Patients taking a commonly prescribed immunosuppressant are being urged to consult their doctor after two people using it died during a clinical study.

Methylprednisolone, first used in the 1950s, is a commonly prescribed drug for a wide range of conditions including arthritis, allergies and cancer. But it also has potentially dangerous side-effects.

Methylprednisolone was first used in the 1950s.

Experts say anyone using it should continue, as it is dangerous to stop using the drug suddenly.

But Professor Vlado Perkovic​, one of the authors of the study, which was released last month, advised users to see their doctor to "ask if the benefits of this treatment outweigh the risk".