Humira is the brand name of the original adalimumab medicine. There are now 4 new versions of adalimumab. Brand names include Amgevita, Imraldi, Hyrimoz and Hulio. More brands became available at the end of 2019. These new medicines are biosimilars. A biosimilar is a similar version of an original biological medicine.
Adalimumab biosimilars are equally safe and effective in reducing inflammation as Humira (the original adalimumab medicine).
All versions of adalimumab are used to treat inflammation of the:
- joints (rheumatoid arthritis, polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis and active enthesitis-related arthritis)
- skin (plaque psoriasis and hidradenitis suppurativa)
- joints and skin (psoriatic arthritis)
- spine, causing back pain (axial spondyloarthritis, including ankylosing spondylitis)
- gut and ulcers in the lining of the gut (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) the layer beneath the white of the eyeball (non-infectious uveitis)
Adalimumab is available on prescription. It comes as a pre-filled syringe or injection pen that you inject under the skin. Your adalimumab will be delivered to your home by a homecare provider.
You’ll be shown how to use the injection by a homecare support nurse so you can give yourself or your child the injection at home. SEE: Humira (Adalimumab) Package Insert
How To Dispose Of Humira Pens
Humira comes in single-use, prefilled Pens or in prefilled syringes. The needle is not removable or reusable. Knowing how to dispose delivery devices such as Humira pens, is very important because if not disposed of correctly, used Humira pen can injure people, such as garbage and sewage workers, janitors, housekeepers and family members, and put them at risk for infection and other serious health conditions like Hepatitis and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
The following are some general guidelines on how to properly dispose used Humira pen. Sharps disposal regulations and programs vary by state, and sometimes by town or county. Most require, before disposal, putting sharps in an FDA-cleared container, made of puncture-resistant plastic with leak-resistant sides and bottom. Be sure to call your local garbage collection company, or the city or county health department to inquire about their guidelines.
- Talk to your pharmacist. Sharps disposal containers are typically available through drugstores, medical supply companies, and healthcare providers and online. Many of these are free, so ask your local pharmacist for recommendations on the best place to get them.
- Make your own container. If you are making your own sharps disposal container, a laundry detergent or bleach bottle is a good option since it’s made of heavy-duty plastic. Do NOT use glass bottles, plastic water bottles, milk jugs, cartons or soda cans, or containers that are broken or punctured. Put the cap on tight and seal with heavy tape. It must be clearly labeled “SHARPS” so others know it cannot be recycled.
- Always discard the pen with the pen cap on. Place the needle, or pen with needle attached, in a sharps disposal container. Do not recycle the needle or pen.
- Take it to a collection site. Take your sharps container to an appropriate collection site. These include doctors’ offices, hospitals, pharmacies, health departments, fire stations and other locations.
- Consider a mail-back program. Injection pens can also be sent through the mail for disposal in special containers. The cost of the container usually includes shipping and you can save big by buying in bulk. With HUMIRA Complete, they will deliver sharps containers and mail-back disposal kits right to your doorstep—at no additional cost to you. Watch this short video to learn everything you need to know about your new sharps container and what to do when it’s getting full. Sign up here
- Keep out of reach. If you have children or pets, be sure to keep Humira injection pens where your little ones can’t reach them.
- Don’t flush. Never dispose of an Humira pen in the toilet or drop it down a sewer drain.
If Someone Gets Stuck
Even if you take all the necessary precautions when disposing of your injection pen, accidents can, and do, happen. If someone in your household is stuck by another’s used needle:
- Immediately wash the exposed area with water and soap, or use a skin disinfectant (antiseptic) such as rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer.
- Call your doctor or local hospital for care right away.
Once you know how to safely dispose of your Humira pens, it will become a regular and simple part of your care routine. visit http://www.safeneedledisposal.org to find your state guidelines and disposal locations near you.
