Children and adolescents suffering from juvenile rheumatoid arthritis or Crohn’s Disease got a dose of troubling news yesterday. The Food and Drug Administration announced a review of whether the drugs used to treat these conditions increase the risk of childhood cancer.
The blockbuster drugs under investigation (Enbrel, Remicade, Humira and Cimzia) are also used by adults, and the increased cancer risk for adult patients has been known for some time.
But the threat to patients under the age of 18 is only now been considered, after the accumulation of 30 reported cases of childhood cancer in the 10 years since the drugs went on the market.
