Humira®

Key points about Humira

Humira is also called adalimumab ('AY-da-LIM-ue-mab').
Humira is used to treat some types of autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and skin diseases such as chronic plaque psoriasis.
Find out how to have it safely and possible side effects.

From 1 March 2022 Pharmac have made changes to the funding of adalimumab. The main funded brand of adalimumab will be Amgevita. Most people will be moved from the Humira brand to Amgevita.

People can remain on Humira if they have:

eye inflammation called uveitis
Crohn's disease which may worsen if their medicine is changed
worsening symptoms or increased side effects after trying at least 2 doses of the Amgevita brand.

Discuss these situations with your doctor.

Humira is used to treat some types of autoimmune conditions (diseases in which the body's defence system or immune system attacks healthy tissues) such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and skin diseases such as chronic plaque psoriasis.

Humira is usually used when other treatments have not worked well. It is a type of medicine called a TNF inhibitor. It works by blocking natural inflammatory substances in the body called tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNFa). This helps to reduce swelling (inflammation) and weaken your immune system, thereby slowing or stopping the damage from the disease.

In Aotearoa New Zealand, Humira is available as an injection given under the skin. Humira is commonly available as a single-use pre-filled pen, but also comes as pre-filled syringes. The dose of Humira is different for different people, depending on its use.

The usual dose is 40 mg every 2 weeks. Some people may be prescribed a higher dose to start with.
Inject Humira exactly as your doctor or nurse has told you. The pharmacy label will tell you how much Humira to use, how often to use it and any special instructions.
You may not notice the effects of Humira straight away. It may take 2 weeks or up to 6 months.

Humira is given as an injection, just under the skin (called subcutaneous injection). Some people can give themselves the injection or it can be given by another person, (eg, a family/whānau member or friend after proper training) or by your doctor or nurse.

If you are unsure about how to inject Humira ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist to show you.

Preparation

Humira is usually stored in the fridge. Take your Humira pen out of the fridge and leave it at room temperature for 15–30 minutes before injecting. Do not warm Humira in any other way; eg, do not warm it in the microwave or in hot water.

Injection sites

Choose an injection site, such as on the front of your thighs or your abdomen (belly/puku) at least 5 cm from your belly button. The injection site should be different from your last injection site, at least 3 cm away. Do not inject into skin that is sore, bruised, red, hard, scarred, has stretch marks or psoriasis plaques.

Note: In New Zealand, people taking Humira can get support from AbbVie Care.(external link)

Like all medicines, Humira can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them.

Increased risk of infections

Because Humira weakens the body's immune system, it can make getting infections more likely. These infections may be mild (eg, colds or sinusitis) or more severe such as tuberculosis (TB) and septicaemia (infection of the blood).

Tell your doctor immediately if you develop signs of infection such as fever, chills, sore throat, or flu-like symptoms.

Other side effects

Side effects	What should I do?
Reaction at the injection site such as bruising, redness, tenderness	Change the site for each subcutaneous injection (see tips above). Tell your doctor if this does not settle.
Nausea (feeling sick) Vomiting (being sick) Indigestion Tummy upset	Tell your doctor if these symptoms bother you.
Problems sleeping, anxiety, depression	Let your doctor know or ring Healthline 0800 611 116.
Blood in your stools (poo), coughing up blood (red or brown) or other signs of bleeding such as bruising	Let your doctor know or ring Healthline 0800 611 116.
Signs of problems with your heart such as swollen feet or legs or problems breathing, shortness of breath, or feeling like your heart is racing.	Tell your doctor immediately or ring Healthline 0800 611 116.
Signs of tuberculosis (TB) such as a cough that won’t go away, night sweats, fever and weight loss.	Tell your doctor immediately or ring Healthline 0800 611 116.
Signs of an allergic reaction such as muscle or joint pain, fever, rash, intense itching, swelling of the face or hands, sore throat, headache, or difficulty swallowing	Tell your doctor immediately or ring Healthline 0800 611 116.
For more information on side effects, see the Medsafe consumer information leaflet/s below. Read more about medicines and side effects and reporting a reaction you think might be a side effect.