Frequently Asked Questions

Omnitrope is a recombinant human growth hormone indicated for:

• Pediatric: Treatment of children with growth failure due to growth hormone deficiency (GHD), Prader-Willi Syndrome, Small for Gestational Age, Turner Syndrome, and Idiopathic Short Stature
• Adult: Treatment of adults with either adult onset or childhood onset GHD

The primary action of somatropin is growth, including tissue, skeletal, cell, and organ growth. Growth hormone also influences protein, carbohydrate, lipid, mineral, and connective tissue metabolism.

Omnitrope is made by recombinant technology. The amino acid sequence of the product is identical to that of human growth hormone of pituitary origin (somatropin), but it is not taken from the human body. Instead, Omnitrope is made in a laboratory.

Omnitrope is supplied in prefilled liquid cartridges for use with the Omnitrope^® Pen or a vial for reconstitution.

Call a healthcare professional if you or your child takes more medicine than prescribed.

Take the missed dose as soon as possible. If it is almost time for the next scheduled dose, do not use extra medicine to make up for the missed dose.

Before use, keep Omnitrope cartridges and loaded pens in the refrigerator between 36°F and 46°F (2°C and 8°C). Once a cartridge has been loaded into the pen, it should not be removed until it is empty or 28 days have passed since its first use. The pen with the loaded cartridge should be stored in the refrigerator for up to 28 days. Do not freeze Omnitrope. To protect medicine from light, keep Omnitrope cartridges in their original packaging until a cartridge is loaded into the pen. Remember to always keep Omnitrope and injection needles away from children.

After reconstitution of Omnitrope vials, the contents of the vial must be used within 3 weeks. Before use and after the first injection, the vial should be stored in the carton in a refrigerator between 36°F and 46°F.

Omnitrope should not be used in children and adults with any of the following medical conditions because serious side effects, including death, can occur:

• a critical illness caused by certain types of complications from heart or stomach surgery, serious injury, or a sudden and severe breathing problem (respiratory failure)
• Prader-Willi Syndrome patients, who are severely overweight or have a history of breathing problems (including sleep apnea)
• cancer or other tumors
• allergies to growth hormone or any of the ingredients in the medicine
• certain types of eye problems caused by diabetes

Omnitrope should also not be used in children who have completed growth.

Patients should tell their doctor about their medical and family history, treatment use, and past and existing medical conditions such as, but not limited to, the following:

• cancer or any tumor
• diabetes
• use of prescription and nonprescription medicines, steroids, vitamins, and herbal supplements
• pregnancy
• nursing

The most common side effects of Omnitrope include:

• local reactions at the injection site (such as pain, numbness, redness, and swelling)
• headaches
• swelling associated with fluid retention
• pain in joints and muscle pain
• carpal tunnel syndrome
• tingling and numbness
• high blood sugar (hyperglycemia/diabetes) and sugar in your urine (glucosuria)
• unusual skin sensations
• low levels of thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism)

Review Important Safety Information below, as well as the full Prescribing Information.

Be sure to talk to your healthcare professional if you have questions about the uses or safety considerations of Omnitrope. 

Other possible side effects of Omnitrope are:

• return of tumor or cancerous growths
• headaches, changes in vision, nausea, or vomiting (these may be symptoms of raised pressure in the brain, which requires immediate medical attention)
• hip and knee pain or a limp in children, that can be a sign of slipped capital femoral epiphysis
• worsening of pre-existing curvature of the spine in children (scoliosis)
• increased ear infections and ear disorders in children with Turner Syndrome (check for cardiovascular disorders hypertension, stroke)
• intense pain and tenderness in the abdomen as a consequence of an inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis)
• gasping syndrome (decreased rate of breathing) in children from high levels of benzyl alcohol (an inactive ingredient)
• increased mortality in patients with Prader-Willi Syndrome and acute illness

Review Important Safety Information below, as well as the full Prescribing Information.

Be sure to talk to your or your child's healthcare professional if you have questions about the uses or safety considerations of Omnitrope.

• Patients and caregivers who will administer Omnitrope should receive appropriate training and instruction on the proper use of Omnitrope
• Use Omnitrope exactly as your healthcare professional prescribes
• Properly dispose of used syringes and needles in a puncture-resistant container
• Never share an Omnitrope Pen with another person, even if the needle is changed
• Sharing the pen may lead to infection
• See the Instructions for Use section of the Prescribing Infomation for detailed information

Omnitrope is given as a subcutaneous (under-the-skin) injection each day or several times a week, as directed by a healthcare professional. Injecting Omnitrope is convenient with the Omnitrope^® Pen 5 or Omnitrope^® Pen 10. Each pen uses liquid cartridges. Omnitrope is also available as a vial for injection with a syringe.

You or your child will receive a pen based on the dose of Omnitrope the healthcare professional prescribes.

Omnitrope is injected just below the skin. A healthcare professional will suggest the best areas of the body to inject Omnitrope. Recommended areas include the thigh, stomach, or buttocks. The healthcare professional will also advise on how to rotate injection sites to avoid tissue atrophy (damage to local tissue).