Yes. Stelara reduces your immune system’s ability to fight off infections.
Stelara is used to treat conditions that are partly caused by an overactive immune system. These conditions include plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis.
Having an overactive immune system can lead to inflammation, pain, and other health problems.
Stelara helps decrease the activity of your immune system, which helps stop it from attacking your joints and organs. This can improve your symptoms and your quality of life.
However, when your immune system activity is decreased, you have a greater risk of developing serious or rare infections. You may also have a greater risk of reactivation (flare-up) of infections, such as tuberculosis (TB), that you’ve had in the past. Reduced immune system function caused by Stelara may also increase your risk of certain cancers, including skin cancer.
Talk with your doctor about infections that you’ve had in the past. Also, you should call your doctor right away if you think you have an infection during Stelara treatment. If you develop an infection while you’re using Stelara, your doctor may have you stop using Stelara for a while. They’ll also inform you when it’s safe for you to restart treatment.