Interesting snippet about Humira

[Turnedlight]

I had my Stelara yesterday, and the nurse told me about Humira having had an ingredients change - I don't know if anyone else knew this?

He said they changed the preservative because it used to sting so much, but afterwards people started saying it wasn't working as well. They claimed the ingredient change shouldn't cause it to work any differently, but anecdotally it may have. I don't know when the change came about but when I tried it it didn't sting, nor did the drug work on me.

[jiml]

That's interesting TL ...are you thinking if that's why it didn't work on you ?

[Turnedlight]

Well, yes maybe - we were talking about the things patients say to the nurse as opposed to what derms believe (i.e. What the drugs companies say, mainly) and he was just telling me about this when I remembered the jab never stung for me, so he thought maybe that backed up other anecdotes of it not working very well. However.. I don't actually know when they changed it..

[mataribot]

The preservative should be irrelevant(it would have had to interfere with the active ingredient).  It's the active ingredient that matters. It varies from when the batch was made. Some batches work better than others. This is a good reason biosimilars should not exist.

[Fred]

By what I know of it, they have been trying for a few years to get the formulation change approved. They have removed citrate to help with the sting. It will also make the shots slightly smaller. But apart from that it's still the same active ingredient.

There is also talk it was also done in an attempt to help it's fight against the biosimilars.

It started rolling out across Europe and is now in the USA I think.

[artemie]

I also heard they took out one preservative and what I hear from people on a Humira forum is that the new Humira doesn't sting as bad. Also heard it's because they changed something with the needle or the membrane on the needle.
Not sure, but for ArteMie so far; no sting t'all.

[mataribot]

I typically do not agree with the manufacturer. However, the manufacturing of these drugs is expensive and the manufacturing tolerances are tight. Besides changing the preservative, the only real way to reduce costs would be in manufacturing processes. If we cannot even properly ensure the big companies are following the rules, then how do we ensure a small company in a third world country is following the rules.

[Fred]

If we cannot even properly ensure the big companies are following the rules, then how do we ensure a small company in a third world country is following the rules.

[Turnedlight]

Well there you go, there's no logical reason why it should be any different, however the nurse has had these comments. Maybe it's psychosomatic..

[Forest Walker]

I began using Humira in 2007 and achieved a remission in long-standing, severe Crohn's.  In January 2021 (I moved to a new location), my new GI doctor sent a prescription for the Citrate Free Humira.  I noticed increased mild nausea feelings and increased skin eruption.  I had a small rash on my lower leg that came and went since 2012 when I took up roller skating again (the sport and love of my youth).  The dermatologist I saw, then, said the rash was due to stasis dermatitis and recommended compression stockings.  The rash continued coming and going but remained small and uneventful.

Suddenly, this year in conjunction with the different Humira formula, the rash grew and became raised and painful, prompting care with a different dermatologist, since I had moved.  Frustration over thinning skin, bleeding, and increased eruptions of rash led me to this forum and to understanding that the topical steroid ointments may have worsened the condition and that there are other treatments out there..

I have wondered if the change in Humira may have triggered some different response in my immune system.  In July, I went back to the original formula for Humira but have noticed no improvement, skinwise.  

A friend of mine who had a glioblastoma brain tumor was holding his own for a long while until his doctor fiddled with the dosage of one of his main medications to treat the cancer, lowering the dosage since he was doing well.  At that point, his cancer accelerated quickly and took him.  Perhaps it was coincidental, but it didn't seem that way.  I wonder if you get a medicine that is working for you, whatever it is, maybe it's not wise to change it.  Maybe the change in the Humira led to the aggravation of the drug induced psoriasis.