Actemra (tocilizumab) is a medication that is prescribed to treat moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. According to reports, it can also treat PJIA, or polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and SJIA, or systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

The American College of Rheumatology explains that the drug is administered as an intravenous infusion administered monthly, or as a subcutaneous injection every 1-2 weeks. Blood tests are carried out to monitor increases in cholesterol or liver enzymes and for the decrease in blood cell counts.

Actemra, however, has been linked to serious side effects. Some of these side effects include lung disease, stroke, heart failure, pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, infection, myocardial infarction, and gastrointestinal perforation.

Actemra pancreatitis is also an alleged concern. According to eHealthMe, Actemra pancreatitis has been found among patients. Actemra pancreatitis has been particularly found in females who 60 years of age and older who possess high blood pressure and take the medication Methotrexate.

The internet personalized health information site reported on an FDA study of 15,836 people who reported Actemra side effects from their use of the medication, and specifically on Actemra pancreatitis. According to the site, of the 15,836-people reported to have Actemra side effects, 89 people, or 0.56% have reported developing pancreatitis.

Moreover, about one-third of patients, (29.17%), who developed pancreatitis when taking Actemra developed it between one and six months of use. Approximately 16.67% developed the condition in six to 12 months, 20.83% developed it between one and two years, and 16.67% developed the condition in less than one month.

According to eHealthMe, most patients who developed Actemra pancreatitis were also women. Females made up 72.09% of individuals with the condition, while only 27.91% were male.

Statistics show that the age group most likely to develop pancreatitis because of Actemra are 60 years old and above. Around 33% of patients who developed pancreatitis were between the ages of 50-59, and roughly 82% of patients were younger, between the ages of 40-49.

The top Actemra side effects also reported include people suffering from joint pain, abdominal pain and nausea. Less than 10% of patients also suffered from Nasopharyngitis or from Infusion Related Reaction.

According to a study by the American College of Rheumatology, they report of a study released in 2016 that compared the side effects of Actemra with another common drug used to treat similar conditions, Enbrel.

The study discovered that in those taking Actemra, the risks of an incurring heart attack was roughly 1.5 times greater than in those taking Enbrel.

According to a recent report by STAT, 1,100 reports were made to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of patients who died after taking Actemra. The physician’s acknowledgment of one incident stated that the only possible cause of the man’s death was him having taken Actemra.

In general, Actemra lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.

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