Drugs to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases have been linked to tuberculosis cases in California, U.S. health officials said on Thursday. Twelve Californians who had taken the anti-inflammatory drugs Remicade (infliximab) or Enbrel (etanercept) tested positive for TB between January 2002 and August 2003, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Two of those infected died after undergoing treatment for TB, a lung disease that is spread by coughing and close personal contact and usually cured with antibiotics. Remicade, marketed by Johnson & Johnson and Schering-Plough Corp., is usually prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease. Enbrel, sold by Wyeth and Amgen Inc., is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has said that TB infection is a potential side effect for people who take Remicade, Enbrel or Humira, another inflammation-blocking drug, according to the CDC report. Humira is sold by Abbott Laboratories Inc.
