Interferon (immunomodulator)
Interferon beta
Brand names: Avonex, Rebif, Betaferon, Plegridy, Extavia
Adult dose
Dose: Brand-specific — e.g. Avonex 30 micrograms IM weekly; Rebif 22–44 micrograms SC 3×/week; Plegridy 125 micrograms SC every 2 weeks
Route: SC/IM
Frequency: varies
Clinical pearls
- Relapsing-remitting MS — first-line DMT
- Pre-treatment LFTs, FBC, TFTs
Contraindications
- Severe depression / suicidality
- Decompensated hepatic disease
- Pregnancy (relative)
Side effects
- Flu-like symptoms (very common — pre-medicate paracetamol)
- Injection site reactions
- Hepatotoxicity
- Cytopenias
- Depression
- Thyroid dysfunction
- Thrombotic microangiopathy (rare)
Interactions
- Live vaccines
- Hepatotoxic drugs
Monitoring
- LFTs
- FBC
- TFTs
- Mental state
Reference: BNF; NICE NG220; ABN MS guidelines; https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/interferon-beta/. Verify against your local formulary and the latest BNF before prescribing.
Related
Curated clinical cross-links plus same-class fallbacks.
Calculators
- MAGGIC Heart Failure Risk Score · Heart Failure
- Long QT Syndrome (Schwartz Score) · Channelopathy / Sudden Cardiac Death
- C-Peptide to Glucose Ratio · Diabetes Classification
- International Staging System (ISS) for Multiple Myeloma · Multiple Myeloma
- Revised ISS (R-ISS) for Multiple Myeloma · Haematological Malignancy
- International Staging System for Multiple Myeloma (ISS) · Oncology
Pathways
- Acute Stroke / TIA Assessment · NICE NG128; RCP Stroke Guidelines 2023
- Status Epilepticus (Adults) · NICE CG137; ESEM guidelines; RCP Neurology Guidelines
- Suspected Subarachnoid Haemorrhage · NICE NG228; RCEM 2023; AHA/ASA 2023
- Adult Head Injury · NICE NG232 (2023)
- Bell's Palsy / Facial Nerve Palsy · ENT UK 2017; AAN
- Vertigo Workup · ENT UK; NICE CKS