Enbrel
(etanercept)
Calms down your immune system to prevent joint damage.
Our bottom line
Enbrel (etanercept) effectively calms down your immune system, but it puts you at risk of serious infections.
- Price before coupon$7875.31
- Lowest price with coupon$5476.42
- Savings30%
- Drug class: Autoimmune
- Rx status: Prescription only
- Generic status: No lower cost generic available
Upsides
- People taking Enbrel (etanercept) for rheumatoid arthritis showed significant improvement and were able to reduce the dose or stop their other RA medicines.
- Enbrel (etanercept) can work for you even if other medications didn't help your rheumatoid arthritis.
- Enbrel (etanercept) is the first biologic approved for moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. Since it has been around for a long time, its side effects are well known.
- Many people have only minor or no side effects.
- It's available as a pre-filled syringe and SureClick auto-injector pen which some people find more convenient and easier to use.
What to expect from Enbrel, on one page
Downsides
- Enbrel (etanercept) raises your risk of serious or life-threatening infections, including tuberculosis (TB).
- Enbrel (etanercept) can increase the risk of lymphoma, leukemia and other cancers.
- May not be the best choice if you have a history of heart failure or nervous system problems like multiple sclerosis.
- You'll need to have regular blood tests before and during treatment to make sure you don't have any problems taking Enbrel (etanercept).
- You could get injection site reactions such as redness, swelling, rash, itching, or bruising.
What to expect from Enbrel, on one page
Enbrel (etanercept) blocks a protein called TNF (tumor necrosis factor) in the immune system which lowers inflammation, relieves symptoms and prevents disease progression.
- Drug class: Autoimmune
- Rx status: Prescription only
- Generic status: No lower cost generic available
Used for
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis
Dosage forms
- Injection
Prices and coupons
Skip prices section. Skip to what to expect section.- Pay as low as$5669.82Retail priceRetail priceLearn more
- CostcoGet free coupon$5476.42
- Kroger PharmacyGet free coupon$5676.58
- AlbertsonsGet free coupon$5677.57
What to expect when you take Enbrel (etanercept) for Rheumatoid arthritis
Skip what to expect section. Skip to side effects section.- First few hoursHoursFirst few daysDaysFirst few weeksWeeksFirst few monthsMonths
- Effectiveness
- Starts to kick inFull effects
- First few hoursHoursFirst few daysDaysFirst few weeksWeeksFirst few monthsMonths
- Possible side effects
- Injection site reactions
- Infections
It can take time for a drug to start working, or for some side effects to go away.
Source: FDA product label and Iodine pharmacistsSide effect rates for Enbrel (etanercept)
- Any infection27%27%28%28%
- Upper respiratory infections17%17%17%17%
- Injection site reactions15%15%6%6%
- Non-upper respiratory infections12%12%14%14%
- Diarrhea3%3%2%2%
The placebo bar shows how common a side effect was for people taking a sugar pill instead of Enbrel.
People taking Enbrel felt side effect more
People taking Enbrel felt side effect less
Manufacturers don’t say how common these side effects are when taking Enbrel for plaque psoriasis
- Fever
Risks and Warnings for Enbrel (etanercept)
Skip risks section. Skip to common concerns section.- Higher risk if:
- › Latex allergy
Rarely, Enbrel (etanercept) can cause allergic reactions that can be life-threatening. If you have hives, itching, trouble breathing, or lip, tongue, or throat swelling right after your dose or days later, call your doctor and get medical emergency care right away. You might need to stop taking Enbrel (etanercept). Inform your doctor if you have a latex allergy, as the SureClick Autoinjector has latex in the needle cover.
Pharmacist Q&A
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is this drug for?
This medication treats ankylosing spondylitis.Common concerns from people taking Enbrel (etanercept)
Final section. Do you want to return to drug navigation?- Worth itLow hassleReviewed Enbrelon 10/6/2019Let alcohol from prep pad dry COMPLETELY before injecting = no burning pain.54WomanTwo years or moreRheumatoid arthritis
- Worth itLow hassleReviewed Enbrelon 9/17/2016Let it warm to room temperature before injecting 15-30min. Make sure the alcohol is dry before injecting or it will sting. It hurts less if you inject it into the stomach.44WomanRheumatoid arthritis (moderate to severe)
- Worth itSome hassleReviewed Enbrelon 12/28/2020It reduces my pain so effectively that I often forget to take it-- which then leads to more pain since I am skipping doses. Obviously it works best when taken as directed.22WomanTwo years or moreAnkylosing spondylitis
- Worth itLow hassleReviewed Enbrelon 5/17/2020Moved from Enbrel to Stelara. It was not closely as effective as Enbrel. After less than 6 months on Stelara, my joint pain returned. On Enbrel I was active with no symptoms. The only hassle was the weekly injections, compared to one injection every 3 months. In my opinion Enbrel is a better treatment than Stelara. I would gladly return to weekly injections if I can go back to Enbrel.51ManTwo years or morePsoriatic arthritis
- Not worth itBig hassleReviewed Enbrelon 9/13/2019The variety of how much it hurt really varied, and I'm not sure why. The third time I did it with a nurse instead of at home and it was the only time it didn't hurt. However, all the other times the pain got progressively worse to the point where I had to switch medicines. But if you have a high pain tolerance it's super effective; I could sprint full speed after about three weeks of being on it.15ManA few monthsPolyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis