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Amgen Inc Medication Approved By FDA For Kids

Washington, D.C.-In a move seen as controversial by many, the Food and Drug Administration is recommending that the medication made by Amgen be approved for pediatric use by children.

Embrel is being recommended by the FDA for use for children who suffer from Psoriasis that is medium to severe.

Psoriasis is a skin condition that can be debilitating in many ways, especially among children that are afflicted with the skin condition.

The panel of different outside experts that examined the medication has said that it appears to be effective in treating Psoriasis among children but they have expressed deep reservations about its approval for usage in a pediatric population.

The fear is that the long-term use of the medication could increase the risk of serious infections even as serious as tuberculosis. Of the panel that approved the use the vote was 7-5 with one additional FDA panel member abstaining.

The concerns of the FDA panel are very similar to a drug that is made by Johnson and Johnson to treat psoriasis but that would be used for patients of all ages.  The Johnson and Johnson drug was unanimously approved recently by the FDA Panel.