Get Informed: Enbrel
Active Ingredient(s)
Etanercept
What does it do?
This product is used primarily in the treatment of arthritis. It binds to tumor necrosis factor (TNF) to decrease inflammatory and immune responses.
- Last Text Update:
- 2009-Nov-20 8:30 PM
- Last Data Update:
- 2009-Nov-20 6:52 PM
Other Names
- Enbrel
- Etanercept
How Safe Is It?
- Your Risk Rating
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- Average Risk Rating
-
- Pregnancy Category:
- B
Black Box Warning
This product has a black box warning relating to potentially fatal infections, including tuberculosis.This product also has a black box warning relating to an increased risk of Lymphoma and other cancers when used in children and adolescents.
Facts & Figures
- Date Approved
- 02 Nov 1998
- Est US Patients*
- 1,211,000
- Generic Available
- No
- OTC Available
- No
User Age Distribution*
< 21
21-39
40-59
60+
Age (Years)
* Estimated number of US people currently taking Enbrel or its active ingredient based on population adjusted patient numbers registered with iGuard.org.
Enbrel Safety Report
Learn more about iGuard's risk ratings
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What is Enbrel used for?
iGuard.org is currently tracking more than 7,100 patients that use Enbrel (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)). Use the table below to learn why iGuard users take this product; click on any underlined condition to get information on other medications used for treatment.
| Disease / Condition | % | Average Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Rheumatoid Arthritis | 61% | 
|
| Psoriasis | 17% |
|
| Psoriatic Arthritis | 17% |
|
| Other | 14% | 
|
How well does Enbrel work?
iGuard.org regularly polls our more than 7,100 users taking Enbrel (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) using the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medications (TSQM) . This feedback is continuously updated in tables below for the benefit of the iGuard community. To request scores for specific patient subgroups, please contact research@iguard.org.
Average Satisfaction Score
(out of 10)
Average Effectiveness Score
(out of 10)
- 91%
- of patients are confident that the good things about Enbrel outweigh the bad things.
- 11%
- of patients wish they were told more before they started taking Enbrel.
Common Side Effects of Enbrel
iGuard.org regularly polls our more than 7,100 users taking Enbrel (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) to monitor the development and frequency of side-effects. This feedback is continuously updated in tables and graphs below for the benefit of the iGuard community.
45% of patients experience side-effects on Enbrel
< 1% of patients experience signifcant side-effects on Enbrel
Most Common Side Effects...
-
Skin/Nail Problems
-
Increased Infections
-
Injection Site Reactions
-
Allergic Reaction
-
Hair Loss
-
Fatigue
-
Congestion
-
Itch/Rash
-
= 10%
Global Patient Feedback for Enbrel (Etanercept) ( Post a comment )
Question/Comment:
Enbrel has been a miracle for me. No noticable side effects. I've taken it for 14 months, but yes I'd still have bad days once in a while. No drug cures arthritis.
40 year old Female
Posted: 2009-08-18 14:22:24
Question/Comment:
I was on Enbrel for a little over 3 years. It worked wonders for the rheumatoid arthritis, but I developed drug induced M.S. from it and also had a persistant fever for the better part of 3 years. I didn't realize how bad it was until I stopped taking it. I have been told not to take any TNF blockers from now on.
40 year old Female
Posted: 2009-08-16 19:12:20
Question/Comment:
Ihave been on Enbrel for a really long time .7 or 8 years. It is keeping my skin clear except my knees. a little on my elbows and my scalp. I dont want to ever get off this medicne. I have admit that my arthritis is getting slowly worse. I need pain pills to function. My spine bothers me quite a bit. plus my hips. at night and morning it is very stiff. I hope I dont get sick, I worry about getting sick. Im afraid I wont heal fast. I also worry that my doctor wont renew my prescption for pain meds. I really need them.
49 year old Female
Posted: 2009-08-15 01:27:22
Answer/Reply:
I understand what you are going thru. Enbrel works well but we still need pain medication. Doctors are staring to not want to give us rxs for pain medication. Now more since this MJ situation. I am worried since they do not understand that we need them to fuction and we do not take them just to take them. Also there is a differance in amts people need.. 46 and 19yr old son with advance arthritis
47 year old Female
Posted: 2009-08-23 21:35:43
Question/Comment:
I was on Enbrel for about 7 years for RA. The drug worked wonders. But now, my body has stopped producing blood and I have had 9 blood transfusions in the past 8 months. Does anybody else have this problem and does anyone have any suggestions as to get my body to start working again?
55 year old Female
Posted: 2009-08-04 13:59:33
Answer/Reply:
I would like to know what the doctors have told you about the fact that your body is no longer producing blood cells. I have been on Enbrel for 5 years and this concerns me because my father had a condition called Myelofibrosis. It affects the bone marrow. This condition is not inherited but I have wondered if Enbrel could possibly cause this. I hope that you are better at this time and that you will respond.
Concerned-69 year old-female
69 year old Female
Posted: 2009-11-09 23:20:34
Question/Comment:
I am so thankful for Enbrel. Was on Humira for about 3 months w/no results whatsoever, so was put back on Enbrel. The first year on Enbrel was like a miracle! Was completely psoriasis free in 4 months; however towards the 13th month of being on one injection of Enbrel a week, the psoriasis started to reappear; this is why I was switched to Humira. Again, Humira did NOTHING, in fact the psoriasis became worse and the injection site reactions from the Humira were PAINFUL and ITCHY! I've been back on Enbrel for 3 months now and am slowly clearing up again. I have discovered that even on Enbrel, if your stress levels are high, you will still flare up, just not as severely!
46 year old Female
Posted: 2009-08-03 20:18:06
You may post comments for the benefit of other patients or post questions other patients might be able to answer. Comments are submitted for possible publication on the condition that they may be edited. Only your age and gender will be published with your comment, although your other user details will be securely recorded for verification purposes.
Comments may be either questions or answers to previously posted questions. Any iGuard.org user may post questions and reply.
44
Patient Comments about
Enbrel