Raptiva Side Effects: Bacterial Sepsis, Viral Meningitis, Infections

The drug Raptiva is generically known as efalizumab, and was used in the United States to treat moderate to severe psoriasis by suppressing t-cells . The drug was manufactured by the company Genentech, Inc. As with many drugs, Raptiva had its share of minor side effects. Through the monitoring of patients who were on the drug for long periods of time, however, there appeared to be a danger of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) and other infections to the body which were, in some cases, deadly.

Raptiva Side Effects

Patients who used the drug may have experienced relatively mild side effects, such as headache, muscle and joint pain, and nausea and vomiting. More serious side effects have included signs of infection, such as fever, chills, redness or tenderness in the skin, and even problems with vision, speech, or swallowing. There have also been more serious reports of infection, including:

• Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML)
• Bacterial Sepsis
• Viral Meningitis
• Invasive Fungal Disease
• Other Opportunistic Infections

Raptiva was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2003, but in 2009, the FDA issued a Public Health Advisory to advise patients that there had been three confirmed PML reports. In 2009, the manufacturer of Raptiva, Genentech, suspended sales of the drug in the United States.

Seek Help Immediately

If you or someone you know has developed PML, meningitis, encephalitis, cancer, lymphomas, Hodgkin’s Disease or any serious infection after taking Raptiva, or a very severe case of psoriasis after cessation of Raptiva usage, then you should seek legal help immediately to make sure your rights are protected. An attorney may be able to help you determine if you have a claim, but be sure to contact a lawyer before the time runs out for filing your claim, also known as the statute of limitations.

Check out the following articles for more information about Raptiva, filing a Raptiva lawsuit and finding a Raptiva attorney.

• For more information about Raptiva, see Raptiva Overview: Raptiva Side Effects and Claims.
• To find out more about the FDA recall, see Raptiva Recall: Information and Warnings.
• If you would like to learn more about Raptiva lawsuits, see Raptiva Side Effect Lawsuits On The Rise After Drug’s Market Withdrawal.
• To learn more about Raptiva attorneys and how to find one, see Hiring a Raptiva Attorney and Lawyer.