1. How do I know which biologic is right for me?
3. How do I remember when my next injection or infusion is?
4. What happens if I accidentally miss a dose?
5. Will I continue using other medications to treat my psoriatic arthritis while taking biologics?
6. Should I be worried about my risk of infection?
2. I’m afraid of needles. Does it hurt?
7. I hear biologics can raise my risk of cancer, so why take them?
8. What are biosimilars?
FAQs About Biologics for Psoriatic Arthritis, Answered
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9. Are there discounts or coupons to help me pay for my medication?
Your doctor can help determine which biologic will likely be successful for you. This may depend on a number of factors, including your psoriatic arthritis symptoms, overall health, lifestyle, and insurance coverage. “We try to come up with the one that’s the best fit for that particular person,” says Zashin. If the first biologic you try doesn’t work, your doctor can recommend another that might.
Self-injection is not particularly painful, especially once you get the hang of it. Zashin says his office teaches people how to do the shots themselves, so there’s no guesswork involved. “It’s easy to do. Also, all of the biologic manufacturers have auto-injectors,” he adds, which are spring-loaded syringes that you hold to your skin and then press a button for a quick injection. Auto-injectors are a good option if you don’t want to use a manual syringe.
Your doctor will schedule your infusion appointments or tell you how often you’ll need to self-inject. To avoid any potential issues, set up a reminder on your smartphone or computer. For self-injections, you may want to follow the same routine each time, such as doing the injection right after breakfast. You can also ask a reliable loved one to remind you as backup.
It’s best to check with your doctor if this happens, says Zashin. You may need to reschedule a missed infusion appointment as soon as possible. If you’re a day late with your self-injection, it shouldn’t make a big difference. But if you’re finding it difficult to stick to your dosing schedule, your treatment won’t be as effective, and you may even develop a resistance to it.
It depends on your particular case. Biologics can be taken with other treatments, such as NSAIDs, but that doesn’t mean you’ll need to do so. “Occasionally we’ll combine methotrexate with a biologic, but most people get by with one biologic medication alone,” Zashin says. You won’t be prescribed more than one biologic at a time.
It’s definitely good to be aware that biologics increase your risk for infection, and it’s wise to learn which signs of an infection — flu, sinus infection, lung infection — mean you should contact your doctor. You may need to stop taking your biologic until you get well. But if you have an active infection or are at risk of recurring infections, your doctor won’t prescribe you a biologic in the first place, Zashin says.
Earlier studies raised questions about a possible link between cancer and biologics, but a meta-analysis of studies published in April 2020 in the journal JAMA Dermatology found no evidence for an increased cancer risk associated with biologics. As with any drug, there are pros and cons to taking biologics. For many people, the potential for joint damage and other issues with psoriatic arthritis far outweighs the risk, which makes biologics a good choice.
Biosimilars are a kind of biologic designed to work like the FDA-approved biologic they are modeled after, such as a TNF inhibitor, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation. A biosimilar is not considered a generic drug, because its active ingredient is not identical to that of the original biologic. The manufacturing process of biologics is so complex that it’s impossible to duplicate the drug exactly. But biosimilars should work in the same way and be as effective as the biologics they mimic. As with other biologics, biosimilars target specific parts of the immune system rather than the whole body and are administered by injection or infusion. The side effects tend to be the same as well. Biosimilars may be less expensive than other biologics. Your doctor can tell you if you might be a candidate for biosimilar treatment.
Many drug manufacturers have financial assistance or copay savings programs for biologics. Go to the manufacturer’s website or ask your doctor to see if this applies to your medication. You can also use Medicine Assistance Tool, a search engine for drug assistance programs. Finally, check with your pharmacy to see if they offer a discount program.
