Infliximab, an immune-suppressing drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease, is behind 70 reported cases of tuberculosis (TB) among U.S. patients who received the medication.
The cases, at least four of which were fatal, were reported to the Food and Drug Administration between 1998 and May of this year. Researchers who reviewed the cases say that the immune-system protein infliximab suppresses -- called tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) -- appears to be key in controlling TB infection.
Around 150,000 people worldwide have received infliximab infusions since the drug's approval in 1998. In August, Malvern, Pennsylvania-based Centocor, which markets infliximab as Remicade, announced it was changing the drug's prescribing information to address the TB concerns. The revised labeling states that patients should be tested and treated for inactive, or latent, TB prior to infliximab therapy.
Latent TB refers to a chronic, but symptomless and noncontagious, infection. Such TB infections are prevalent throughout the world because in most people, the immune system is able to suppress TB bacteria.
Up to 15 million Americans are estimated to have latent TB infections.
When the immune system is suppressed -- as it is in patients on infliximab -- latent TB can become active. Active TB usually attacks the lungs, causing symptoms such as a severe cough, chest pain and weight loss. It is spread through the air from person to person.
The New England Journal of Medicine October 11, 2001;345:1098-1104
If you have been reading this newsletter you will know that this information is no surprise as it has been reported three times previously.
In December of 2000 I warned those with Crohn's and RA to avoid this drug like the plague. It is a prescription for disaster and in no way shape or form treats the underlying cause of the disease. It's primary purpose is to impair your immune system.
Do you really want a drug that is going to do that?
Also, unless you are independently wealthy you will not be able to afford the $10,000 this drug costs per year.
Even if you don't come down with TB, many have died from aplastic anemia which is a fatal suppression of your bone marrow. It has also caused MS.
Sure doesn't sound like a good choice to me.
So, if you know anyone who has RA or Crohn's who is taking this drug please encourage him or her to consider the options discussed below. You could very well save their life.
Especially when there are such effective solutions for RA. I have treated over 2,000 patients with RA successfully with my revision of Dr. Brown's work with mycoplasma. The eating plan is especially useful and more recently NST has been a major benefit for most of the RA patients that we care for.
The eating plan also works very well for Crohn's as grains and sugars are devastating to the intestine for those with this problem. Additionally high quality probiotics are essential to treating this problem.
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