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Arava has been prescribed to over 1.5 million people since
it was approved in September 1998. Methotrexate is another
rheumatoid arthritis drug that was commonly used to treat
RA patients prior to Arava’s approval. The FDA did not
find Arava to be any more effective but said approving Arava
would provide more patient treatment options for rheumatoid
arthritis sufferers. Sidney Wolfe, of the Public Citizen consumer
advocacy group believes that “when there are other treatments
that are more effective and don’t endanger patients as
much as this drug, there is absolutely no reason for the FDA
to keep Arava on the market.”
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It was found that Arava is associated
with six times more cases of fatal liver damage then
methotrexate is, even though methotrexate is used more
widely as well as having a 33 times higher death rate.
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Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Arava manufacturer, issued a warning
letter to doctors after the Agency for the Evaluation of Medical
Products in Europe warned that Arava can cause liver damage
in February 2001. The following August, the American College
of Rheumatology published a warning to doctors and patients
urging monthly blood tests in a patient’s first six months
on the drug and follow up tests every two to three months
after that. Arava is dangerous because it can remain in body
tissues for a prolonged amount of time even after the RA patient
has discontinued use of it.
A doctor at the Arizona Health Sciences Center, Dr. David
Yocum, thinks that it is impossible to predict which patients
will be at risk because there is not much a doctor can do
if a patient shows signs of trouble. Yocum stated that, “I
do not believe that the general rheumatologist understands
or has any knowledge about these serious and potentially life-threatening
complications,” (AP, 3/28/02). Arava has now been linked
to at least 130 cases of severe liver damage and liver toxicity,
with 12 of these cases resulting in death. Reports of lymphoma,
hypertension, and other problems have also been reported,
and Arava has been associated to the 12 cases of Stevens-Johnson
syndrome that has occurred in the RA patients. There have
been 13 times as many reports of hypertension occurring with
Arava patients. Another concern is the speed the Arava patients
died in. 
Speak to an Arava Lawsuit Attorney
If you, or a family member, has taken Arava rheumatoid arthritis
drug and would like to speak with an Arava attorney about
an Arava Lawsuit, please contact
us. You may be eligible to file a claim due to the dangerous
and life threatening Arava side effects associated to the
drug.
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