Instructins fr Use INTRON A (In-trn-aye) (Interfern alfa-2b, recmbinant) Slutin fr Injectin Be sure that yu read, understand and fllw these instructins befre injecting INTRON A. Yur healthcare prvider shuld shw yu hw t prepare, measure and inject INTRON A prperly befre yu use it fr the first time. Ask yur healthcare prvider if yu have any questins. Befre starting, cllect all f the supplies that yu will need t use fr preparing and injecting INTRON A. Fr each injectin, yu will need the fllwing supplies: Imprtant: 1 vial f INTRON A slutin 1 single-use dispsable syringe and needle 1 cttn ball r gauze 2 alchl swabs 1 sharps dispsal cntainer fr thrwing away (dispse f) yur used syringes, needles, and vials. See Hw shuld I dispse f used syringes, needles, and vials? at the end f this Instructins fr Use. Never re-use dispsable syringes and needles. Make sure yu have the right syringe and needle t use with INTRON A. Yur healthcare prvider shuld tell yu what syringes and needles t use t inject INTRON A. Hw shuld I prepare a dse f INTRON A? 1 Find a well lit, clean, flat wrking surface. 2. Befre remving INTRON A frm the cartn, lk at the expiratin date printed n the cartn. Make sure that the expiratin date has nt passed. D nt use if the expiratin date has passed. 3. Wash yur hands well with sap and warm water (See Figure A). Keep yur wrk area, yur hands and injectin site clean t decrease the risk f infectin.
Figure A 4. Remve 1 vial f INTRON A slutin frm the cartn (See Figure B). Figure B 5. Lk at the vial f INTRON A. The slutin shuld be clear and clrless, withut particles. D nt use the vial f INTRON A if the medicine is cludy, has particles r is nt clear and clrless. 6. Remve the prtective plastic cap frm the tp f the INTRON A vial. Clean the rubber stpper n the tp f the INTRON A vial with an alchl swab (See Figure C). Figure C 7. Gently warm the INTRON A slutin by slwly rlling the vial in the palms f yur hands fr abut ne minute (See Figure D). D nt shake the vial.
Figure D 8. Open the package f the syringe yu are using (See Figure E) and if it des nt have a needle attached, then attach a new needle t the syringe. Figure E 9. Remve the prtective cap frm the needle f the syringe. Fill the syringe with air by pulling back n the plunger t the mark n the syringe that matches the dse prescribed by yur healthcare prvider (See Figure F). Figure F 10. Hld the vial f INTRON A Slutin fr Injectin n yur flat wrking surface (See Figure G). D nt tuch the cleaned rubber stpper. Figure G
11. Push the needle straight dwn thrugh the middle f the rubber stpper f the vial cntaining the INTRON A slutin (See Figure H). Slwly inject all the air frm the syringe int the air space abve the slutin. Figure H 12. Keep the needle in the vial. Turn the vial upside dwn (See Figure I). Make sure the tip f the needle is in the INTRON A slutin. Slwly pull the plunger back t fill the syringe with INTRON A slutin t the dse (ml r cc) prescribed by yur healthcare prvider. Figure I 13. With the needle still in the vial, check the syringe fr air bubbles (See Figure J). If there are any air bubbles, gently tap the syringe with yur finger until the air bubbles rise t the tp f the syringe. Slwly push the plunger up t remve the air bubbles. If yu push slutin back int the vial, slwly pull back n the plunger t draw the dse (ml r cc) prescribed by yur healthcare prvider.
