FDA Investigating Arthritis Drugs’ Possible Link to Cancer in Children

The Food and Drug Administration is looking into whether four drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other immune system diseases might increase the risk of cancer in children.

One of the drugs being investigated is Remicade, which treats Crohn’s disease (inflammation of the bowel) in children. Remicade is made by Johnson & Johnson and is sold in Europe by Schering-Plough.

The other drugs involved in the FDA investigation are Enbrel, sold by Amgen and Wyeth; Humira, sold by Abbott Laboratories; and Cimzia, which is sold by Belgian pharmaceutical firm UCB and was approved for sale in the United States earlier this year.

The drugs target internal inflammation by blocking a protein called tumor necrosis factor. They are used to treat immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and Crohn’s disease.

Remicade, Humira and Enbrel had combined sales of more than $13 billion last year.

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