Earlier this month, I got an e-mail from the FDA adding lymphoma to a long and frightening list of possible side effects for children and adolescents who take TNF (tumor necrosis factor) blockers.
You may not have heard of the term "TNF blockers," but you‘ve probably seen some of the commercials on TV using their more common names: Remicade, Enbrel, and Humira (lesser-known drugs include Cimzia and Simponi).
These drugs are seriously bad news. We already know they carry a possible risk of cancer in kids (that‘s printed in the prescribing information on the drug‘s packaging). Now -- the FDA admits kids taking these drugs also have a greater risk of developing lymphoma, a type of cancer that often originates in the lymph nodes. This class of drugs also causes plenty of harm in adults.
In my book, there‘s more than enough evidence to yank them off the market. But apparently, some docs disagree. They continue to treat kids with inflammatory problems, like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, plaque psoriasis, Crohn‘s disease, and IBS with this stuff.
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