The study, published Dec. 14 in Frontiers in Neurology, identified four genetic mutations that can increase the risk of PML by 8.7 times on average, but one mutation increased risk by 33-fold. Nearly 11 percent of patients in the study who had PML tested positive for at least one of the four gene variants.
The FDA put its most serious warning, a Black Box Warning, for PLM on eight approved medications. More than 30 drugs carry other PML warnings and 75 drugs are connected to the infection, according to a Dec. 12 USA Today report. PML cases are on the rise with more than 500 cases listed on the FDA’s adverse event reporting system in 2021.
“Preventative screening for these variants should become part of the standard of care,” Lawrence Steinman, MD, professor of neurology and neurological sciences, pediatrics and genetics at Stanford (Calif.) University, said in the report. He was not involved in the study.
Becker’s 3rd Annual Fall Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit is the top tier event that the people leading the future of pharmacy convene. This 3-day event is built specifically for Chief Pharmacy Officers and senior pharmacy leaders. The sessions examine the workforce, financial and clinical priorities shaping pharmacy today. Becker’s is where candid discussions flourish and new ideas thrive. Becker's 3rd Annual Fall Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit
