Brodalumab Injection
Some people who used brodalumab injection had suicidal thoughts and behavior (thinking about harming or killing oneself or planning or trying to do so). It is not known whether brodalumab injection causes suicidal thoughts and behavior. Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you have a history of depression or suicidal thoughts. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: new or worsening depression or anxiety; thoughts of suicide, dying, or hurting yourself, or planning or trying to do so; changes in your behavior or mood; or acting on dangerous impulses. Your healthcare provider will give you a Patient Wallet Card with a list of symptoms. If any of these symptoms occur, you should get medical help right away. Carry the card with you at all times during your treatment with brodalumab injection, and show it to all of your healthcare providers.
Because of the risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior with this medication, brodalumab injection is only available through a special program called Siliq REMS ® . You, your doctor, and your pharmacist must be enrolled in this program before you can receive brodalumab injection. All people who are prescribed brodalumab injection must have a prescription from a doctor who is registered with Siliq REMS ® and have the prescription filled at a pharmacy that is registered with Siliq REMS ® in order to receive this medication. Ask your doctor for more information about this program and how you will receive your medication.
Your doctor or pharmacist will give you the manufacturer’s patient information sheet (Medication Guide) when you begin treatment with brodalumab injection and each time you refill your prescription. Read the information carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. You can also visit the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website (http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm085729.htm) or the manufacturer’s website to obtain the Medication Guide.
Talk to your doctor about the risks of using brodalumab injection.
🔔 Why is this medication prescribed?
Brodalumab injection is used to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (skin disease in which red, scaly patches form on some areas of the body) in people whose psoriasis is too severe to be treated by topical medications alone and who have not been treated successfully with other medications. Brodalumab injection is in a class of medications called monoclonal antibodies. It works by blocking the action of a certain natural substance in the body that causes the symptoms of psoriasis.
🔔 How should this medicine be used?
Brodalumab injection comes as a liquid in a prefilled syringe to be injected subcutaneously (under the skin). It is usually injected once a week for the first 3 doses and then once every 2 weeks. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Use brodalumab injection exactly as directed. Do not inject more or less of it or inject it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
Part of the reason for these long wait times and short appointments is due to a nationwide shortage of physicians that is only getting worse. A report by the Association of American Medical Colleges predicts that, due to population growth and specifically growth of the elderly population, the physician shortfall in the U.S. could reach 121,300 by the year 2030.
You can inject brodalumab injection yourself or have a friend or relative perform the injections. Before you use brodalumab injection for the first time, carefully read the manufacturer’s instructions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to show you or the person who will be injecting the medication how to inject it.
Use each prefilled syringe only once and inject all the solution in the syringe. Dispose of used syringes and pens in a puncture-resistant container. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about how to dispose of the puncture-resistant container.
If you are using a prefilled syringe that has been refrigerated, place the syringe on a flat surface without removing the needle cap and allow it to warm to room temperature for approximately 30 minutes before using. Do not try to warm the medication by heating it in a microwave, placing it in hot water, or through any other method. Do not put the prefilled syringe back in the refrigerator after it has reached room temperature.
Do not shake the medication.
Always look at brodalumab solution before you inject it. The medication should be clear and colorless to slightly yellow. Do not use the syringe if the medicine is cloudy, discolored, or contains flakes or particles.
Do not use a syringe if it has been dropped on a hard surface. Part of the syringe may be broken even if you cannot see the break.
You can inject brodalumab injection anywhere on the your thighs (upper leg), upper outer arms, or stomach except your navel and the area 2 inches (5 centimeters) around it. To reduce the chances of soreness or redness, use a different site for each injection. Do not inject into an area where the skin is tender, bruised, red, hard, thick, scaly, affected by psoriasis, or where you have scars or stretch marks.
Your healthcare provider may tell you to stop using brodalumab injection if your psoriasis does not improve within 12 to 16 weeks of treatment. Talk to your doctor about how you are feeling during your treatment.
