Package Insert: Information for the User
FORSTEO 20 micrograms/80 microliters Pre-filled Syringe Solution
teriparatida
Read this package insert carefully before starting to use this medication, as it contains important information for you.
FORSTEO contains the active ingredient teriparatide, which is used to increase bone strength and reduce the risk of fractures by stimulating bone formation.
FORSTEO is used for the treatment of osteoporosis in adults. Osteoporosis is a disease that causes bones to weaken and become fragile. This disease is especially common in women after menopause, but it can also occur in men. Osteoporosis is also common in patients treated with corticosteroids.
Your healthcare professional will teach you how to use the FORSTEO pen.
Do not use FORSTEO
Warnings and precautions
FORSTEO may cause an increase in the amount of calcium in your blood or urine.
Consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting to use or while using FORSTEO:
Some patients experience dizziness or increased heart rate after the first doses. For the first doses, use FORSTEO in a place where you can sit or lie down immediately if you feel dizzy.
The recommended treatment duration of 24 months should not be exceeded.
FORSTEO should not be used in adults in growth.
Children and adolescents
FORSTEO should not be used in children and adolescents (under 18 years).
Other medicines and FORSTEO
Inform your doctor or pharmacist if you are using, have used recently, or may need to use any other medicine, as occasional interactions may occur (e.g. digoxin/digitals, a medicine used to treat heart diseases).
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Do not use FORSTEO if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. If you are a fertile woman, you should use effective contraceptive methods during treatment with FORSTEO. If you become pregnant, treatment with FORSTEO should be discontinued. Consult your doctor or pharmacist before using any medicine.
Driving and operating machines
Some patients may feel dizzy after the FORSTEO injection. If you feel dizzy, do not drive or operate machines until you feel better.
FORSTEO contains sodium
This medicine contains less than 1 mmol of sodium (23 mg) per dose; it is essentially "sodium-free".
Follow exactly the administration instructions for this medication as indicated by your doctor. If in doubt, consult your doctor or pharmacist again.
The recommended dose is 20 micrograms administered once a day via a subcutaneous injection under the skin in the thigh or abdomen. To help you remember to inject your medication, inject it at the same time every day.
Inject FORSTEO every day for as long as your doctor prescribes. The total duration of treatment with FORSTEO should not exceed 24 months. You should not receive more than one 24-month treatment cycle with FORSTEO throughout your life.
FORSTEO can be injected at mealtime.
Refer to the User Manual included in the package with instructions on how to use the FORSTEO pen.
No needles are included with the pen. Becton, Dickinson and Company needles can be used.
The FORSTEO injection should be administered shortly after removing the pen from the refrigerator, as indicated in the User Manual. Return the pen to the refrigerator immediately after use. Use a new needle for each injection and discard it after use. Do not store the pen with the needle attached. Never share your FORSTEO pen with others.
Your doctor may recommend taking calcium and vitamin D with FORSTEO. Your doctor will tell you how much to take each day.
FORSTEO can be used with or without food.
If you use more FORSTEO than you should
If you accidentally administer more FORSTEO than prescribed, consult your doctor or pharmacist.
The expected effects of an overdose may include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and headache.
If you forget or are unable to inject FORSTEO at the usual time, do it as soon as possible that same day. Do not administer a double dose to compensate for missed doses. Do not inject more than once in the same day. Do not attempt to compensate for missed doses.
If you interrupt treatment with FORSTEO
If you are thinking of interrupting treatment with FORSTEO, please consult with your doctor. Your doctor will advise you and decide how long you should be treated with FORSTEO.
If you have any other questions about the use of this medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Like all medicines, this medicine may cause side effects, although not everyone will experience them.
The most common side effects are pain in the extremities (very common, may affect more than 1 in 10 patients), discomfort, headache, and dizziness (common). If you feel dizzy after an injection, sit or lie down until you feel better. If you do not improve, consult your doctor before continuing treatment. Cases of fainting associated with the use of teriparatide have been reported.
If you experience discomfort such as skin redness, pain, swelling, itching, bruises, or light bleeding around the injection site (common), these should disappear in a few days or weeks. If not, tell your doctor as soon as possible.
Some patients may have experienced allergic reactions just after the injection, which consist of difficulty breathing, facial swelling, skin rash, and chest pain (rare frequency). In rare cases, severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, may occur.
