ENBREL Dermatology FAQs

ENBREL should be stored in the refrigerator in the original carton to protect from light until you use it. Do NOT freeze. ENBREL must be kept at a temperature of 36°F to 46°F (2°C to 8°C). This is the usual temperature for most refrigerators.

Learn more about traveling with and storing ENBREL.

You may want to wait 15 to 30 minutes after you take ENBREL from the refrigerator to allow it to reach room temperature. Do NOT remove the needle cover while you wait. Do NOT warm ENBREL in any other way (for example, do NOT warm it in a microwave or in hot water).

Tip: Set your kitchen timer to remind you that 15 minutes has passed.

Learn more about injecting ENBREL.

Yes, we'd be happy to contact your insurance company for you to find out if ENBREL is covered. You can verify your insurance coverage online or call to speak to one of our insurance specialists at 1-888-4ENBREL (1-888-436-2735), Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 8 PM Eastern time. Please have your insurance card and information ready when you call us.

Read more about insurance verification and paying for ENBREL.

Yes, we can help. Our insurance specialists at 1-888-4ENBREL (1-888-436-2735; Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 8 PM Eastern time) will do all they can to help. There are several steps that we can take to help you receive payment from your health insurance company. Once we determine the reason that the health insurance company is not covering ENBREL, we can discuss the next best steps. For example, we have materials to assist you and your doctor in asking for coverage, such as sample advocacy letters, appeal letters, and letters of medical necessity.

Read more about paying for ENBREL.

We would be happy to find out for you. Each Medicaid agency is different. We can call your agency and ask about your coverage. Just give us a call at 1-888-4ENBREL (1-888-436-2735), 8 AM to 8 PM Eastern time, Monday through Friday.

Read more about paying for ENBREL.

Coverage of medications and length of coverage vary for each plan under Medicare. If you receive Medicare, you can sign up for a plan that can help cover the cost of ENBREL.

To learn more about Medicare, please visit Medicare.gov or call 1-888-4ENBREL (1-888-436-2735), 8 AM to 8 PM Eastern time, Monday through Friday.

Read more about paying for ENBREL.

Yes. Insurance specialists can help you and your physician with prior authorization. Please call our insurance specialists at 1-888-4ENBREL (1-888-436-2735), 8 AM to 8 PM Eastern time, Monday through Friday, with your insurance information to get started.

Read more about paying for ENBREL.

As you may know, plaque psoriasis symptoms vary in severity over time. But even if your skin is looking clearer, it's important to take ENBREL as prescribed by your doctor.

After 3 months, you may be prescribed a reduced maintenance dose of 50 mg once a week. Most patients who responded at 3 months maintained their level of response after beginning the reduced dose.

Your doctor will tell you how often you should use ENBREL. Typically, for the first 3 months of treatment, adult patients with chronic moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy are given 50 mg of ENBREL twice a week (3 or 4 days apart). After 3 months, a reduced maintenance dose of 50 mg is given once per week. Be sure to follow your doctor's instructions.

The recommended dose of ENBREL for adult patients with psoriatic arthritis is 50 mg per week. Fifty mg can be given as one subcutaneous injection (an injection beneath the skin) using either a 50-mg/mL Enbrel^® SureClick^® autoinjector or 50-mg/mL single-use prefilled syringe. A 50-mg dose can also be given as two 25-mg subcutaneous injections using 25-mg/0.5-mL single-use prefilled syringes or 25-mg vials.

On the front of the middle thighs or on the stomach, except for the 2-inch area around the belly button. These areas usually have enough tissue for the injection and are easy to reach. If a parent or caregiver is giving the injection, the outer area of the upper arms is another option.

Use a different site from those used the last couple of times. DO NOT inject into areas where the skin is tender, bruised, red, or hard. Avoid areas with scars or stretch marks.

If you have plaque psoriasis, you should NOT inject directly into any raised, thick, red, or scaly skin patches or lesions.

View injection demonstrations.

Yes, sometimes this can happen. In medical studies, some patients experienced mild to moderate injection site reactions, usually within the first month. Most reactions healed and patients could keep taking ENBREL. If you have any concerns, talk to your doctor.

Read more about potential side effects.

It's important to make sure the solution is clear before injecting. Before mixing, the powder should be white. After you add the liquid (diluent), the powder usually dissolves in about 10 minutes. The mixed solution should be clear and colorless. (A small amount of foam or bubbles may be present; this is normal.) Do NOT inject the solution if it is discolored, or if it contains lumps, flakes, or colored particles. If all the powder in the ENBREL vial is not dissolved or there are particles present after 10 minutes, call 1-888-4ENBREL (1-888-436-2735).

