FDA Issues Warning Regarding Psoriasis Drug Raptiva

Psoriasis is a skin disease that affects millions of people in the United States, and given the prevalence of this condition that at this time has no known cause or cure, drug companies have been quite busy in their research and development departments formulating medications to help manage the disease.

One company that had apparently come up with a medication to help treat psoriasis was Genentech, one of the true corporate giants in the pharmaceutical world. The formula it invented became known as Raptiva, and it was approved for marketing, sale and distribution in the United States by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2003.

For a few years, the drug showed promising results. It is administered by a doctor who provides an injection to patients of psoriasis once per week. Raptiva basically serves to suppress the patient’s immune system, as the immune system’s natural tendencies actually work against the progression of psoriasis.

 

Unfortunately, reports have begun to surface that has drawn scrutiny from the medical industry and ultimately the FDA, which recently issued an alert in regards to Raptiva. Going forward, the FDA will require that all containers of Raptiva will contain a label that clearly warns against the possibility of users of the drug developing the following serious side effects:

• Bacterial sepsis
• Viral meningitis
• Invasive fungal disease
• Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML)

PML appears to be the direct culprit in this situation, as one report that surfaced involved a 70-year-old man who had been taking Raptiva for four years. He suddenly died after developing PML, which is a condition that’s a virus that attacks the patient’s brain.

Raptive Side Effects Symptoms to Watch For

If you have been taking Raptiva, you need to be constantly aware of the development of any early warning signs of any serious side effects. Specifically, some of these symptoms include:

• Fever or chills
• Sore throat
• Coughing
• Congestion or other signs of infection
• Redness, pain, or swelling of a skin wound
• Burning or difficult urination

Your Next Steps if Injured from Raptiva

If you have been taking Raptiva and you are experiencing any of the symptoms above or any others that are abnormal, contact your doctor immediately to obtain a full evaluation. You may need to wean yourself off of Raptiva before other problems arise, but you’ll need the help of your doctor to do so properly.

If you or someone you love has been harmed as a result of using this medication, you should also contact a defective drugs attorney as soon as possible to schedule a free initial consultation. You need to be aware of your rights and legal options, and your attorney will help you identify them before you move forward.