Remicade and Filters

Remicade (Infliximab) is a medication that should be administered with a filter on the IV line. I've been told this is to prevent molecules that are too large from entering the blood stream, since it is a biologic medication. I've been on Remicade for nearly 3 years now, and it's worked great at keeping my Ulcerative Colitis in remission. The infusion process has become routine for me, but at one of my recent infusions I noticed that something was a little different. Instead of the usual disk-like filter on my IV, this was connected to the line:

I checked with the nurse to make sure that hadn't forgotten to attach the filter, which has happened to me before. It turns out that this tag-shaped thing is also a filter! I don't know about any other Remicade users, but I had never seen this type of filter before. My filters almost always looks like a blue disk:

0.2 Micron Disc Filter - medidose.com

They have since gone back to using the blue disks, and I haven't seen a tag-shaped filter since; but it's good to know that these other filter shapes exist. So if you see something like this attached to your IV one day, no need to freak out--it is a filter too!

I do still recommend checking with the nurses on staff and always checking your IV yourself to ensure that the filter is attached. Mistakes do happen, and when I was first starting Remicade, the hospital staff DID forget to attach the filter. Luckily, my dad was alert at the time, and caught this mistake before they began the infusion. I'm not sure if there are any serious adverse side effects to receiving Remicade without a filter, however, the Remicade website specifically states that you "must use an infusion set with an in-line, sterile, non-pyrogenic, low-protein-binding filter (pore size of
1.2 µm or less)." So, as far as I'm concerned, whether or not the filter is just a precaution, it's important to make sure that a filter is attached to your line before you receive your infusion.

Just a friendly reminder to stay vigilant!

Until next time,

Hannah