Frequently Asked Questions
While your healthcare provider is the best source to answer any questions you may have about multiple sclerosis and the different treatment options, these are some of the commonly asked questions about MS and BETASERON (interferon beta-1b).
Why should I start a multiple sclerosis (MS) therapy if I'm not experiencing any noticeable symptoms?You may not be feeling any symptoms, but being free of symptoms doesn't mean you're free of multiple sclerosis. MS can still cause your immune system to attack the nerves in your brain and spinal cord. Although the harm may be "silent" as it takes place in your nervous system, it can cause serious problems for you later if you don't treat the disease.
Everyone is different, and there are many factors to consider. And some aspects of multiple sclerosis therapy may be intimidating, like the thought of having to inject yourself. But staying focused now can really pay off. Making the right treatment choice will help make taking your MS therapy easier for you, and might help you achieve better results. Here are some things you might want to think about when choosing an MS therapy:
- Does it delay disease progression?
- Does it have a long history of safety?
- Are its side effects manageable?
- Does this therapy have the thinnest needle available in MS therapy?
- Is this therapy refrigeration-free?
- Is it travel friendly?
- Is there a program to help me if I have insurance problems?
- Is there a program to make my therapy affordable for longer than 1 year?
- Is there a program to help me connect with other people living with MS?
- Is there a program with MS-trained nurse support available any time, day or night, if I have questions about my therapy?
BETASERON offers some benefits to help make it easy to start and stay on therapy, such as every-other-day dosing, and refrigeration-free storage for more than 30 days.
High-dose, high-frequency therapy may help you, even if you feel fine now. In a study, BETASERON was shown to reduce the frequency of MS flare-ups.1
The most commonly reported adverse reactions are lymphopenia (low numbers of a certain kind of white blood cell), injection site reaction, asthenia (general weakness), flu-like symptom complex (fever, chills, sweating, muscle aches, and tiredness), headache, and pain.
BETASERON has the thinnest needle in MS therapy and is injected just under the skin (subcutaneously).1 Many people say the smaller needle is easy to use. In fact, one study found that 98.8% of people living with MS who took part in the study were more satisfied with the new application system compared to the old one.2
The most commonly reported adverse reactions are lymphopenia (low numbers of a certain kind of white blood cell), injection site reaction, asthenia (general weakness), flu-like symptom complex (fever, chills, sweating, muscle aches, and tiredness), headache, and pain. Gradual dose titration and use of analgesics during treatment initiation may help reduce flu-like symptoms. BETASERON should be used with caution in patients with depression.
How do I get personal injection training?Every person taking BETASERON can get personal injection training from their BETA Nurse. Your BETA Nurse can make sure you are confident using BETASERON. It's like having your own MS expert on call. To schedule a time for a BETA Nurse to come to your home* or doctor's office, call BETAPLUS® at 1-800-788-1467.
Are there tips to help reduce injection site reactions?One thing you can do is to slightly numb the area you are going to inject by using the cool pack that came in your training kit. Keep the cool pack in the freezer and be sure to wrap it in a paper towel before putting it onto your skin. Don't leave it on too long because it can cause your skin to tighten, which could make it harder to inject.
The important thing is to make taking your BETASERON a part of your routine. Taking it at the same time every other day can help you remember. After you inject, massage the injection area with a cotton ball or gauze pad for a minute or so. This helps the medication spread out and can help reduce any skin reactions.
Your healthcare team and BETA Nurse can suggest other ways to help manage the injection site reactions you may have.
There are many things you can do to help make some side effects more manageable:
-
Titrate (gradually increasing your dose)
Your doctor may start you on a lower dose, and then increase the dose gradually as your body adjusts to the therapy. -
Take an over-the-counter pain reliever
Before you inject, take an over-the-counter pain reliever as recommended by your doctor. -
Use an autoinjector
Autoinjectors are optional devices that make it possible to give an injection just by pressing a button. It's a little like clicking a ballpoint pen. The BETASERON autoinjector is called the BETAJECT®Lite and many people say it makes injecting easy. -
Rotate your injections
To help reduce what are called injection- site reactions, you should always rotate your injection sites. Never use the same injection site twice in a row. If an area is sore, red, infected, or swollen, use another area.
If you don't like needles, an autoinjector like the BETAJECT Lite may help ensure you don't see the needle when you inject. It can also help for those hard-to-reach places.
BETASERON is the only MS medication that can be stored refrigeration-free for over 30 days.** That means no traveling with a cooler or having to keep it cold in a hotel room. And because BETASERON can be stored at room temperature, there's no waiting for it to warm up for 15 minutes before injecting, like other therapies require.1 For many people, this may be an important consideration when choosing a therapy. Not having to refrigerate BETASERON for more than 30 days also means it won't take up space in the fridge, which helps protect your privacy and keeps your therapy away from children.
* Where allowed by law.
** BETASERON is the only immunomodulatory MS therapy that can be stored at room temperature for more than 30 days. If not used immediately after reconstitution, the product should be refrigerated and used within 3 hours.
References:
- BETASERON® [package insert]. Montville, NJ: Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc; 2009.
- Bugge J-P, Reis L., Assessment of BETASERON application systems in Portugal: patients' feedback. Poster presented at 21st Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC), Annual Meeting; May 30-June 2, 2007; Washington, DC
INDICATIONS AND USAGE
BETASERON® (interferon beta-1b) is indicated for the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis to reduce the frequency of clinical exacerbations. Patients with multiple sclerosis in whom efficacy has been demonstrated include patients who have experienced a first clinical episode and have MRI features consistent with multiple sclerosis.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
The most commonly reported adverse reactions are lymphopenia, injection-site reaction, asthenia, flu-like symptom complex, headache, and pain. Gradual dose titration and use of analgesics during treatment initiation may help reduce flu-like symptoms. BETASERON should be used with caution in patients with depression. Injection-site necrosis has been reported in 4% of patients in controlled trials. Patients should be advised of the importance of rotating injection sites. Female patients should be warned about the potential risk to pregnancy. Cases of anaphylaxis have been reported rarely. See "Warnings," "Precautions," and "Adverse Reactions" sections of full Prescribing Information.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
For important risk and use information, please see the full prescribing information.
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** In a survey of 199 physicians conducted by JZM/Phoenix Healthcare Practice, BETAPLUS, an MS patient support program for those on Betaseron, was rated "best" for affordable therapy, copay assistance, and nurse access and training, compared to MS support programs from Avonex, Copaxone, and Rebif. Attitude, Awareness and Use Tracking Study Among Physicians June 2008.
- Consider MS Treatments
- When considering treatments, take a closer look at BETASERON.
