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Published in: Drug Safety 3/2008

01-03-2008 | Current Opinion

The US FDA ‘Black Box’ Warning for Topical Calcineurin Inhibitors

An Ongoing Controversy

Authors: Johannes Ring, Dr Matthias Möhrenschlager, Verena Henkel

Published in: Drug Safety | Issue 3/2008

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Abstract

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by recurrent intense pruritus and a distinctive distribution of skin lesions. The topical calcineurin inhibitors tacrolimus and pimecrolimus were approved in the USA, as an ointment and a cream, respectively, for the treatment of atopic dermatitis in 2000 and 2001, respectively. In 2005, the Pediatric Advisory Committee of the US FDA implemented a ‘black box’ warning for tacrolimus ointment and pimecrolimus cream due to the lack of long-term safety data and the potential risk of the development of malignancies. This article focuses on the safety aspects of these agents by discussing the findings from preclinical and clinical studies and postmarketing reports with regard to malignancies occurring after the use of tacrolimus ointment and pimecrolimus cream.
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Metadata
Title
The US FDA ‘Black Box’ Warning for Topical Calcineurin Inhibitors
An Ongoing Controversy
Authors
Johannes Ring
Dr Matthias Möhrenschlager
Verena Henkel
Publication date
01-03-2008
Publisher
Springer International Publishing
Published in
Drug Safety / Issue 3/2008
Print ISSN: 0114-5916
Electronic ISSN: 1179-1942
DOI
https://doi.org/10.2165/00002018-200831030-00001

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