MS Doctors May Need To Be Reminded of Lemtrada's Deadly Side Effects

Lemtrada Stroke Lawsuit News

Some doctors advocate using Lemtrada more aggressively if the patient has agreed that the treatment's benefits are worth the risks

Monday, March 1, 2021 - I first started reporting on the allegedly deadly side effects that the anti-MS drug Lemtrada carries in 2019 and that Lemtrada patients should be monitored with blood testing every month for up to four years after their first infusion for any of the potentially life-threatening side effects. Lemtrada remains a drug of last resort and should be administered only after the patient has tried two or more other disease-modifying therapies (DMT). Lemtrada is a form of chemotherapy meaning that the drugs kill the cells it comes in contact with and hopefully, the cells that are causing the MS symptoms. In 2014, The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was alerted to the deadly health consequences caused by Lemtrada when the 13th case of an MS patient suffering a stroke after having a Lemtrada infusion was reported to them. Lemtrada is administered in 8 doses over two years, with an option for a third and fourth session in years three and four. Those reporting having a stroke usually say it occurred within 24 hours, and up to three days after receiving a Lemtrada IV drip. Lemtrada causes arterial dissection or a tear in the carotid artery. The normally smooth inner lining of the artery becomes rough and causes blood to stick to the walls and accumulate. When these clots break free they can become lodged in the smaller veins or arteries leading to the brain and cause a stroke. Lemtrada stroke victims claim they were unaware of the deadly side effects of the drug and alleged the drug's manufacturer did not do enough to warn them. Adverse event reports, lawsuits, and media reports have alerted government officials to tighten the restrictions under which Lemtrada may be administered. The prescribing doctor and patient must fill out and then sign a questionnaire that proves they have discussed the risks that Lemtrada carries including sudden death from having a stroke or heart attack. Patients must list the medicines that they have tried in the past and the doctor must certify that the patient is in the most advanced stage of the disease possible. Lemtrada can only be administered in a hospital and the presence of a fully-staffed emergency room. Patients or the families of the deceased have filed Lemtrada stroke lawsuits after suffering deadly Lemtrada strokes or heart attacks.

Lemtrada's drug safety requirements are contrary to what doctors feel may be appropriate for their patients. Some doctors advocate using Lemtrada more aggressively. Some are bending the rules and telling patients of the benefits of Lemtrada without making them completely aware of the risks. Some call Lemtrada the most effective DMT available to treat RRMS and that prescribing the drug makes sense if the patient is willing to accept the risks for the possibility of successfully quitting the disease. Medical authorities in Europe have placed severe restrictions on a doctor's use of Lemtrada. "Reports concerning rare but serious effects, including deaths, from immune-mediated conditions (caused by the body's defense system not working properly) and serious heart, circulation, and bleeding disorders, including stroke. Immune-mediated conditions can occur many months after treatment while serious disorders of the heart, circulation, and bleeding may develop within days of receiving Lemtrada," according to the European Medicines Agency.

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