An FDA advisory panel has recommended the approval of Amgen’s immune-suppressing drug Enbrel (generic name etanercept) for the treatment of psoriasis in children, in spite of ongoing concerns that the drug may have lethal side effects.
The recommendation came only two days after an independent panel recommended that the FDA strengthen Enbrel’s label with warnings about potentially fatal side effects such as anemia, seizures, serious infections, cancer or neurological problems. It also comes as the FDA is investigating whether the entire drug family of which Enbrel is a part increases the risk of cancer in children, particularly lymphoma.
The FDA is investigating 30 reports of cancer in children and young adults who have been treated with drugs in the family, known as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers. Because TNF blockers interfere with the functioning of the immune system, they are used to treat autoimmune disorders such as Crohn’s disease or rheumatoid arthritis. By the same token, however, they can dangerously weaken the body’s defenses, exposing it to serious infection or other problems.
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Enbrel is currently approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in both adults and children, and for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis in adults only. If the FDA follows its panel’s recommendation, as it usually does, children with moderate to severe psoriasis will also soon be treated with the drug.
One day earlier, the same advisory panel recommended the approval of another adult psoriasis drug: ustekinumab, manufactured by Johnson & Johnson. Only the week before, however, the FDA had issued a warning on its Web site that ustekinumab may increase the risk of cancer in those who take it.
People with psoriasis suffer from itchy or painful red, thick patches on the skin. The immune system is believed to play some role in mediating the disease.
Sources for the story include: www.washingtonpost.com.
November 12th, 2008 at 11:44 am
There are many safe natural treatments for most of what ails humanity. I avoid all pharmas, opting for a naturopathic approach as much I possibly can. So many of the drugs available out there are imo highly questionable and unnecessary. Please look into organic nutritional approaches before reaching for a pill, vaccine, or other manufactured pharmaceutical treatment. When you become educated on natural remedies you will be surprised, and pleased and empowered to have choices you didn’t know you had as what goes into your body.
November 12th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
I need my own country.
November 12th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Reject Pharma. The so-called cure is always worse than the disease
November 12th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
I think there should be a new mandate in which all new drugs be tested on all FDA and pharma scientists and employees to fully understand their efficacy. It only seems the safe thing to do.
November 12th, 2008 at 11:50 pm
FDA JUST SSUUUUUCKKS BIGTIME. !! ITS SO FUCKN CORRUPT. !!!! AND ITS PART OF THE NEW ZOMBIE STUPID MAN CENTURY THEY WANT TO MAKE THE HOMO SAPIENS LESS SAPIENS EVERY TIME. !! … MTHRFUCKRS. !! PEOPLE OF THE WORLD DONT LET THOSE KINDS OF PILLS FALL INTO YOUR MOUTH BY YOUR OWN HAND. !!!! BE WISER. !! … I KNOW YOU CAN. !!!.
November 13th, 2008 at 9:07 am
Hey its time for the dumbass parents out their to do some freakin homework about a drug before they go killing their children with it. Get real folks, how many times does the FDA approve a drug, then a year later the serial lawyers are running a commercial for class action law suits because the drug is killing people. Any person who still trusts the FDA at this point needs to just throw themself off a bridge. THESE NAZIS ARE TRYING TO KILL YOU!!
WAKE UP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
January 10th, 2009 at 8:02 pm
You must find out who’s giving orders here behind the FDA – recently scientists and physicians WORKING FOR THE FDA ran to Congress on account of their overseers (bosses) going against the grain of their advice to deliberately harm the American People. THIS IS NO JOKE FOLKS! These people stated they had an enormous amount of evidence to prove that the decision makers were out to seriously hurt the people of the United States. Folks it don’t get no better than this. The matter must be taken before the Judges. It’s clear to see what’s taking place. THERE WILL NOT BE ANOTHER HOLOCAUST! It’s long overdue – get these sick bastards out of here! Everything is exposed.
January 23rd, 2009 at 2:47 pm
If people knew how to eat right, they wouldn’t need cures in the first place. The only reason meat contains nutrients, is because the animal it came from was eating plants. Read ‘The China Study’. They conducted massive studies on how meat affects health, and used healthy livestock free of hormones, or any other of the myriad poisons that’re given to most western cattle. Even good meat was shown to statistically increase the chances of contracting various illnesses. And plant-based diets were shown to be beneficial in all ways.
Just eat things that grow in or from the ground, and you’ll basically never get sick. Seriously, if you just look at vegetarians, they tend to be skinny healthy happy people.