Rheumatoid arthritis patients who take the drugs Humira or Remicade double their chance of getting a serious infection, and triple their risk of developing a number of different kinds of cancer.
Previous studies had already linked the drugs to lymphoma, tuberculosis and pneumonia, but new research found that the drugs can also lead to skin, gastrointestinal, breast and lung tumors. Older patients who take the drug for long periods are at the highest risk.
The drugs' manufacturers are claiming that the research is flawed.