Long-term safety of biologics in dermatology.

The use of biologics in dermatology has increased rapidly. Although most are relatively safe when correctly used and monitored, there are known side effects and adverse events that occur. Selection of patients should be done on a case-by-case basis. Severity of disease, comorbidity profile, drug profile, and cost-effectiveness should be all taken into consideration while deciding to start and/or maintain one of these therapies. Dermatologists should be aware of the benefits and limitations of this class of drugs, as well as the appropriate monitoring. The authors propose a concise overview of the safety profiles of some of the biologics currently used in the dermatologic field.