From: Rheumawire, February, 2004

According to a report from the U.K., some patients, out of fear that their TNF treatment would be permanently withdrawn, may be inclined to conceal adverse events and delaying seeking medical help.

The adverse events have included severe infections to non-life-threatening events such as rash, pruritis and diarrhea. The incidents have prompted physicians like Dr. Patrick Kiely to intensify their efforts in patient education. Says Kiely, “we’ve had to educate them that if we do take them off the drug, it would only be temporarily.” He adds that the fact that patients conceal such adverse effects “is clearly a matter of concern.”

In the July / August 2004 edition of Spondylitis Plus, We have a detailed overview of the TNF-a blockers. Excerpt: "Enbrel, Humira and Remicade are biologics or biologic response modifiers (BRM), Biologics got their name because they are made biologically from living cells..." Click here to view the issue in our Spondylitis Plus archive in the Member Area. Not a member? Then Click here to join and receive your subscription.