In July 2019, the FDA added a boxed warning to the package insert of tofacitinib (Xeljanz, Pfizer), cautioning about the risk for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients treated with the drug’s 10-mg twice-daily (BID) dosage. The agency now requires that clinicians reduce the dosage to 5 mg BID as soon as possible to avoid these complications. However, clinicians and patients with ulcerative colitis face uncertainty about the risk for relapse after deescalation
SEPTEMBER 16, 2020