Which medication requires a tuberculosis test prior to treatment?

Etanercept, commonly known by the brand name Enbrel, is a medication used to treat autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. One of the critical steps before initiating treatment with Etanercept is screening for latent tuberculosis (TB). This is because Etanercept, as a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor, can increase the risk of developing active TB by suppressing the immune response.

Patients who have latent TB may not show any symptoms, but when treated with medications that compromise immune function, the infection can become active, leading to serious complications. Therefore, health care providers often require a tuberculin skin test or an interferon-gamma release assay to assess for TB infection before starting the treatment. This precaution is a standard part of the management of patients undergoing therapy with TNF inhibitors, ensuring that any latent infections are identified and treated appropriately prior to the initiation of immune-suppressive therapy.