Specific Warnings and Precautions for Certolizumab Pegol
Some warnings and precautions to be aware of prior to taking this drug include the following:
- Certolizumab pegol can increase your chance of infections, including serious infections. You should not start taking certolizumab pegol if you have an infection (even a skin infection). While taking this medication, be sure tell your healthcare provider right away if you think you may have any infection. This medication may not be the best choice for people who get frequent infections.
- Certolizumab pegol can cause certain infections (such as hepatitis B or tuberculosis) that have become inactive in the body to become active again. Tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had hepatitis B or tuberculosis before starting certolizumab pegol. Your healthcare provider should give you a tuberculosis skin test to make sure you have never had tuberculosis.
- There have been very rare reports of lymphoma (a certain type of cancer) in people taking certolizumab pegol or other medications similar to it. It is not yet known if certolizumab pegol actually caused these cancers.
- Allergic reactions can occur with certolizumab pegol. These reactions include rashes, hives, itching, wheezing or difficulty breathing, and unusual swelling. Let your healthcare provider know right away if you think you are having an allergic reaction.
- In studies, people with congestive heart failure (CHF) who took medications similar to certolizumab pegol had an increased risk of death. Also, worsening of heart failure and new cases of heart failure (in people who did not already have CHF) have been reported in people taking such medications. Talk to your healthcare provider about certolizumab pegol and congestive heart failure before starting treatment.
- In rare cases, certolizumab pegol has caused dangerously low blood counts. You should tell your healthcare provider about any unusual bruising, bleeding, or paleness while taking this medication.
- You should not receive live vaccines while taking this medicine. Talk to your healthcare provider before receiving any vaccines while on certolizumab pegol.
- In rare cases, certolizumab pegol or medications like it have been reported to cause certain nervous system conditions, including multiple sclerosis (MS), seizures, epilepsy, and other conditions. Certolizumab pegol could also make these conditions worse. Talk to your healthcare before taking certolizumab pegol if you have MS, seizures, or any other nervous system condition.
- Certolizumab pegol can potentially interact with a few other medications (see Drug Interactions With Certolizumab Pegol).
- Certolizumab pegol is considered a pregnancy Category B medication. This means that it is probably safe for use during pregnancy, although the full risks are not currently known (see Cimzia and Pregnancy).
- It is not known if certolizumab pegol passes through breast milk in humans. Therefore, if you are breastfeeding or plan to start breastfeeding, discuss this with your healthcare provider prior to taking the drug (see Cimzia and Breastfeeding).
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