Vedolizumab medicine card
Content date: 11 November 2026
A biologic treatment targeting the movement of inflammatory cells toward the bowel, for some cases of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
Your next step
Check your written prescription and monitoring plan. If anything is unclear, ask your care team before changing a dose.
Get urgent help: A severe allergic reaction or difficulty breathing. New weakness, changes in vision or speech, confusion or worsening balance also need urgent assessment.
How do I use it?
- An intravenous dose takes about 30 minutes, plus observation. The usual schedule is the first dose, then at weeks two and six from the start, then every eight weeks; your clinician may adjust it. Under-the-skin injections may later maintain disease control. Do not change the route yourself; receive training before home injections.
How do I store it?
- Keep unopened vials and injections in the original packaging at 2–8°C; do not freeze. Do not shake the pen or syringe. Conditions for storage outside the refrigerator vary by formulation and leaflet; ask the pharmacist about travel or a power outage.
What tests do I need?
- Review of infections and vaccinations before starting, with tuberculosis and viral tests according to the unit’s plan. Liver tests, blood tests and disease activity are monitored as needed.
Possible side effects: what to expect
- Not everyone experiences side effects. Headache, joint aches or cold-like symptoms can occur. Tell your team if these persist or bother you, and tell the nurse immediately about new symptoms during an infusion.
- Infections and infusion reactions can occur. The intravenous Entyvio leaflet lists anaphylaxis as very rare: up to 1 in 10,000 people. This figure refers only to severe allergy. The team monitors you during treatment, and reporting symptoms early helps them respond.
Important points
- Being gut-targeted does not eliminate the possibility of infection or allergic reactions. Consult the team about pregnancy, breastfeeding and before vaccination.
Brand / device: ........................ | Dose and how I take or use the medicine: ........................
Next dose: ........................ | Next blood tests: ........................
Team contact: ........................
When to get help
A severe allergic reaction or difficulty breathing. New weakness, changes in vision or speech, confusion or worsening balance also need urgent assessment.
Fever or infection before a dose, yellow eyes or dark urine: contact the team promptly. Do not delay or stop doses without a plan, and do not double a missed dose.