The AEMPS warns of the relationship between various anti-inflammatories and cancer

by time news

Drugs are highly regulated substances for the safety of all who use them, but this does not prevent some possible side effects which in certain cases become serious. Therefore, it is essential to follow the instructions of the doctor who prescribes them when taking them.

JAK inhibitors

In this sense, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) have recently issued warnings about the risk of a series of anti-inflammatory drugs, the Janus kinase inhibitors (known as JAK inhibitors).

This alarm stems from the preliminary results of a clinical trial in which it was observed that rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with these drugs had a increased risk of malignanciesin addition to an increased risk of major cardiovascular adverse events.

In fact, the EMA evaluation committee (PRAC) considers that all JAK inhibitors They can cause as adverse effects an increase in major cardiovascular events, malignant neoplasms (cancer), venous thromboembolism, serious infections, and all-cause mortality.

Medications are not withdrawn

Still, these data do not justify by themselves the withdrawal from the market the drugs, currently used in the treatment of chronic conditions with an inflammatory component such as certain types of arthritis, ulcerative colitis or atopic dermatitis.


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On the contrary, and while waiting for the European Commission to issue a final decision on the status of these drugs, they are considered appropriate for those patients who have no alternative treatments available and meet a series of characteristics: being over 65 years of age, having a high risk of major cardiovascular effects, smoking or having smoked for a long time, in patients with risk factors for clots in the lungs… In each case, it will be the doctor who must assess the risk involved against the possible benefits.

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