HUMIRA Dosing and Administration

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The freedom of self-administration

With HUMIRA, you’ve got options when it comes to injecting. The self-injection process gives you the freedom to inject in the comfort of your own home.

Get to know your HUMIRA
Citrate-free Pen

Picture of a HUMIRA Citrate-free Pen
  • Thinner 29-gauge needle
  • Less pain immediately following injection*
  • Larger viewing window
  • 50% less liquid inside
  • Bold, white numbers on caps
  • Needle cover not made with natural rubber latex

Less Pain Immediately Following Injection*

HUMIRA Citrate-free is less painful immediately following injection,* but works just like original HUMIRA. Citrate buffers associated with pain on injection, and other inactive ingredients, have been removed. The active ingredient (adalimumab) is the same as it has been for over 15 years, with the same results of HUMIRA you’ve come to count on.

*Compared to HUMIRA 40 mg/0.8 mL.

Always follow the injection technique you learned from training with your doctor.

Have questions about HUMIRA Citrate-free?

HUMIRA dosing information

The important difference between your starting and maintenance doses

When you begin taking HUMIRA, your doctor will prescribe you a loading or a starter dose, which is a higher dose to quickly reach an effective concentration of medicine in your body.

Starting doses are typically administered on Day 1 and Day 15 of your treatment with HUMIRA. After that, you’ll continue dosing with a maintenance dose every other week. This dose is lower than the starting doses, and is meant to help you keep the amount of HUMIRA in your body at a stable level.

Your first dose of HUMIRA must be given under the supervision of a health care professional. Make sure you have been shown how to inject HUMIRA Citrate-free before you do it yourself. Remember to keep your HUMIRA refrigerated in its original container until ready for use.

HUMIRA starting dose is 2 Pens on the first day, and 1 Pen on the fifteenth day

Getting started with HUMIRA Citrate-free dosing

  • Starting Dose Day 1*
    2 HUMIRA 80 mg/0.8 mL Pens (160 mg)
  • Starting Dose Day 15
    1 HUMIRA 80 mg/0.8 mL Pen (80 mg)

*First dose can be administered as 2 injections in 1 day or as 1 injection per day for 2 consecutive days.

HUMIRA continuing dose is 1 Pen every other week

Continuing treatment

  • Maintenance Dose Day 29
    and every other week thereafter

    1 HUMIRA 40 mg/0.4 mL Pen (40 mg)

Your doctor will follow up with you on a regular basis. For more information, refer to the Patient Instructions for Use, and the Medication Guide located inside your HUMIRA carton, and within the Full Prescribing Information.

Remember to keep your HUMIRA Citrate-free refrigerated in its original container until ready for use.

Continue taking HUMIRA as directed by your doctor. Remember, HUMIRA is a treatment, not a cure. Your doctor can tell you if and when you should stop taking HUMIRA.

If you experience any adverse reactions or discomfort when taking HUMIRA, discuss them with your doctor right away.

Common side effects of HUMIRA include injection site reactions (pain, redness, rash, swelling, itching, or bruising), upper respiratory infections (sinus infections), headaches, rash, and nausea. These are not all of the possible side effects with HUMIRA. Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or does not go away.  

Read about the Important Safety Information for HUMIRA.

HUMIRA patients talk about the injection experience

Your Nurse Ambassador is there for you

If you are getting started with self-injection, HUMIRA Complete connects you with your own Nurse Ambassador who is available to:

  • Answer your questions about HUMIRA and injecting
  • Visit you at home to help with self-injection
  • Introduce you to educational resources, including self-injection demonstration videos

Nurse Ambassadors do not give medical advice and will direct you to your health care professional for any treatment-related questions, including further referrals.

Has COVID-19 made paying for your medicine a challenge? AbbVie may be able to help. Call 1.800.4HUMIRA


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