J&J Warns of Blood Cancer Risk in Arthritis Drug (Remicade)

[leftchick]

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=domesticNews&storyID=6453375


snip>
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Johnson & Johnson is warning doctors that patients taking its rheumatoid arthritis drug Remicade may have a higher risk of lymphoma, a blood cancer, the company said on Friday.
The warning will be added to the drug's package insert and means the drug's safety profile will more closely match that of rival drugs in the same class, Amgen Inc.'s Enbrel and Abbott Laboratories Inc.'s Humira.

The label will warn of a three-fold increase in the risk for rheumatoid arthritis patients taking the drug compared with the normal population, said Michael Parks, a spokesman for Centocor, the J&J unit that markets Remicade.

J&J said it would send a letter to doctors on Monday informing them of the danger.

<snip>
"This just spotlights the fact that there is no long-term safety data on this class of drugs and it's not clear what else is going to come out of the closet," said Henry Dummett, an analyst at World Markets Research Center. "That represents a downside risk to their long-term sales potential."

[fudge stripe cookays]

1. %&*(ing Hell!

I am SOOO freaked out at all these new revelations coming out about arthritis drugs.

reprehensor had a problem with Celebrex several years ago. I am on Relafin right now. What next?

Those pills are the only thing allowing me to walk normally. I never realized how important toes are until mine began to throb uncontrollably ALL the time.

This sucks.
FSC

[RebelYell]

2. Refuse to take any drug that isn't 10 years old

The older drugs are safe for most people. The FDA is in the back pocket of the pharmaceutical companies.

Most drug patents last 10 years, so the older drugs are available in generic form.

[madmax]

4. Thank you - I'll mention that to my doctor next visit. n/t

[RebelYell]

5. Most doctors will do what you ask

If not - he's in the back pocket of the pharmaceuticals. Find another doctor.

[madmax]

6. He's the best dr. I've ever had - he knows what the drug co.

are doing and he's voting for Kerry :) He will usually give me a month or two of samples to try before I have to buy them. Just in case they cause any side effects. He takes blood every 6 weeks to be sure my liver isn't being afftected.

But, I have run into doctors who push certain drugs and I run the other way.

[madmax]

3. Another drug I'd been taking but decided to stop

Four years of Vioxx and 6 months of Remicade. :mad:

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

7. Sonofamotherfuckingbitch

I'm ON Remicade. Have been for three years! I've called it my Miracle Drug-- I'd been in pain for ten solid years, but eight hours after my first treatment ALL THE PAIN WAS GONE. And it hasn't come back, except for rainy days!

Shit. If I go off it, I'll be in a wheelchair in a month.

[Trillo]

8. No wonder medical costs are soaring!

While accounting wizardry may cause J&J to tick down slightly in the short term, there should be upward movement in the long-term potential of cancer treatments.