Welcome back to our MAVENCLAD series.
We are about to summarize some important things you will need to tell your healthcare professional before starting MAVENCLAD.
The patient information leaflet, available to download on this website, will also tell you more about your treatment.
So, what do you need to let your healthcare professional know before starting MAVENCLAD?
Firstly, if you have any allergies, including sugar or hereditary fructose intolerance...
If you have any kidney or liver problems...
Or if you or your partner are pregnant, or you are breastfeeding, you must tell your healthcare professional immediately.
Both men and women must use effective contraception during treatment with MAVENCLAD and continue using it for at least six months after the final dose of MAVENCLAD.
It is not known if MAVENCLAD will reduce the effectiveness of birth control pills. Given this, a barrier method of contraception (for example, condoms) should be added to the birth control pill during treatment with MAVENCLAD and for at least 4 weeks after the last dose in each treatment year.
Please discuss the most appropriate methods of contraception for you and your partner with your healthcare professional.
Before starting treatment, you will be tested for infections. It is important to talk to your healthcare professional if you think you have an infection before, during or after treatment. Symptoms of infections can include fever; aching, painful muscles; headache; generally feeling unwell and loss of appetite.
Your healthcare professional will talk to you about shingles, otherwise known as herpes zoster, and chickenpox.
If necessary, you will be vaccinated against varicella, the virus that causes chicken pox and shingles, before starting MAVENCLAD. If you’ve been vaccinated, you must wait 6 weeks before you can begin your treatment.
Your healthcare professional will need to know if you are currently taking any other medicines.
This includes vaccinations, as you should not be given any during treatment because MAVENCLAD has an effect on your immune system.
If you have been vaccinated within the last six weeks, your healthcare professional will delay your treatment to allow your immune system time to recover.
If you need a vaccination for travel or as a treatment, tell your healthcare professional and remind them that you are being treated with MAVENCLAD.
Finally, your healthcare professional will carry out blood tests, which includes monitoring that your lymphocyte levels are within an acceptable range.
These tests will be carried out before starting treatment in Year 1
and 2,
and between treatment courses and thereafter.
If you don’t think you have had a blood test yet, please talk to your healthcare professional before starting MAVENCLAD.
Please read the patient information leaflet, which contains more details on what you need to know about MAVENCLAD.
If you think any of the topics we’ve raised apply to you, get in touch with your healthcare professional and let them know.
Remember, if in doubt, ask your healthcare professional. Do not stop taking any medication unless your healthcare professional tells you to do so.
The adveva team is always here to help, too. You can call us at 1-888-677-3243.
In our next video we'll show you how to take MAVENCLAD and how to store it. We look forward to seeing you again soon.
