Consumer Group Petitions FDA for Withdrawal of Arthritis Drug

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A national consumer group petitioning the Food & Drug Administration to withdraw Arava from the market says the rheumatoid arthritis treatment has been linked to at least 12 deaths from liver failure and dozens of serious illnesses.

Arava, manufactured by Aventis Pharma, was developed as an alternative to methotrexate, a traditional treatment for rheumatoid arthritis that suppresses the body's immune system to deter joint destruction. The FDA approved the drug in 1998.

According to the national consumer group Public Citizen, who filed its petition with the FDA on March 28, the drug has been associated with at …