Aranesp 100micrograms/0.5ml solution for injection pre-filled syringes

Aranesp is a form of a hormone called erythropoietin. Erythropoietin is a hormone which is produced in the body that is involved in the production of red blood cells. Aranesp is used to treat anaemia in people who do not produce enough erythropoietin or if the erythropoietin that is produced does not have the full effect. Aranesp is used to treat anaemia in people who have kidney problems or cancer.

Aranesp needs to be injected. Your prescriber will show you how to inject this medicine yourself.

There should also be instructions on how to inject this medicine in the Patient Information Leaflet that comes with this medicine or on the pharmacy label.

The pharmacy label on your medicine tells you how much medicine you should have. It also tells you how often you should have your medicine. This is the dose that you and your prescriber have agreed you should have. You should not change the dose of your medicine unless you are told to do so by your prescriber.

Do not share your medicine with other people. It may not be suitable for them and may harm them.

If you feel that the medicine is making you unwell or you do not think it is working, then talk to your prescriber.

Some medicines work best if they are taken at a specific time of day. If someone is giving you this injection, the person with responsibility for giving you your medicine will make sure that you have your medicine at the prescribed times.

If you are injecting this medicine yourself, make sure that you find out from your prescriber the best time to have Aranesp.

This medicine needs to be injected. Your prescriber may give you your injections or you may be shown how to inject the medicine yourself. If you are injecting this medicine yourself, follow the instructions from your prescriber and the information on the pharmacy label. There should also be further information in the Patient Information Leaflet that comes with this medicine.

In the case of Aranesp:

If you have any concerns about this medicine or about the process of having it you should talk to someone who is involved in your medical care.

Taking extra doses of some medicines can be harmful. In some cases even one extra dose can cause you problems.

The person who is responsible for giving you your medicine will make sure that you are given the correct dose of your medicine. If you inject the medicine yourself, make sure that you do not take any extra doses as this could cause you problems. If you take extra doses of your medicine, you must get medical advice immediately. You may need a test to assess the effect of taking extra doses. This is because the effects of taking too much medicine are very complex so it is very important that you seek medical advice.

Contact your prescriber, pharmacist, specialist clinic or NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 for advice.

Make sure you take all of your medicine containers with you if you are advised to go to hospital.

Suddenly stopping your medicine may cause your original condition to return. The person in charge of your care will make the decision about whether you should stop this medicine. If you experience any problems while having this medicine talk to someone who is involved in your care. If you are injecting this medicine yourself, and are not having any problems with the medicine, do not stop having it, even if you feel better, unless advised to do so by your prescriber.

If you are in any doubt, contact your prescriber, pharmacist, specialist clinic or NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

If you are injecting this medicine yourself, read the pharmacy label to find out how you should look after your medicine. It is a good idea to keep your medicine in the original container. This will help to keep your medicine in the best condition and also allow you to check the instructions.

Do not use the medicine if the packaging appears to have been tampered with or if the medicine shows any signs of damage. Specific information about how to look after Aranesp can be found in the Patient Information Leaflet that comes with this medicine. Make sure that the medicine is out of the sight and reach of children.

In the case of Aranesp:

Do not use the medicine after the expiry date shown on the packaging. If you have any unused medicine, return it to your pharmacist who will dispose of it safely.

Aranesp is not suitable for everyone and some people should never use it. Other people should only use it with special care. It is important that the person prescribing this medicine knows your full medical history.

Your prescriber may only prescribe this medicine with special care or may not prescribe it at all if you:

Furthermore the prescriber may only prescribe this medicine with special care or may not prescribe it at all for a child.

As part of the process of assessing suitability to take this medicine a prescriber may also arrange tests:

Over time it is possible that Aranesp can become unsuitable for some people, or they may become unsuitable for it. If at any time it appears that Aranesp has become unsuitable, it is important that the prescriber is contacted immediately.

Aranesp is not suitable for everyone and some people should never use it. Other people should only use it with special care. It is important that the person prescribing this medicine knows your full medical history.

Your prescriber may only prescribe this medicine with special care or may not prescribe it at all if you:

Furthermore the prescriber may only prescribe this medicine with special care or may not prescribe it at all for a child under one year of age.

As part of the process of assessing suitability to take this medicine a prescriber may also arrange tests:

Over time it is possible that Aranesp can become unsuitable for some people, or they may become unsuitable for it. If at any time it appears that Aranesp has become unsuitable, it is important that the prescriber is contacted immediately.

A medicine is only made available to the public if the clinical trials have shown that the benefits of taking the medicine outweigh the risks.

Once a medicine has been licensed, information on the medicine's effects, both intended and unintended, is continuously recorded and updated.

Some side-effects may be serious while others may only be a mild inconvenience.

Everyone's reaction to a medicine is different. It is difficult to predict which side-effects you will have from taking a particular medicine, or whether you will have any side-effects at all. The important thing is to tell your prescriber or pharmacist if you are having problems with your medicine.

