who began taking erdafitinib at age 15, says he grew several inches by age 17 based on his own measurements, but no controlled data supports this effect. A July 2024 study reported unexpected growth in two children on the drug during cancer treatment, leaving open whether the effect occurs in healthy adolescents.
The players
Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson markets Balversa, the brand name for erdafitinib, and states the drug is not approved to increase height.
Adalbert Raimann
Adalbert Raimann is a paediatric endocrinologist at the Medical University of Vienna who has cautioned about off-label use of growth-related drugs.
Andrew Dauber
Andrew Dauber is a paediatric endocrinologist at Children's National Hospital who has warned that erdafitinib use for height growth is dangerous.
The details
Teenagers discuss erdafitinib on social media under the nickname "erda," sharing height gains, days taken and side effects. Zak, a 17-year-old from New York, reported nosebleeds, extremely dry skin and severe joint pain before stopping the medicine.
Timeline
2019: Erdafitinib approved to treat certain advanced bladder cancers in adults.
July 2024: Study reports unexpected growth in two children receiving the drug.
Age 15: Zak begins taking erdafitinib on and off.
Health Landscape
Concerns about off-label growth treatments date back to the controversy over unapproved human growth hormone use in healthy children with short stature. Erdafitinib's approval for bladder cancer makes its use for height a newer instance of the same pattern of unsupervised drug seeking.
Taking erdafitinib without a prescription can cause side effects such as nosebleeds, dry skin and joint pain. Anyone considering a medicine for a purpose it is not approved for should consult a doctor first.
The takeaway
Growth is influenced by many factors, and medications approved for one condition are not safe shortcuts for another. Talking with a pediatric doctor is the appropriate way to address concerns about height.
Further reading
Explore more on Cancer to understand how these drugs are developed and approved for their intended uses.
Source note: This article includes information reported by NDTV.
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