A drug used to treat proriasis has been taken off the market following safety concerns.
The Irish Medicines Board (IMB) has announced it has suspended the marketing of Raptiva with immediate effect, based on a recommendation by the European Medicines Agency (EMEA).
Raptiva (efalizumab) is a prescription-only drug used in the treatment of adult patients with moderate to severe chronic psoriasis who have failed to respond to, or are not able to take other psoriasis therapies.
Raptiva has been authorised in the EU since 2004.
Serious side effects had been reported with the drug, including three confirmed cases of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), an often fatal viral disease of the brain, in patients who had taken Raptiva for more than three years,
The EMEA decided that the benefits of Raptiva no longer outweigh its risks and that the marketing authorisation should be suspended across the European Union (EU).
The IMB says that to date, it has not received any reports of PML associated with the use of Raptiva in Ireland.
Anyone taking Raptiva has been advised by the IMB not to stop taking it abruptly and to make an appointment to see a dermatologist for a review of their condition and further advice regarding alternative treatments.
