DrugSettlement.com attorneys report that the drug companies only informed the public of 1% histoplasmosis cases known to be associated with Remicade.
New York, NY (1888PressRelease) October 02, 2008 - DrugSettlement.com attorneys have uncovered information that shows that the drug companies may have informed the public of only 1% of the histoplasmosis adverse events related to the use of Remicade. Histoplasmosis is a potentially fatal fungal infection that has been responsible for many deaths.
Remicade (Infliximab), developed by Centocor, a pharmaceutical company owned by Johnson & Johnson, is a drug used to control inflammation due to auto-immune disorders. It has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for for the treatment of psoriasis, pediatric Crohn's disease, ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn's disease, psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and ulcerative colitis.
On September 4, 2008 the FDA "announced that the manufacturers of Humira, Cimzia, Enbrel, and Remicade must strengthen the existing warnings, in the Warnings and Precaution sections of the drugs' prescribing information and Medication Guides, on the risk of developing opportunistic fungal infections. Some patients with invasive fungal infections have died."
In the press release that accompanied the announcement the FDA reported that the had reprts showing that 240 users of TNF-blockers were found to have contracted a fungal infection called histoplasmosis. Remicade was involved in 207 of the cases.
Histoplasmosis is a fungal infection that exhibits symptoms similar to the flu. It is most prevalent in states bordering the Ohio River valley and the lower Mississippi River.
Unless an individual's immune system is suppressed the fungus remains asymptomatic. However, the immune systems of patients taking TNF-blockers, like Remicade, are suppressed as a result of therapy. This increases their risks of contracting this deadly fungal infection.
In patients who are immune suppressed, most have respiratory complaints like cough or shortness of breath. Others complain of unusual weight loss, fatigue and fevers. Their have also been reports of sores on the skin, bone sores, sores in the mouth or intestines and in some instances neurological complaints.
If untreated, these fungal infections can be fatal in as little as three weeks after symptoms were observed.
What is most shocking is that the manufacturer and distributer of Remicade have consistently issued vague reports of the total number of histoplasmosis cases that they were aware of. For example, the label for Remicade only reports having information concerning two cases. The FDA found 207 cases of histoplasmosis associated with Remicade, while Johnson & Johnson and Centocor reported only 2 cases.
DrugSettlement.com will continue to provide information as it becomes available.
Our attorneys are currently investigating claims on behalf of victims and their families, for those who died or who suffered from fungal infections or cancer following the use of these medications. If you or a loved one has suffered an injury or any of the side effects listed above while taking these drugs, make sure to contact the experienced, and knowledgeable DrugSettlement.com lawyers at http://drugsettlement.com
DrugSettlement.com attorneys report that the drug companies only informed the public of 1% histoplasmosis cases known to be associated with Remicade. 
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