Other side effects are:
Common: may affect up to 1 in 10 patients
Less common: may affect up to 1 in 100 patients
Rare: may affect up to 1 in 1,000 patients
Reporting of side effects
If you experience any type of side effect, consult your doctor or pharmacist, even if it is a possible side effect that does not appear in this prospectus. You can also report them directly through the national notification system included in theAppendix V.By reporting side effects, you can contribute to providing more information on the safety of this medicine.
Keep this medication out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medication after the expiration date that appears on the packaging and the pen after CAD and EXP respectively. The expiration date is the last day of the month indicated.
FORSTEO must be stored always in the refrigerator (between 2°C and 8°C). FORSTEO can be used for 28 days after the first injection while the pen is stored in the refrigerator (between 2°C and 8°C).
Do not freeze FORSTEO. Avoid placing the pens near the freezer of the refrigerator to prevent freezing. Do not use FORSTEO if it is or has been frozen.
Each pen must be disposed of properly after 28 days, even if it is not completely empty.
FORSTEO contains a transparent and colorless solution. Do not use FORSTEO if it has solid particles or if the solution is cloudy or has color.
Medicines should not be thrown away through the drains or in the trash. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of the packaging and the medications that you no longer need. In this way, you will help to protect the environment.
Composition of FORSTEO
Appearance of the product and contents of the package
FORSTEO is a transparent and colorless solution. It is presented in a cartridge included in a preloaded disposable pen. Each pen contains 2.4 ml of solution sufficient for 28 doses. The pens are available in packages containing one or three pens. Some package sizes may only be available.
Marketing Authorization Holder
Eli Lilly Nederland B.V., Papendorpseweg 83, 3528 BJ Utrecht, Netherlands
Manufacturer
Lilly France S.A.S, Rue du Colonel Lilly, F-67640 Fegersheim, France
You can request more information about this medicine by contacting the local representative of the marketing authorization holder:
België/Belgique/Belgien Eli Lilly Benelux S.A./N.V. Tél/Tel: + 32-(0)2 548 84 84 | Lietuva Eli Lilly Lietuva Tel. + 370 (5) 2649600 |
Luxembourg/Luxemburg Eli Lilly Benelux S.A./N.V. Tél/Tel: + 32-(0)2 548 84 84 | |
Ceská republika ELI LILLY CR, s.r.o. Tel: + 420 234 664 111 | Magyarország Lilly Hungária Kft. Tel: + 36 1 328 5100 |
Danmark Eli Lilly Danmark A/S Tlf: + 45 45 26 60 00 | Malta Charles de Giorgio Ltd. Tel: + 356 25600 500 |
Deutschland Lilly Deutschland GmbH Tel. + 49-(0) 6172 273 2222 | Nederland Eli Lilly Nederland B.V. Tel: + 31-(0) 30 60 25 800 |
Eesti Eli Lilly Nederland B.V. Tel: +372 6 817 280 | Norge Eli Lilly Norge A.S. Tlf: + 47 22 88 18 00 |
Ελλáδα ΦΑΡΜΑΣΕΡΒ-ΛΙΛΛΥ Α.Ε.Β.Ε. Τηλ: + 30 210 629 4600 | Österreich Eli Lilly Ges. m.b.H. Tel: + 43-(0) 1 711 780 |
España Valquifarma, S.A.U. Tel: + 34-91 623 1732 | Polska Eli Lilly Polska Sp. z o.o. Tel.: + 48 22 440 33 00 |
France Lilly France Tél: + 33-(0) 1 55 49 34 34 | Portugal Lilly Portugal - Produtos Farmacêuticos, Lda Tel: + 351-21-4126600 |
Hrvatska Eli Lilly Hrvatska d.o.o. Tel: +385 1 2350 999 | România Eli Lilly România S.R.L. Tel: + 40 21 4023000 |
Ireland Eli Lilly and Company (Ireland) Limited. Tel: + 353-(0) 1 661 4377 | Slovenija Eli Lilly farmacevtska družba, d.o.o Tel: +386 (0)1 580 00 10 |
Ísland Icepharma hf. Sími: + 354 540 80 00 | Slovenská republika Eli Lilly Slovakia s.r.o. Tel: + 421 220 663 111 |
Italia Eli Lilly Italia S.p.A. Tel: + 39- 055 42571 | Suomi/Finland Oy Eli LillyFinland Ab Puh/Tel: + 358-(0) 9 85 45 250 |
Κúpρος Phadisco Ltd Τηλ: + 357 22 715000 | Sverige Eli Lilly Sweden AB Tel: + 46-(0) 8 7378800 |
Latvija Eli Lilly (Suisse) S.A Parstavnieciba Latvija Tel: + 371 67364000 | United Kingdom (Northern Ireland) Eli Lillyand Company (Ireland) Limited Tel: + 353-(0) 1 661 4377 |
Last review date of this leaflet:
The detailed information about this medicine is available on the website of the European Medicines Agencyhttp://www.ema.europa.eu/
This leaflet is available in all languages of the European Union/European Economic Area on the website of the European Medicines Agency.
