Eczema is a skin irritation characterized by red, flaky skin, sometimes with cracks or tiny blisters. It is extremely itchy, and it is usually treated with a prescription medicine called ELIDEL. This cream can be used for short or intermittent long periods of treatment; it is always applied over the affected areas (including face and neck).
The most common side effects associated to Elidel are burns, feeling of warmth, headaches, pharyngitis, fever, viral infections and cough. Elidel is classified as a Topical Immunosuppressant Calcineurin Inhibitor. It has recently been related to several cases of lymphoma and skin cancer.
Elidel has been classified as an immunosuppressant which can lower the normal immune response of a patient. This leads to the patient getting more and more susceptible to a variety of diseases and cancers. Therefore, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently issued a Public Health Advisory for users, urging medication manufacturers to add a black box warning to their eczema creams. Research and reports have shown there is a link between the skin absorbent Elidel ointments and skin cancer, for this reason the FDA recommends that patients only use the cream prescription as a last resort and only for a limited time.
Most healthcare institutions in Canada and the U.S. have been warning Eidel users about the risks of the medicament. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases reports that the medicine as an immuno-modulator "could increase the risk of cancer by suppressing the immune system's ability to control the Epstein-Barr virus."
Even though Novartis (manufacturers of Elidel) have confirmed several times that the cream is effective for mild and moderate eczema; FDA insists on the recommendations previously mentioned. If you or someone you know are users of Elidel, and now they are suffering cancer, feel free to approach an attorney and ask for guidance.