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Raptiva is a prescription drug used to treat psoriasis, a troubling skin disorder that affects an estimated 7.5 million individuals in the U.S., according to the National Institutes of Health. Approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2003 as a psoriasis medication, Raptiva has been linked to PML, a life-threatening infection in the brain.

PML Deaths Linked to Raptiva

In fact, sales of the Raptiva drug (generic name: efalizumab) were suspended in Europe in February 2009 based on the deaths of several Raptiva patients from PML (progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy). The European counterpart to the FDA, the European Medicines Agency (EMEA), stated that Raptiva's side effects and risk of inducing PML and other infections outweighs its benefits as a psoriasis medication.

Raptiva Will Probably Be Removed from the U.S. Market

It's likely that Raptiva will also be taken off the market in the U.S. The risk of PML from Raptiva treatment is well known to the FDA; in October 2008 the FDA required a new warning about PML and other infections to be included in the packaging and prescribing information of Raptiva medication, and they directed the manufacturer of Raptiva — Genentech — to perform a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) analysis.

FDA Raptiva Warning

On Feb. 19, 2009, the FDA issued a warning that Raptiva was linked to three deaths from PML, and that a fourth death may also be from Raptiva. PML is a terrible disease that attacks the brain and CNS (central nervous system), with symptoms that include:

• loss of coordination
• memory loss
• vision problems

The FDA advises all doctors to monitor patients to whom they have prescribed Raptiva for any signs of neurologic problems. The more common side effects of Raptiva are:

• fever
• nausea
• chills
• headache
• muscle aches

Subcutaneous Injections of Raptiva

Raptiva is not an oral medication; a patient self-injects Raptiva through a syringe/needle, subcutaneously. This drug treats psoriasis by suppressing the activation of T-cells, the type of cells that can cause the formation of psoriasis plaques. However, as Raptiva suppresses those cells, it may also decrease the body's immune system and make a patient vulnerable to very serious Raptiva infections.

Learn More about Raptiva Drug Problems

If you have suffered from Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML), another infection, or other adverse effects of Raptiva treatment, contact a law firm or Raptiva lawyer in your area that represents people who've been hurt by defective or dangerous drugs. You can learn about your legal rights and options in a free, no-commitment consultation.

"Raptiva side effect PML"

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a voluntary Raptiva recall, April 8, 2009. The Psoriasis drug’s manufacturer, Genentech, announced the voluntary Raptiva recall and has begun phasing the drug off the U.S. market. R...

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