USER MANUAL FOR THE PEN
Forsteo
FORSTEO 20 micrograms (µg) 80 microliters injectable solution in preloaded pen
Instructions for use
Before using your new pen, please read the entire sectionInstructions for Use.Follow the instructions carefully when using the pen.
Also read the leaflet includedin the package.
Do not share your pen or needles as this may pose a risk of infection transmission.
Your pen contains medicine for 28 days.
Parts of Forsteo | |
*Needles are not included. You can use Becton, Dickinson and Company pen needles. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for the most suitable needle size and length for you. |
Wash your hands before each injection. Prepare the injection site as instructed by your doctor or pharmacist.
1 Remove the white cap |
2 Place the needle | Remove the paper tab. | Place the needle by pressing itdirectlyonto the medicine cartridge | Twist the needle until it is securely attached. | Remove the outer needle cap andkeep it. |
3 Adjust the dose | Red band | Inner needle protector Remove the inner needle protector | |
Push the black injection button until it stops. And if you cannot push the black injection button, see the sectionLocalisation and Troubleshooting. | Make sure you see the red band. | Removethe inner needle protector and discard it. |
4 Inject the dose | Gently pinch your skin on your thigh or abdomen and insert the needle straight into your skin. | Press the black injection button until it stops. Keep it pressed and count slowly to 5. Then, remove the needle from your skin. |
IMPORTANT | ||||
5 Confirm the dose | After completing the injection: Once the needle is removed from your skin, make sure the black injection button has been pushed to the end. If you do not see the yellow cylinder, you have completed the steps for the injection correctly. | You should not see any part of the yellow cylinder. If this is the case and you have already injected, do not inject again on the same day. Instead, you MUST re-dose your FORTEO pen (see section Localisation and Troubleshooting, Problem A). |
6 Remove the needle | Put the outer needle cap back on the needle. | Twist the needle completely off by giving it 3 to 5 full turns of the outer needle cap. | Remove the needle and discard it as instructed by your doctor or pharmacist. | Put the white cap back on. Store the FORTEO pen in the refrigerator immediately after use. |
The instructions for handling needles do not replace local, institutional, or healthcare professional guidelines. |
Forsteo FORSTEO, 20 micrograms (µg) 80 microliters injectable solution, preloaded pen. |
Localisation and Troubleshooting | ||
Problem A. The yellow cylinder is still visible after pushing the black injection button. How do I re-dose my FORTEO pen? | Solution Follow these steps to re-dose your FORTEO pen.
| |
You can avoid this problemby always using a new needle for each injection, and pushing the black injection button to the end while counting slowly to 5. | ||
B. How can I know if my FORTEO pen is working? | The FORTEO pen is designed to deliver a full dose each time it is used, following the instructions in the section Instructions for Use. The black injection button should be pushed to the end to confirm that the FORTEO pen has delivered the full dose. Remember to use a new needle for each injection to ensure that your FORTEO pen is working correctly. |
C. I see a bubble of air in my FORTEO pen. | A small bubble of air will not affect your dose or harm you. You can proceed with your injection as usual. | |
D. I cannot remove the needle. |
|
E. What should I do if I cannot push the black injection button? | Change to a new FORTEO pen to administer your dose as instructed by your doctor or pharmacist. This means that you have already used up all the medicine that can be injected with precision, even though you may see that there is still some medicine left in the cartridge. |
Cleaning and Storage |
Cleaning of your FORTEO pen
Storage of your FORTEO pen
|
Disposal of Needles and Pen |
Disposal of Needles and Pen of FORTEO
|
Other Points of Interest |
|
Manufactured by: Lilly France, F-67640 Fegersheim, France for Eli Lilly and Company. This user manual has been revised in {Month/year} |
Have questions about this medication or your symptoms? Connect with a licensed doctor for guidance and personalized care.