An Introduction to Rebif Side Effects
As with any medicine, side effects are possible with
Rebif® (
interferon beta-1a); however, not everyone who takes the drug will experience side effects. In fact, most people tolerate it quite well. If side effects do occur, in most cases, they are minor and either require no treatment or can easily be treated by you or your healthcare provider.
(This article covers many, but not all, of the possible side effects with Rebif. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list of Rebif side effects with you.)
Common Rebif Side Effects
Rebif has been studied thoroughly in clinical trials.
In these studies, the side effects that occur in a group of people taking the drug are documented and compared to side effects that occur in another group of people not taking the medicine. This way, it is possible to see what side effects occur, how often they appear, and how they compare to the group not taking the medicine.
In these studies, the most common Rebif side effects included:
- Skin reactions at the injection site (such as redness or pain) -- in up to 92 percent of people
- Headaches -- up to 70 percent
- Flu-like symptoms (such as fever or chills) -- up to 59 percent
- Fatigue -- up to 41 percent
- Muscle pain -- up to 25 percent
- Back pain -- up to 25 percent.
Other common side effects (occurring in 2 to 20 percent of people) included:
- Abdominal pain (stomach pain)
- A general ill feeling (malaise)
- Coordination problems
- Dry mouth
- Bone pain
- Drowsiness
- Frequent urination
- Bladder control problems
- Vision problems.
