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Rheumatoid arthritis - certolizumab pegol (TA186) |
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Certolizumab pegol for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis
Certolizumab pegol is recommended as a possible treatment for people with rheumatoid arthritis who:
- have already tried methotrexate and another disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD), usually for at least 6 months,
and - have severe 'active' rheumatoid arthritis, as assessed by arheumatologist on two separate occasions
People who are treated with certolizumab pegol should normally also be given methotrexate. If methotrexate does not suit them, they may be given certolizumab pegol on its own.
This treatment should only be carried out by a specialist rheumatology team. The treatment should only be continued if the disease has improved sufficiently after 6 months, and the person should continue to have check-ups every 6 months to make sure that their rheumatoid arthritis is still responding to the drug.
If a person taking a different TNF inhibitor has to stop during the first 6 months of treatment because it has unwanted effects, their
specialist may offer certolizumab pegol after discussion with the person.When assessing if rheumatoid arthritis is 'active', healthcare professionals should take into account any disabilities or difficulties in
communicating that might mean that the standard assessments do not provide accurate information.-
Other information
How this guidance was produced
Background information
This page was last updated: 07 October 2011
- have already tried methotrexate and another disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD), usually for at least 6 months,
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Guidance formats
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Implementation tools and resources
- Audit support
- Clinical audit tool
- Costing statement
- Biologic drugs for the treatment of inflammatory disease in rheumatology, dermatology and gastroenterology commissioning guide
See this guidance in practice
Patient
The summary of the key recommendations in the guidance written for patients, carers and those with little medical knowledge and may be used in local patient information leaflets.
Quick Reference Guide
The quick reference guide presents recommendations for health professionals
NICE Guidance
The published NICE clinical guidance, contains the recommendations for health professionals and NHS bodies.
Full Guidance
The published full clinical guidance for specialists with background, evidence, recommendations and methods used.
