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Remicade vs. Humira

What is Remicade?

Remicade is a prescription medicine that is approved for patients with:

Remicade blocks the action of a protein in your body called tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). TNF-alpha is made by your body's immune system. People with certain diseases have too much TNF-alpha that can cause the immune system to attack normal healthy parts of the body. Remicade can block the damage caused by too much TNF-alpha.

What is Humira?

Humira is a medicine called a Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) blocker. Humira is used to reduce the signs and symptoms of:

  • moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in adults. Humira can be used alone, with methotrexate, or with certain other medicines.
  • moderate to severe polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in children 2 years and older. Humira can be used alone, with methotrexate, or with certain other medicines.
  • psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in adults. Humira can be used alone or with certain other medicines.
  • ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in adults.
  • moderate to severe Crohn's disease (CD) in adults when other treatments have not worked well enough.
  • moderate to severe Crohn's disease (CD) in children 6 years and older when other treatments have not worked well enough.
  • moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) in adults.
  • In adults, to help get moderate to severe ulcerative colitis (UC) under control (induce remission) and keep it under control (sustain remission) when certain other medicines have not worked well enough. It is not known if Humira is effective in people who stopped responding to or could not tolerate TNF-blocker medicines.
  • To treat moderate to severe chronic (lasting a long time) plaque psoriasis (Ps) in adults who have the condition in many areas of their body and who may benefit from taking injections or pills (systemic therapy) or phototherapy (treatment using ultraviolet light alone or with pills).
  • To treat non-infectious intermediate, posterior and panuveitis (UV) in adults.

What Drugs Interact With Remicade?

Do not take Remicade together with medications such as Kineret (anakinra), Orrencia (abatacept), Actemra (tocilizumab), or other medicines called biologics that are used to treat the same conditions as Remicade.

What Drugs Interact With Humira?

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-thecounter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Especially tell your doctor if you use:

You should not use Humira while you are also using one of these medicines.

Tell your doctor if you use Rituxan® (rituximab). Your doctor may not want to give you Humira if you have received Rituxan® (rituximab) recently.

Tell your doctor if you use Imuran® (azathioprine) or Purinethol® (6-mercaptopurine, 6-MP).

Keep a list of your medicines with you to show your doctor and pharmacist each time you get a new medicine.

 

How Should Remicade Be Taken?

  • You will be given Remicade through a needle placed in a vein (IV or intravenous infusion) in your arm.
  • Your doctor may decide to give you medicine before starting the Remicade infusion to prevent or lessen side effects.
  • Only a healthcare professional should prepare the medicine and administer it to you.
  • Remicade will be given to you over a period of about 2 hours.

If you have side effects from Remicade, the infusion may need to be adjusted or stopped. In addition, your healthcare professional may decide to treat your symptoms.

A healthcare professional will monitor you during the Remicade infusion and for a period of time afterward for side effects. Your doctor may do certain tests while you are taking Remicade to monitor you for side effects and to see how well you respond to the treatment.

Your doctor will determine the right dose of Remicade for you and how often you should receive it. Make sure to discuss with your doctor when you will receive infusions and to come in for all your infusions and follow-up appointments.

How Should Humira Be Taken?

  • Humira is given by an injection under the skin. Your doctor will tell you how often to take an injection of Humira. This is based on your condition to be treated. Do not inject Humira more often than you were prescribed.
  • See the Instructions for Use inside the carton for complete instructions for the right way to prepare and inject Humira.
  • Make sure you have been shown how to inject Humira before you do it yourself. You can call your doctor or 1-800-4Humira (1-800-448-6472) if you have any questions about giving yourself an injection. Someone you know can also help you with your injection after they have been shown how to prepare and inject Humira.
  • Do not try to inject Humira yourself until you have been shown the right way to give the injections. If your doctor decides that you or a caregiver may be able to give your injections of Humira at home, you should receive training on the right way to prepare and inject Humira.
  • Do not miss any doses of Humira unless your doctor says it is okay. If you forget to take Humira, inject a dose as soon as you remember. Then, take your next dose at your regular scheduled time. This will put you back on schedule. In case you are not sure when to inject Humira, call your doctor or pharmacist.

If you take more Humira than you were told to take, call your doctor.