In
this FDA press release a drug called Xelijanz (tofacitinib) was approved
for rheumatoid arthritis (autoimmune disease like Crohns). This
trial showed that patients improved when taking the drug twice a day (at 3 mg) over
a 6 month period. Here
is a great article that includes tofacitinib along with other possible
upcoming treatments for Crohns. Pfizer (the drug company who made this drug) has every incentive to test this drug for other autoimmune diseases. What I have noticed is that one drug can treat many different things (Remicade and Humira treat multiple autoimmune diseases).
One
a drug is approved by the FDA it can be used for what is known as “off-label”
use. The FDA can’t regulate the practice of medicine so in theory a doctor could
prescribe tofacitinib for Crohns however he may have to have the patient
consent to some things before hand. Crohns patients who are chronically ill
need all the help they can get. We want as many possible tools as possible to
fight something that is awful, painful, and makes us worry all the time.
Allowing the FDA to get out of the way an let informed patients and doctors
experiment could work wonders.
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