In a trend we expect to continue over the next many weeks, another "possible" case of PML in a former Tysabri patient has been published in the press. This patient was supposedly on Tysabri + Avonex, and four other MS drugs, one of which is the powerful immuno-suppressant CellCept. No confirmation of this case actually being PML has come from Biogen, Elan, or the FDA.
As with the "4th case" (where the woman who had apparently died found about her own death while out shopping), one should pay no serious heed to these rumors until confirmation comes from either the companies or the FDA.
Note that all neurologists should now be extremely wary about the Tysabri-PML link, and will likely consider PML initially whenever a Tysabri-dosed patient comes in with neurological complaints. If this suspicion is put on paper, it will ultimately end up in the press via the Freedom of Information Act (or FOiA, which mostly occurs via keyword searches on the keywords "PML" and "Tysabri") and become the "Xth Possible Case of PML." Let's be clear: We are not saying that this particular situation is not a "real" case of PML-- just that there is no confirmation and it is probably not worth taking seriously until word, if any, comes from an official source. Given that this information is likely a month old (if obtained via FoIA), and there is no comment from the primary sources, one might conjecture in the interim that this very well might be another false call.
We will report the significant rumors only to share what information is KNOWN, in hopes of calming any unsubstantiated fear. Any confirmed reports will of course receive all due respect and coverage.
