Precautions and warnings

Monitor patients with a history of depression for any signs or symptoms. Conduct regular checks for mental and neurological health. Be cautious in patients who have seizure disorders or any problems with their brain function.

Check for any existing or past heart disease. Do blood tests (CBC) before and during treatment. Watch out for low blood cell counts or if the patient is taking other medicines that can lower blood counts.

Pay attention to patients with thyroid problems (underactive or overactive thyroid) or diabetes. Eye exams should be done for those who already have eye problems, such as those caused by diabetes or high blood pressure.

Keep a close watch on patients with kidney problems by monitoring their kidney function (creatinine clearance).

Drug Interactions

Slows down the removal of theophylline from the body. Can cause more severe bone marrow suppression when taken with other similar drugs (like zidovudine). May affect the way drugs processed by the CYP450 enzyme work or cause side effects, so these drugs should be watched carefully. Raises the chance of side effects from drugs that act on the brain and nerves. Can increase the risk of kidney failure if taken with interleukin-2.

Contraindications

Hypersensitivity. Autoimmune hepatitis, hepatic decompensation.

Mode of actions

Interferon alfa-2a is a medicine that helps fight viruses, cancers, and boosts the immune system. It works by stopping many kinds of viruses, including both RNA and DNA types, from multiplying. It can also slow down the growth of both normal and cancer cells. Additionally, interferon alfa-2a reduces the production of antibodies by affecting B-lymphocytes (a type of immune cell) and prevents delayed allergic reactions.

Dosage & Administration

Adult: SC Renal cell carcinoma In an escalating dose of 3 million u 3 times/wk for 1 wk, then 9 million u 3 times/wk for 1 wk, then 18 million u 3 times/wk thereafter for 3-12 mth.

Chronic hepatitis B 2.5-5 million u/m2 3 times/wk for 4-6 mth. Chronic hepatitis C W/ ribavirin: 3-4.5 million u 3 times/wk for 6 mth. Monotherapy: 3 million u 3 times/wk for 12 mth. Hairy cell leukaemia 3 million u/day for 16-24 wk. Maintenance: 3 million u 3 times/wk, up to 24 wk.

AIDS related Kaposi's sarcoma In an escalating dose of 3 million u/day for 3 days, 9 million u/day for 3 days, 18 million u/day for 3 days, and 36 million u/day (if tolerated) on days 10-84. thereafter max tolerated dose (up to 36 million u) 3 times/wk.

Chronic myeloid leukaemia In an escalating dose of 3 million u/day for 3 days, 6 million u/day for 3 days, and 9 million u/day thereafter. For responders after 12 wk: Continue treatment until haematological response is complete or up to 18 mth. Follicular lymphoma As adjunct to chemotherapy: 6 million u/ m2/day on days 22-26 of each 28-day cycle.

Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma In an escalating dose of 3 million u/day for 3 days, then 9 million u/day for 3 days, and then 18 million u/day to complete 12 wk of treatment. Thereafter, max tolerated dose (up to 18 million u) 3 times/wk for at least 12 mth in responders.

Melanoma 3 million u 3 times/wk for 18 mth. Start treatment no later than 6 wk after surgery.

Pregnancy & Lactation

FDA has not yet classified this medicine into a specified pregnancy category. Although there is no enough evidence that taking this medicine during you are pregnant is harmful.

Discuss with your doctor if you are trying to get pregnant while taking this medicine too.

If you do become pregnant while you are taking this medicine, you should continue to take it and contact with your doctors as quickly as possible. They can assist you to decide whether or not to keep taking this medicine. If you abandon taking this medicine and become sick, this would be more pernicious to your child than staying on the medication.


There is no specific information about whether this medicine is passed on to the baby through breast milk. During this medication, if your baby becomes very sleepy, restless, fatigued, exhibit feeding problems, stop breastfeeding and talk to your doctors very quickly.

Pack Size & Price