Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Yes there is a risk of lymphoma with a biologic, but there is also a risk of lymphoma with the conventional therapy used before biologics. By the time they get to ampremilast, they have assumed the risk of lymphoma and ampremilast won't change that. Since you have no experience in rheumatology, you sound perfect for management at this company. Trust me, it won't be easy to convince these docs to use this drug that doesn't work. Good luck.
Some DMARD's (azathioprine, cyclophosphamide) have been associated with increased cancer risk, which is why they are used less. The most common DMARD, methotrexate, has shown no correlation with any cancers.
Your characterization of apremilast as a "drug that doesn't work" is not based on data. If it had not worked for anyone, it wouldn't get FDA approval.
Apremilast will be a bridge between methotrexate and the biologics (which are injectables and expensive). Why wouldn't a patient try apremilast, if there is a chance that it can work for them? You don't know until you try.