Cream withdrawn for fear of skin cancer

The General Authority for Health Services for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi (GAHS) issued a circular announcing the withdrawal of the cream used by children as well as adults who have mild or moderate eczema (atopic dermatitis), from all the hospitals and health facilities operating under the authority. The decision was taken as a precautionary measure based on the US FDA alert dated February 14, which was investigating into post-marketing reports of lymphoma and skin cancer in children and adults treated with Elidel. Causal relationship has not been clearly established, the circular said.

It said the authority had removed the drug from its medicine guidebook, notified medical staff and pharmacists to take necessary procedures besides registering all patients who had been prescribed Elidel.

The FDA was analysing these reports to determine whether the occurrence of these adverse conditions affects the risk/benefit assessment of Elidel therapy. Elidel is not approved for use in paediatric patients less than two years of age.