Talking with your doctor

If you have Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis or Microscopic Polyangiitis, Rituxan may be the treatment that can help you have fewer bad days when you have a flare and put your disease into remission so you can have more good days. But like other medications, Rituxan may not be right for everyone. To find out if Rituxan is right for you, be sure to talk with your doctor.

You may want to ask your doctor:

  • How B-cell targeted therapy works
  • How Rituxan can control a flare and put your disease into complete remission
  • How Rituxan is different from other treatments available to you
  • How Rituxan could benefit you
  • How often you will need to receive Rituxan
  • What the potential side effects of Rituxan are
  • If there's anything else you should know about Rituxan

It's important to tell your doctor the following information:

  • About all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements
  • If you have an infection, including one that will not go away or that keeps coming back
  • If you are scheduled to receive any vaccinations
  • If you have heart or lung problems
  • If you are breast-feeding, pregnant, or planning to become pregnant
  • If you have or have had hepatitis (liver infection). If so, your doctor should check you closely for signs of hepatitis infection during treatment with Rituxan and for several months after treatment ends

For more information, check out the frequently asked questions about Rituxan.

WHAT IS RITUXAN?

Rituxan® (rituximab) is used with glucocorticoids to treat adults with Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (GPA) (Wegener's Granulomatosis) and Microscopic Polyangiitis (MPA).

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Rituxan therapy can result in serious side effects, some of which can be life threatening. These include:

  • infusion reactions
  • tumor lysis syndrome (TLS)
  • severe skin and mouth reactions
  • progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML)

Other serious, potentially life-threatening side effects are:

  • hepatitis B infection that may become active again
  • serious infections
  • heart problems
  • low blood cell counts

Common side effects include infections and infusion reactions.

Before treatment with Rituxan, patients should tell their doctor if they have an infection, including one that will not go away or that keeps coming back.

If patients experience any symptoms or side effects during or after Rituxan treatment, they should seek immediate medical attention.

These are not all of the possible side effects with Rituxan. Tell your doctor about any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Please see full prescribing information, including Medication Guide.

If you have any questions about this information, be sure to discuss them with your doctor.