Biologic Question

Thank you Simba it does answer a few questions. 💕🙏

Simba, the cost comparison of

Enbrel at 4,500 aprox

Remicade 20,900 aprox

My Enbrel is 5,500+ every three months or 22,000 per year.

So would Remicade be 80,000 per year? Do you or anyone know how much Temicade costs per infusion?

Thanks Simba. Now that I know the cost of the actual drug, it’s probably the hospital stay and dedicated infusion nurses needed that drives up the cost. I’m told 6 hours ( first infusion) to monitor reaction and after that aprox 4 hours)

Thank you a million times for helping me find the answers!

And PsA!

Yes, sorry. I was referring to my own particular diseases of RA and Crohns. I take Enbrel for RA and they want me to switch to Remicade to treat both.

Poor thing.. When we, the RA patients need the medicines most and yet we are not able to finance what we need, that is the saddest part in life really.

I hope you will soon find something affordable to and suitable for you.

I’m currently on Enbrel by my Rheumy for RA.

Gastroenterologist wants to switch me to Remicade infusions for Crohns and I’m told it also treats RA.

I’m wondering about why Enbrel only works for RA, since both biologics block TNF cells why would both drugs work for both diseases. RA being inflammation of the joints and Remicade being inflammation of the intestines both autoimmune conditions are caused by overactive immune causeing inflammation.

I am told that Enbrel is not a designated drug to treat Crohns. I currently take Enbrel for RA prescribed from my Rheumy. I was just diagnosed with Crohns in March 2017 and being told I need to switch to Remicade infusions (which cost 4x as much money) because Remicade treats both RA and Crohns.

My question is asking why if both biologics work by targeting TNF cells, why wouldn’t Enbrel work for Crohns? Are TNF cells not the same throughout your body, the cells that over react in autoimmune conditions and cause inflammation?

I’m trying to understand the science of it.

Ps. Blessing to your niece with Crohns, not an easy path I know...

Thank you so much helixhelix. I did ask the specialist, but she was not able to answer my question and admitted she didn’t know exactly.

I think your answer is the very best I will get. I want to know what I’m putting in my body and how it works, therefore making the best informed decision.

I currently take Enbrel and they want me to switch to Remicade. I have refused but I am now being to I really have to switch as the Enbrel that is helping my RA is not helping my Crohns inflammation.

I’m scared to switch because Enbrel is really working good to control my RA. I don’t want to upset that. I thought if Enbrel biologic works for my RA (inflamed joints) why wouldn’t it also work for Crohns ( inflamed intestines) since biologic drugs are used to treat both. But I’m told Enbrel will not treat Crohns, but Remicade will.

If I rock the boat and switch, I take a huge risk not knowing if Remicade will actually work as good as Enbrel for my RA. I’m terrified my RA symptoms will come back, and when it’s bad, it’s bad! I don’t ever want to go back there! I also know once I switch, I can not go back to Enbrel to treat my RA. I have already been told this. It also makes me nervous, my Gastro prescribing drugs for not only my Crohns but also my RA. I’m told the reason being is a Rheumatologist can not prescribe Remicade in the strength I need, but my Gastroentrologist can.

There is no guarantee that Remicade will be a biologic that even works for my RA. I may be loosing the one drug that actually was able to get my RA under control. It took years and many, many drugs to find one that worked, and now I’m told I have to switch. Neither specialist could explain why one biologic works for Crohns and another doesn’t. I need to know that there is a real good reason to switch me off a drug that is working. I didn’t understand why one TNF blocking biologic was so different then another since they both lower your immune system by blocking TNF cells. I’m no scientist but your reply does answer my question because it looks like different biologics all block TNF but in slightly different ways.

Humira was my very first biologic I tried for RA and I’m told that Humira also treats RA and Crohns, ( although I was not diagnosed with Crohns then) but I had a very terrible allergic reaction. Then I went to Enbrel it was a godsend for years. Now I’m badically being forced to switch to Remicade.

My Gastro has given me some time to make the switch as she understands I’m scared and confused and resistant to go off Enbrel and I feel like I have no control or say in anything. Knowledge is power, so I’m trying to understand the drugs, so that I feel I’m making an informed decision. But it doesn’t make me feel confident when the people prescribing the biologics can’t even tell you the difference between two biologics!