Very common: More than 1 in 10 people who have Aranesp

• hypersensitivity reactions including anaphylactic reactions, angioedema, bronchospasm, skin rash or rashes and urticaria
• oedema

Common: More than 1 in 100 people who have Aranesp

• injection site pain
• pulmonary embolism
• raised blood pressure
• redness of the skin
• thromboembolism

Uncommon: More than 1 in 1000 people who have Aranesp

• convulsions

The frequency of these side-effects is unknown

• allergic reactions
• production of antibodies to Aranesp

If you feel unwell or if you have concerns about a side-effect, you will need to seek advice. If you feel very ill, get medical help straight away. Contact your prescriber, pharmacist, nurse or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

A medicine is only made available to the public if the clinical trials have shown that the benefits of taking the medicine outweigh the risks.

Once a medicine has been licensed, information on the medicine's effects, both intended and unintended, is continuously recorded and updated.

Some side-effects may be serious while others may only be a mild inconvenience.

Everyone's reaction to a medicine is different. It is difficult to predict which side-effects you will have from taking a particular medicine, or whether you will have any side-effects at all. The important thing is to tell your prescriber or pharmacist if you are having problems with your medicine.

Very common: More than 1 in 10 people who have Aranesp

• hypersensitivity reactions including anaphylactic reactions, angioedema, bronchospasm, skin rash or rashes and urticaria
• raised blood pressure including hypertensive crisis, neurological problems or seizures

Common: More than 1 in 100 people who have Aranesp

• cerebrovascular problems including stroke
• injection site pain
• redness of the skin

Uncommon: More than 1 in 1000 people who have Aranesp

• convulsions
• thromboembolism

The frequency of these side-effects is unknown

• allergic reactions
• production of antibodies to Aranesp

If you feel unwell or if you have concerns about a side-effect, you will need to seek advice. If you feel very ill, get medical help straight away. Contact your prescriber, pharmacist, nurse or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

If you are taking more than one medicine they may interact with each other. At times your prescriber may decide to use medicines that interact, in other cases this may not be appropriate.

The decision to use medicines that interact depends on your specific circumstances. Your prescriber may decide to use medicines that interact, if it is believed that the benefits of taking the medicines together outweigh the risks. In such cases, it may be necessary to alter your dose or monitor you more closely.

Tell your prescriber the names of all the medicines that you are taking so that they can consider all possible interactions. This includes all the medicines which have been prescribed by your GP, hospital doctor, dentist, nurse, health visitor, midwife or pharmacist. You must also tell your prescriber about medicines which you have bought over the counter without prescriptions.

The following medicines may interact with Aranesp:

The following types of medicine may interact with Aranesp:

If you are taking Aranesp and one of the above medicines or types of medicines, make sure your prescriber knows about it.

Medicines can interact with complementary preparations and vitamins. In general, there is not much information available about interactions between medicines and complementary preparations or vitamins.

If you are planning to take or are already taking any complementary preparations and vitamins you should ask your prescriber whether there are any known interactions with Aranesp.

Your prescriber can advise whether it is appropriate for you to take combinations that are known to interact. They can also discuss with you the possible effect that the complementary preparations and vitamins may have on your condition.

If you experience any unusual effects while taking this medicine in combination with complementary preparations and vitamins, you should tell your prescriber.

When taking any medicine you should be aware that it might interfere with your ability to drive or operate machinery safely.

In the case of Aranesp:

You should see how this medicine affects you before you judge whether you are safe to drive or operate machinery. If you are in any doubt about whether you should drive or operate machinery, talk to your prescriber.

Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your prescriber may advise you to avoid certain foods.

In the case of Aranesp:

Alcohol can interact with certain medicines.

In the case of Aranesp:

Most medicines, in some way, can affect the development of a baby in the womb. The effect on the baby differs between medicines and also depends on the stage of pregnancy that you have reached when you take the medicine.

In the case of Aranesp:

You need to discuss your specific circumstances with your doctor to weigh up the overall risks and benefits of taking this medicine. You and your doctor can make a decision about whether you are going to take this medicine during pregnancy.

If the decision is that you should not have Aranesp, then you should discuss whether there is an alternative medicine that you could take during pregnancy.

Certain medicines can pass into breast milk and may reach your baby through breast-feeding.

In the case of Aranesp:

Before you have your baby you should discuss breast-feeding with your doctor or midwife. They will help you decide what is best for you and your baby based on the benefits and risks associated with this medicine. If you wish to breast-feed you should discuss with your prescriber whether there are any other medicines you could take which would also allow you to breast-feed. You should not stop this medicine without taking advice from your doctor.

Medicines contain active ingredients. They may also contain other, additional ingredients that help ensure the stability, safety and effectiveness of the medicine. Some may be used to prolong the life of the medicine.

Aranesp contains:

If you are not able to take any of the ingredients in your medicine, talk to your prescriber or pharmacist to see if they can suggest an alternative medicine. If you have reacted badly to Aranesp before, do not have Aranesp. Talk to your prescriber, pharmacist or nurse as soon as possible.