From the Popular Press: What Your Patients are Reading:

US health officials have warned that Tysabri (natalizumab) can cause liver damage in patients in as few as 6 days. The drug was originally marketed for use in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). It has been linked to both liver damage and serious brain infection in MS patients. The FDA approved Tysabri for Crohn’s disease in January 2008, but requested that Bioden Idec and Elan Corp—the drug’s manufacturers—alert healthcare providers of Tysabri’s potential for causing liver damage. The product label also contains a warning regarding possible liver damage. Patients taking Tysabri should discontinue use of the drug at the first evidence of jaundice or other signs of liver damage. Tysabri, which works by attaching itself to lymphocytes (white blood cells) and by preventing them from entering the brain, has always been a controversial drug. After receiving FDA approval for use in the treatment of MS in November 2004, it was pulled from the market 3 months later due to several clinical trial patients developing deadly brain infections. Tysabri was re-released for MS in June 2006 under strict provisions. Currently, Tysabri can only be administered by approved doctors at sites that comply with an FDA-approved patient safety program.

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