Balanced News: FDA Approves First Pill to Treat Moderate-to-Severe Crohn’s

The pill, Rinvoq, is approved to treat adults with moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease who have not had success with TNF blockers. The pill is meant to be taken daily and is the first oral treatment for this group of patients. The study found that more patients treated with the medication achieved remission than those treated with the placebo and that more people treated with the medication had improvement in intestinal inflammation. The drug is not recommended for use with other JAK inhibitors, biological therapies for Crohn’s disease, or with strong immunosuppressants. Side effects of the medication can include serious infections, death, cancer, major adverse cardiovascular events, and thrombosis. Patients should take the pill for 12 weeks and then start a 15 mg maintenance dose.