Figure J 14. D nt remve the needle frm the vial. Lay the vial and syringe n its side n yur flat wrk surface until yu are ready t inject the INTRON A slutin. Hw shuld I chse a site fr injectin? Based n yur treatment, yur healthcare prvider will tell yu if yu shuld inject a dse f INTRON A under the skin (subcutaneus injectin) r int the muscle (intramuscular injectin). If it is t difficult fr yu t inject, ask smene wh has been trained t give injectins t help yu. Fr Subcutaneus Injectin The best sites fr injectin are areas n yur bdy with a layer f fat between skin and muscle such as (See Figure K): the frnt f yur middle thighs the uter area f yur upper arms the abdmen, except arund yur belly buttn (navel) Fr Intramuscular Injectin Figure K The best sites fr injectin int yur muscle are (See Figure L): the frnt f yur middle thighs yur upper arms the upper uter areas f yur buttcks
Figure L Yu shuld use a different site each time yu inject INTRON A t avid sreness at any ne site. D nt inject INTRON A int an area where the skin is irritated, red, bruised, infected r has scars, stretch marks r lumps. Hw shuld I inject a dse f INTRON A? 15. Clean the injectin site with a new alchl swab. Wait fr the area t dry. 16. Pick up the vial and syringe frm yur flat wrk surface. Remve the syringe and needle frm the vial. Hld the syringe in the hand that yu will use t inject INTRON A. D nt tuch the needle r allw it t tuch the wrk surface. 17. With yur ther hand, pinch a fld f the skin at the cleaned injectin site. Fr subcutaneus injectin (under the skin): Hld the syringe (like a pencil) at a 45-degree angle t the skin. With a quick "dart-like" mtin, push the needle int the skin (See Figure M). Figure M Fr intramuscular injectin (int the muscle): Hld the syringe (like a pencil) at a 90-degree angle t the skin. With a quick "dart-like" mtin, push the needle int the muscle (See Figure N).
Figure N 18. After the needle is inserted, remve the hand used t pinch the skin. Use it t hld the syringe barrel. Pull the plunger back slightly. If n bld is present in the syringe, inject the medicine by gently pressing the plunger all the way dwn the syringe barrel, until the syringe is empty. If bld cmes int the syringe, the needle has entered a bld vessel. D nt inject INTRON A. Withdraw the needle and dispse f the syringe and needle in the sharps dispsal cntainer. See "Hw shuld I dispse f used syringes, needles and vials?" at the end f this Instructins fr Use If there is bleeding, cver the injectin site with a bandage. Then, repeat steps 1 thrugh 18 with a new dse f INTRON A and inject the medicine at a new injectin site. 19. When the syringe is empty, pull the needle ut f the skin. Place a cttn ball r gauze ver the injectin site and press fr several secnds. D nt massage the injectin site. If there is bleeding, cver the injectin site with a bandage. 20. Dispse f used syringes, needles and vials in the sharps dispsal cntainer. See Hw shuld I dispse f used syringes, needles, and vials? belw. Hw shuld I dispse f used syringes, needles, and vials? Put yur used needles, syringes and vials in a FDA-cleared sharps dispsal cntainer right away after use. D nt thrw away (dispse f) lse needles, syringes and vials in yur husehld trash. If yu d nt have a FDA-cleared sharps dispsal cntainer, yu may use a husehld cntainer that is: made f a heavy-duty plastic, clsed with a tight-fitting, puncture-resistant lid, withut sharps being able t cme ut, upright and stable during use, leak-resistant, and prperly labeled t warn f hazardus waste inside the cntainer.
When yur sharps dispsal cntainer is almst full, yu will need t fllw yur cmmunity guidelines fr the right way t dispse f yur sharps dispsal cntainer. There may be state r lcal laws abut hw yu shuld thrw away used syringes and needles. Fr mre infrmatin abut safe sharps dispsal, and fr specific infrmatin abut sharps dispsal in the state that yu live in, g t the FDA s website at: http://www.fda.gv/safesharpsdispsal. D nt dispse f yur used sharps dispsal cntainer in yur husehld trash unless yur cmmunity guidelines permit this. D nt recycle yur used sharps dispsal cntainer. Always keep the sharps dispsal cntainer ut f the reach f children. Hw shuld I stre INTRON A? Stre in the refrigeratr at 36 F t 46 F (2 C t 8 C). D nt freeze Intrn A. Allw the INTRON A Slutin fr Injectin t cme t rm temperature befre using. INTRON A Slutin in Multidse vials fr Injectin may be used t give mre than 1 injectin f medicine. Thrw away any unused INTRON A Slutin fr Injectin remaining in the vial after 1 mnth Keep away frm heat. Keep INTRON A and all medicines ut f the reach f children. Manufactured by: Merck Sharp & Dhme Crp., a subsidiary f Merck & C., Inc., Whitehuse Statin, NJ 08889, USA U.S. License Number 0002 Fr patent infrmatin: www.merck.cm/prduct/patent/hme.html Cpyright 1996, 2011, Merck Sharp & Dhme Crp., a subsidiary f Merck & C., Inc. All rights reserved. Rev. 02/2016 usifu-mk2958-si-1602r007