Title: Rituxan
Birdbomb - December 24, 2006 08:09 PM (GMT)
MedWatch - The FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting
Program
FDA and Genentech informed healthcare professionals of important
emerging safety information about Rituxan. Two patients died after
being treated with Rituxan for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The
cause of death was a viral infection of the brain called progressive
multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) that is caused by reactivated JC
virus which is present in about 80 percent of adults.
Rituxan is approved for the treatment of CD20-positive, B-cell,
non-Hodgkins lymphoma and for moderately-to-severely-active rheumatoid
arthritis when there has been inadequate response to other treatments
and is prescribed off-label for other serious diseases and conditions
such as SLE. Physicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for
the development of PML in patients under treatment with Rituxan.
Read the complete MedWatch Safety summary, including links to the FDA's
Public Health Advisory, Healthcare Professional Sheet and Drug
Information Page at:http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2006/safety06.htm#Rituxan