Peginterferon alfa-2b (Systemic)

Brand Names : PEG-Intron

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For peginterferon alfa-2b, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to peginterferon alfa-2b. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Peginterferon alfa-2b has not been studied in pregnant women. However, studies in animals have shown that peginterferon alfa-2b causes death of the fetus. Before taking this medicine, make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether peginterferon alfa-2b passes into the breast milk. However, peginterferon alfa-2b is not recommended during breast-feeding because it may cause unwanted effects in nursing babies.

Children - Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of peginterferon alfa-2b in children with use in other age groups.

Older adults - This medicine has been tested in a limited number of patients 65 years of age or older and has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your health care professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of peginterferon alfa-2b. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Autoimmune hepatitis - May cause severe disease affecting other parts of the body

• Decompensated liver disease - May cause liver disease to become worse

• Diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes) or
• Heart or blood vessel disease or
• Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) or
• Kidney disease or
• Lung disease
• Psoriasis or
• Psychiatric problems or
• Rheumatoid arthritis or
• Systemic lupus erythematosus or
• Thyroid disease - May be worsened by peginterferon alfa-2b

• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or
• Liver or other organ transplant - It is not known if peginterferon alfa-2b will work in patients with these conditions