Enbrel Linked to Deadly Infections, Cancer in Children

The arthritis and skin disorder drug Enbrel has caused deadly infections and in some cases cancers in children who use the drug, federal regulators said.

Enbrel’s maker, Amgen Inc., wants the drug approved for use in children suffering from psoriasis, a painful disease that causes red scales to grow on the skin. Enbrel is already approved to treat psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis in adults and juvenile arthritis in children.

However, FDA scientists, citing reports of dangerous side effects in children who have taken the drug, including fatal infections and at least one case of tuberculosis, have expressed concerns about broadening Enbrel’s approvals. A small number of children taking Enbrel also developed cancers, including lymphoma, officials said.

The FDA is already investigating possible links between Enbrel and similar drugs — including Johnson & Johnson’s Remicade and Abbott Laboratories’ Humira — and an increased risk of cancer in children.

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