Interferon beta-1a (intramuscular route, subcutaneous route)
Available brands
Avonex, Avonex Pen, Rebif, Rebif Rebidose, Rebif Rebidose Titration Pack
About this medication
Interferon beta-1a injection is used to treat the relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), including clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting disease, and active secondary progressive disease. This medicine will not cure MS, but it may slow some of the disabling effects and decrease the number of relapses of the disease. Interferons are natural substances that are produced in the body to help fight infections. Interferon beta-1a is a synthetic (man-made) version of these substances. This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription. This product is available in the following dosage forms:
Before using this medication
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered: Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully. Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of interferon beta-1a injection in the pediatric population. Safety and efficacy have not been established. Although appropriate studies on the relationship of age to the effects of interferon beta-1a injection have not been performed in the geriatric population, geriatric-specific problems are not expected to limit the usefulness of interferon beta-1a injection in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have age-related kidney, liver, or heart problems, which may require caution in patients receiving interferon beta-1a injection. There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding. Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines. Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco. The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
How to use this medication
A nurse or other trained health professional will give you this medicine. You may also be taught how to give your medicine at home. This medicine is given as a shot under your skin (usually in the stomach, back of the upper arm, buttocks, or thighs) or into a muscle (usually in the thigh). A nurse or other trained health professional should watch the firstAvonex®injection you give yourself. If you are injecting interferon beta-1a yourself,use it exactly as directed by your doctor. Do not change your dose or dosing schedule without checking first with your doctor. The exact amount of medicine you need has been carefully worked out. Using too much will increase the risk for side effects, while using too little may not improve your condition. You will be shown the body areas where this shot can be given. Use a different body area each time you give yourself a shot. Keep track of where you give each shot to make sure you rotate body areas. Do not inject into skin areas that are irritated, reddened, bruised, infected, or scarred in any way. Check the injection site after 2 hours for redness, swelling, and tenderness. Use only the brand of this medicine that your doctor prescribed. Different brands may not work the same way. Rebif®comes as an autoinjector or a prefilled syringe. It works best if you use it at the same time (usually in the late afternoon or evening) on the same 3 days (eg, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) at least 48 hours apart each week. Avonex®comes as a prefilled autoinjector pen or a prefilled syringe. Use a new needle or syringe each time you inject your medicine.Do not use any other needle for the prefilled autoinjector pen. Each package of medicine contains a Medication Guide and a sheet called Instructions for Use. Read this information carefully and make sure you understand: AllowAvonex® prefilled autoinjector pens and prefilled syringesandRebif® autoinjectorto warm to room temperature before injection by removing from the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Do not heat them in a microwave oven or in hot water. You may also receive other medicines (fever medicine, pain medicine) to help prevent or lessen flu-like symptoms (eg, fever, cough, chills, body aches) that may occur during treatment with this medicine. The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so. The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine. If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses. Avonex®: If you miss a dose, give it as soon as you can. Go back to your regular schedule the following week.Do not use this medicine 2 days in a row. Rebif®: If you miss a dose, give it as soon as you can. Skip the next day and give your regular dose 48 hours later. Go back to your regular schedule the following week.Do not use this medicine 2 days in a row. Keep out of the reach of children. Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use. Store in the refrigerator. Do not freeze. Storeprefilled autoinjector pens or prefilled syringesin the refrigerator. Do not freeze. If refrigeration is not available,Rebif® prefilled syringesmay be kept for up to 30 days at room temperature, away from heat (temperatures above 77 degrees F) and direct light.Avonex® prefilled autoinjector pens and prefilled syringesmay be stored for up to 7 days at room temperature, away from heat (temperatures above 77 degrees F) and direct light. Put the used needles into a hard, closed container that the needles cannot poke through. Keep this container away from children and pets.
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