What is Interferon beta-1a IM Injection?
Category: Prescription Drugs
Most popular types: Avonex Avonex Prefilled Syringe Avonex Pen Show all
Interferon beta-1a is a drug in the interferon family used to treat multiple sclerosis (MS). It is produced by mammalian cells while Interferon beta-1b is produced in modified E. coli. Interferons have been shown to have about a 30–35% reduction in the rate of MS relapses, and to slow the progression of disability in MS patients.
| Purpose | Patients | Evaluations | Perceived Effectiveness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple sclerosis | 13125 | 1458 | |
| General health | 30 | 13 | |
| Fatigue | 23 | 8 | |
| Improve mobility | 14 | 7 | |
| Transverse myelitis | 10 | 2 | |
| Stiffness/spasticity | 9 | 3 |
- Major
- Moderate
- Slight
- None
- Can't tell
Side effects
Side effects as an overall problem
| Severity | Evaluations | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Severe | 363 | |
| Moderate | 499 | |
| Mild | 475 | |
| None | 141 |
Commonly reported side effects and conditions associated with Interferon beta-1a IM Injection
| Side effect | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Fever/chills | 239 | |
| Muscle aches | 233 | |
| Headaches | 149 | |
| Joint pain | 90 | |
| Fever | 73 | |
| Tiredness | 72 |
Why patients stopped taking Interferon beta-1a IM Injection
Multiple reasons could be selected
| Reason | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Side effects too severe | 899 | |
| Did not seem to work | 689 | |
| Doctor's advice | 596 | |
| Other | 353 | |
| Expense | 85 | |
| Personal research | 77 | |
| Course of treatment ended | 43 | |
| Change in health plan coverage | 41 |
Duration
Stopped taking Interferon beta-1a IM Injection
| Duration | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 1 month | 134 | |
| 1 - 6 months | 273 | |
| 6 months - 1 year | 299 | |
| 1 - 2 years | 299 | |
| 2 - 5 years | 480 | |
| 5 - 10 years | 297 | |
| 10 years or more | 121 |
What people switch to and from
Patients started taking Interferon beta-1a IM Injection after stopping:
| Treatment | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Glatiramer acetate (Copaxone) | 30 | |
| Interferon beta-1a SubQ injection (Rebif) | 15 | |
| Interferon beta-1b SubQ Injection (Betaseron) | 13 | |
| Dimethyl fumarate (Tecfidera) | 5 | |
| Natalizumab (Tysabri) | 5 |
Patients stopped taking Interferon beta-1a IM Injection and switched to:
| Treatment | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Dimethyl fumarate (Tecfidera) | 72 | |
| Glatiramer acetate (Copaxone) | 72 | |
| Natalizumab (Tysabri) | 57 | |
| Fingolimod (Gilenya) | 45 | |
| Teriflunomide (Aubagio) | 31 |
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