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Article: In early September, according to CNN, the Food and Drug Administration.(News)(Cable News Network)(laws on using of four TNF-alpha blockers)(Report)(Brief article)
- Article from:
- Medical Laboratory Observer
- Article date:
- October 1, 2008
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In early September, according to CNN, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently ordered stronger warnings on four TNF-alpha blockers--which are widely used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, juvenile arthritis, certain types of psoriasis, and other conditions--cited for raising the risk of a possibly fatal fungal infection: histoplasmosis. These injectable drugs--Enbrel, Remicade, Humira, and Cimzia suppress the immune system to keep it from attacking the body. The FDA office that oversees arthritis drugs became concerned after discovering that doctors appeared to be overlooking the fungal infection. Of 240 cases reported to the FDA, 45 patients died. ...