It states that the volume of liquid in the injectors is changing, and will now be half the amount.
I do love how they feel the need not only to send this notice out on glossy paper (twice in one week), but also the put this lovely stock photo of two people and a dog walking through tall grass. In the 24 hours after one takes this stuff, I can assure you that this is not what you feel like doing.
The most interesting part of this letter was this statement -
Pretty much what it says is that they are removing an ingredient from the formula called citrate. They acknowledge that this causes 'a stinging sensation', which anyone taking this drug will tell you. It's bad enough it's an injection, bad enough that it's jabbed into you thigh or abdomen, and bad enough it makes you feel like poo, but imagine purposely having a wasp stinging you every time. And that stinging sensation lasts. Ow!
This is a universally reported side effect, which in the product leaflet is listed as 'discomfort at the injection site'. The letter doesn't indicate what purpose this ingredient served or why it wasn't removed sooner. So why now?
What is an interesting coincidence is that Humira goes off patent later this year. When it's older brother Remicade (known as 'Rat Crack's amongst Crohnies), there were two 'bio-similar' drugs on the market within weeks. Drugs which are much much cheaper. The same is expected with Humira this autumn, particularly because Humira is self-administrated at home, rather than given as a day patient at hospital as an infusion, which makes it much cheaper anyway. At £500 a shot, I'm not surprised they are looking for ways to make it supposedly 'better' so that patients demand it over the new, cheaper alternatives.
My next delivery is due within the next week or two. We'll see whether or not these changes make any difference.
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