Side effects vs benefits

Side Effects vs Benefits

Dr. Samuel Whittle
Rheumatologist, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Adelaide

We’ve become very good these days at understanding what the potential risks of these drugs are and acting to minimise them, and in the vast majority of cases people who are taking disease-modifying drugs in the long term have no problems with side effects whatsoever.

Matthew Leibowitz
Member, Arthritis Australia National Consumer Reference Group (ankylosing spondylitis)

If you’re scared of taking a medication the person that’s going to know best is your rheumatologist, your doctor, your health professional. But they need to understand your needs and your concerns and I think it’s having that open dialogue with your health professionals to really work through what your concerns are and what the risks are for you. But you need to make a decision for yourself, I can’t make one.

Wendy Favorito
Consumer Director Arthritis Australia
Chair, Arthritis Australia National Consumer Reference Group (rheumatoid arthritis)

I think in managing RA, the medicines that are available, in particular the biologics, we know they have remarkable benefits to the patient and while people will look at the side effects on paper and they can be quite scary to read about. The reality is that they’re just potential side effects and I think it’s making that decision about do I run the risk of a slim chance of getting one of these side effects versus potentially having a disease that is very well controlled. I think the benefits outweigh the risks.