You should not throw used needles or syringes into a regular garbage can or recycling bin. Immediately after each injection, you should discard them in a puncture-resistant container, often called a sharps disposal container, specifically designed for their disposal. These safe containers can be purchased at your local pharmacy or are available through ENBREL Support™. NEVER recap or reuse a needle, syringe, or autoinjector. Keep all materials and sharps disposal containers out of the reach of children.

Once you've filled your sharps disposal container with used needles, syringes, or autoinjectors, you need to throw it out using the directions from your health care professional. For public safety reasons, containers generally require special disposal. State and local laws for disposing of needles vary from town to town. For information in your area, call 1-888-4ENBREL (1-888-436-2735).

Important: Do NOT recycle the sharps disposal container. Never put your sharps disposal container in the trash with other plastic recyclables (unless your local laws permit this). Never empty the contents of your sharps disposal container in order to reuse it.

You can also sign up for the ENBREL Sharps Mail-Back Program, which gives you a safe convenient way to dispose of your sharps materials at no cost to you. Call 1-888-4ENBREL (1-888-436-2735) to enroll.

It depends. ENBREL can remain unrefrigerated for a short period of time. For example, when you are ready for an injection, you can take it out of the refrigerator to allow it to come to room temperature. However, ENBREL should be stored in the refrigerator at 36°F to 46°F (2°C to 8°C).

If you have any questions about storing and using ENBREL, call us toll-free at 1-888-4ENBREL (1-888-436-2735).

Learn more about traveling with and storing ENBREL.

If a needle or an autoinjector is damaged in any way, don't try to fix it or use it. If a syringe or autoinjector is damaged, please do NOT throw it away. Call 1-888-4ENBREL for further instructions and we will help you.

Remember to review the proper techniques for preparing ENBREL that come in each carton of ENBREL.

Traveling with ENBREL can be easy. You just need to be prepared. Here's what you should do if you are going to travel with ENBREL for more than a few hours: Keep it in its original packaging, wrap it in bubble wrap, and place it in your travel cooler provided by ENBREL Support™. Then, pack it with ice. Put a thermometer in the cooler and check it every few hours. Add ice as necessary to keep the temperature at 36°F to 46°F (2°C to 8°C). Do NOT freeze. Some hotels may have small refrigerators. Check with the hotel before your arrival. If you're traveling by air, please call the airline ahead of time. You can call 1-888-4ENBREL (1-888-436-2735) to get a free ENBREL travel pack.

Learn more about traveling with and storing ENBREL.

Check with your airline before you travel. They will be able to tell you whether you may carry needles, syringes, or autoinjectors onto the airplane.

It is also a good idea to carry medical documentation to present to airport security. Notify the screener if you are carrying a sharps disposal container in your carry-on baggage.

Learn more about storing and traveling with ENBREL.

Yes, the needle covers on the Enbrel^® SureClick^® autoinjector and the prefilled syringes is composed of dry natural rubber (derivative of latex), which should not be handled by persons sensitive to latex.

It's important to talk to your doctor about your results and expectations for your treatment.

The most common side effects of ENBREL are infections and injection site reactions. Infections caused by viruses, fungi, or bacteria have happened in patients taking ENBREL and include the common cold, sinusitis, and the flu. Injection site reactions are mild to moderate (redness, itching, pain, swelling, bleeding, and bruising) and usually go away within 3 to 5 days. If you have pain, redness, or swelling around the injection site that doesn't go away or gets worse, call your doctor.

Review common side effects for ENBREL and important safety information.

If you get an infection, especially one with a fever, you need to contact your doctor right away.

Because they work on the immune system, medicines like ENBREL may affect the body's ability to defend itself against infection while ENBREL is being taken. ENBREL works against one of the body's natural defenses against infection.

Read more about how ENBREL works.

If you forget to take ENBREL when you are supposed to, contact your doctor to find out when to take your next dose of ENBREL.

You should follow your doctor's instructions on how to take ENBREL. Please call your doctor if you have any questions.

Sometimes surgery increases your chance of getting an infection. Because ENBREL increases your risk of getting an infection, your doctor may have you stop ENBREL for a period of time before and after your operation. Ask your doctor when you can go back to taking ENBREL.

Note: Medical studies show that if you have responded to therapy with ENBREL and your doctor does recommend that you temporarily stop your treatments, it is likely you will experience the same benefits when you begin using it again.

Before starting ENBREL, you should tell your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. To date, there are no ENBREL studies in pregnant women. Tell your doctor of your plans and ask him or her what's right for you.

ENBREL has not been studied in nursing mothers. Nursing mothers should know that ENBREL may be excreted in human milk, and because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants from ENBREL, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or to discontinue the drug.