osis). These infections may happen or become more severe if you use Humira. Ask your doctor if you do not know if you have lived in an area where these infections are common.
•have or have had hepatitis B
•use the medicine ORENCIA® (abatacept), KINERET® (anakinra), RITUXAN® (rituximab), IMURAN® (azathioprine), or PURINETHOL® (6–mercaptopurine, 6-MP).
•are scheduled to have major surgery
After starting Humira, call your doctor right away if you have an infection, or any sign of an infection.
Humira can make you more likely to get infections or make any infection that you may have worse.
Cancer
•For children and adults taking TNF-blockers, including Humira, the chances of getting cancer may increase.
•There have been cases of unusual cancers in children, teenagers, and young adults using TNF-blockers.
•People with RA, especially more serious RA, may have a higher chance for getting a kind of cancer called lymphoma.
•If you use TNF blockers including Humira your chance of getting two types of skin cancer may increase (basal cell cancer and squamous cell cancer of the skin). These types of cancer are generally not life-threatening if treated. Tell your doctor if you have a bump or open sore that doesn’t heal.
•Some people receiving TNF blockers including Humira developed a rare type of cancer called hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma. This type of cancer often results in death. Most of these people were male teenagers or young men. Also, most people were being treated for Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis with another medicine called IMURAN® (azathioprine) or PURINETHOL® (6-mercaptopurine, 6–MP).
See the “What are the possible side effects of Humira?” section.
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 4 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.
•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).
What should I tell my doctor before taking Humira?
Humira may not be right for you. Before starting Humira, tell your doctor about all of your health conditions, including if you:
•have an infection. See “What is the most important information I should know about Humira?”
•have o |
