Oral Tablets

Oral tablets must be taken frequently – once or twice a day. You have to be good at remembering to take your medicine on time.

Traveller's Notes: Oral tablets are easy to travel with because they are small and can be stored at room temperature.

Subcutaneous (SC) Injection

Subcutaneous injections are small injections that are "poked" just underneath the skin. They are quick and easy to do at home, and are generally taken once every 1-4 weeks.

Traveller's Notes: Some medicines that are taken by subcutaneous injection are easier to travel with than others. Some can be stored at room temperature, while others must be kept at refrigerated temperatures. For "cool" medications, you need to travel with a cooler pack, and make sure you have access to a fridge at your destination. In all cases, you must travel with small needles, which is not a problem.

Intravenous Infusion

Most intravenous medications need to be given in a specialized clinic that you must visit. It can take 1-4 hours to receive an infusion, but they only need to be given many weeks or even many months apart.

Traveller's Notes: It's hard to travel with these medications. However, as intravenous medications don't need to be taken very often, most patients do not need to worry about taking them when travelling.

Clinical Experience

Some patients prefer medications that have been on the market for a long time because they have a longer safety record, and because doctors have more years of experience with them.

Other patients prefer newer medications that might have other benefits.

This tool covers medications that have been available from 1 to 20 years. All of the medications are considered to be safe and effective treatments for rheumatoid arthritis and other rheumatic diseases.