ANOTHER arthritis drug was at the centre of an alert yesterday after US officials updated warnings on labelling.
Centocor, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, said it was making the changes after trials showed that rheumatoid arthritis patients taking Remicade had a threefold increased risk of lymphoma.
The firm said the move was in line with changes for other drugs in the same class, known as anti-TNF agents, which were also thought to have an increased risk. About 8000 Britons take anti-TNF drugs.
Another drug, Vioxx, used to treat osteoarthritis, was withdrawn last week after a study showed an increased risk of heart attack and stroke after 18 months or more of use.
The UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said that people taking Vioxx - around 400,000 in the UK - should arrange to change to an alternative prescription.
In response to the latest move in the US, the MHRA pointed out that product information in Europe for the drugs already carried warnings about the risk of lymphoma - a cancer that develops from cells of the lymphatic system.
Centocor said it had added extra information to US labelling of Remicade after consultation with the Food and Drug Administration, and said it is writing to health professionals to inform them of the malignancy warning.
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