How does avonex help ms

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Avonex interferon beta-1a. By Editorial Team January 22, Share to Facebook Share to Twitter email print page Bookmark for later. How does Avonex work? What are possible side effects? The most common side effects experienced by those taking Avonex include: Headache Chills Fever Pain Depression Injection site reactions Nausea Fatigue Backache Muscle aches These symptoms generally last for a day or two after the injection and lessen over time.

Things to note about Avonex In addition to routine MS lab tests, complete blood and differential white blood cell counts, platelet counts, and blood chemistries, as well as liver function tests, are recommended during Avonex therapy.

Biogen Netherlands B. Please do not include any personal data , such as your name or contact details. Skip to main content. Veterinary regulatory Overview Research and development Marketing authorisation Post-authorisation. Avonex RSS. Table of contents Overview Authorisation details Product information Assessment history. Avonex is a medicine used to treat: patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis MS. MS is a disease in which inflammation damages the protective insulation around nerves demyelination as well as the nerves themselves.

In relapsing MS, the patient has attacks relapses between periods with no symptoms. It is used when the patient is considered to be at high risk of developing MS. Before using Avonex, doctors need to exclude other causes for the symptoms. Expand section Collapse section. Avonex must not be used in patients who have severe depression or have thoughts of suicide. Authorisation details. Product details Name Avonex.

Publication details Marketing-authorisation holder Biogen Netherlands B. Product information. List item. You are therefore advised to be selective about which sections or pages you wish to print. Avonex is indicated for the treatment of: patients diagnosed with relapsing multiple sclerosis MS. If you are trying for a family, talk to your MS nurse or neurologist about whether you should continue to take Avonex until you are pregnant.

If you become pregnant while on Avonex, your neurologist or MS nurse may recommend you stop taking it, depending on how active your MS has been and the benefits and risks to you and your baby. Women usually experience fewer relapses during pregnancy, so continuing to take Avonex may not be necessary. However, if Avonex is stopped during pregnancy, it will take several months to reach full effectiveness when restarted and may not reduce relapses during the first few months after childbirth.

Pregnancy guidelines consider that it is safe to take Avonex during breastfeeding if required. You self-inject Avonex into a muscle once a week. Avonex is supplied in several different formats; your MS nurse can explain the different injection devices and help you choose the most appropriate one for you. Your MS nurse will show you how to do the injections, discuss the practicalities and offer advice or training and ongoing support if you should need it. To give your body a chance to get used to Avonex and reduce the impact of side effects, your doctor or MS nurse may suggest you start on a lower dose dependent on injection device.

You are more likely to have these side effects when you first start taking Avonex. Most people have mild to moderate side effects which tend to go away over time.

A full list of side effects is included in the manufacturer's Patient Information Leaflet. Before starting Avonex, you should have blood tests to measure blood cell counts and check liver function. Once you've started treatment, you'll have blood tests to measure blood cell counts and monitor liver function, generally every three months for the first year, then less frequently.

Depending on local practice, the tests may be carried out at a local GP surgery or it may be necessary to attend a hospital clinic. During the coronavirus outbreak, you may find that your regular blood tests happen less frequently, may take place in a different location or may temporarily stop. The Association of British Neurologists has assessed the risks and benefits of blood monitoring for people taking Avonex, and has recommended a safe minimum schedule for all DMDs during this period.

The recommendation for Avonex is that the first blood test, 3 months after starting to take the drug, is essential, but that further tests can be halted temporarily.

If you notice any new or worsening MS symptoms, you should contact your MS team. Interferons are proteins that occur naturally in the immune system. It is thought that beta interferon acts by reducing both inflammation and the immune response that is attacking the body's own myelin. Avonex has been studied extensively since the early s. The following study first demonstrated the effectiveness of Avonex:. In this clinical trial, people with relapsing remitting MS took either Avonex or placebo for 2 years.

The main measure of the study was the time it took for participants to have an increase in disability of 1 point on the EDSS scale which lasted for at least 6 months. The group taking Avonex were significantly less likely to have this increase in disability. This study was set up in to evaluate the long-term benefits of beta interferons and Copaxone glatiramer acetate.

At the end of the study, changes in disability levels were compared to those recorded from an untreated group. If you are considering treatment with one of the disease modifying drugs for relapsing MS, this book will help you to understand how the drugs work and to have informed discussions with your health team about your treatment options.