Enbrel Information

What is Enbrel?

Enbrel (etanercept) is classified a TNF (tumor necrosis factor) inhibitor drug. Enbrel is prescribed for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. In more detail, TNF is a small protein found in the blood which regulates the immune system. In patients with inflammatory diseases, Enbrel works by capturing TNF, making the protein inactive, and reducing the inflammation which is characteristic of rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis. Adverse event reports filed subsequent to Enbrel's release have shown that the process of deactivating an immune system protein also makes the patient susceptible to opportunistic diseases such as sepsis.

Read the May 10, 1999 Dear Doctor letter

The letter warns about higher incidences of serious infection, including sepsis, associated with the use of Enbrel.

Read the May 10, 1999 US FDA Talk Paper

The FDA warning about Enbrel cautions that adverse event reports indicate that certain patients receiving Enbrel therapy developed serious infections, including sepsis. Several Enbrel patients died from their infections.

Read the October 10, 2000 Dear Doctor letter

The letter is in .pdf format, which can be viewed with Adobe's Acrobat Reader. To download the free reader, use the link on the lower right of this page.

The letter warns of the risks of multiple sclerosis and other central nervous system (CNS) disorders, as well as pancytopenia and aplastic anemia associated with the use of Enbrel.

Enbrel Dear Doctor letters and warnings

In an October 2000 Dear Doctor letter, Enbrel's manufacturer warned about numerous cases of demyelinating disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS), myelitis, optic neuritis, and hematological (blood) disorders in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who received Enbrel therapy.

Enbrel: Multiple Sclerosis and Serious Blood Disorders

There have been adverse event reports of multiple sclerosis (MS) and other central nervous system disorders, as well as serious infections, sometimes fatal, in patients undergoing Enbrel therapy.

Enbrel Class Actions: An Individual Lawsuit is Better

Our law firm believes that people who suffer an injury or death due to Enbrel are better served when an individual lawsuit is filed.

Enbrel and Legal Compensation

How to get legal compensation for an Enbrel injury or Enbrel death.

Enbrel Case Evaluation