Efficacy of EMLA cream to reduce fear and pain associated with interferon beta-1a injection in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Fear of pain from injections may affect adherence to needed drug therapy. A single-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of EMLA cream in reducing the fear and pain associated with intramuscular (IM) injection during administration of interferon beta-1a to patients with multiple sclerosis. Patients rated fear of injection on a visual analog scale before the injection and rated injection pain following the injection. With the application of EMLA cream, the mean pain-of-injection score was found to be significantly lower than the mean fear-of-injection score. The 18 patients who completed the study experienced a statistically significant decrease in both scores. This study suggests that the use of EMLA cream may reduce the pain and fear associated with IM injections.