Dangerous Side Effects of Biological Drugs

Strides Pharma Sciences Ltd

UNITED STATES – According to an online news article published by jsonline.com, numerous biologic drugs used to treat autoimmune diseases are found to have serious unknown side effects that are discovered after a drug is approved for use and sold to patients.

Numerous patients who suffer from autoimmune diseases such as Chron’s, rheumatoid arthritis, and colitis, among others, have experienced an increase in their quality of life from taking biologic drugs to treat their conditions.  However, patients are now finding that side effects they did not previously know about are showing up months or years after use.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken note of the numerous side effects of biologic drugs that are linked to injuries, illnesses, and deaths.  The FDA has issued “black box” warnings on many biologic drugs, which is the most serious type of safety notification available for drugs.  A black box warning indicates that a drug has dangerous side effects that have the potential to cause harm, but that the drug is still considered to be more beneficial than dangerous when considering the drug’s risk-benefit safety profile.

Biologic drugs are intended to suppress the immune system, which helps to alleviate many patients’ symptoms.  The side effects of many biologic drugs that are not discovered until after a drug enters the market can be very serious and include but are not limited to, the following:

• Meningitis;
• Cancer;
• Transverse Myelitis (inflammation of nerve cells);
• Sepsis;
• Viral Infections;
• Bacterial Infections;
• Fungal Infections; and
• Fatal brain infections.

While the side effects of some biologic drugs do not manifest until months or years after taking the drugs, many patients feel the benefits (at least short-term) are worth the risk of facing potential health problems down the road that could be linked to certain biologic drugs.