Should a Biologic Be Your Next Step for IBD?

Is a Biologic Your Next Step for IBD?

Are you getting the most out of your current inflammatory bowel disease treatment? Answer these questions to find out if switching to a biologic is right for you.
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Updated on May 22, 2025
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Although inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) cannot be cured, today’s treatment options enable many people with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis to live a life without gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. For people with moderate-to-severe IBD, biologics are often used to reach and maintain remission. Among the most effective medications for IBD, this class of drugs works to block inflammation in the body.

 Many types of biologics are available and are administered by mouth, injection, or intravenous (IV) infusion.

Whether biologics are right for you is based on a number of factors, including disease severity, disease activity, colonoscopy results, overall health, and even your personal preferences. IBD treatment decisions are highly individualized, says Aline J. Charabaty Pishvan, MD, director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center at Sibley Memorial Hospital — an affiliate of Johns Hopkins — in Washington, DC.

Your doctor will help you determine which treatment option might work best for you at this time. Closely monitoring how well treatment is working and communicating that with your doctor can help them identify factors that may mean you’d benefit from a treatment change.

To help yourself prepare for your next conversation with your doctor, answer these questions to gauge how well your current treatment plan is working for you and whether you may be a candidate for a biologic.

Question 1

Is the IBD you have considered moderate to severe?

  • A. Yes
  • B. No
  • C. I don’t know
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. AGA Recommends Early Use of Biologics in Patients With Moderate-to-Severe Crohn’s Disease. American Gastroenterological Association. May 27, 2021.
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Yuying Luo, MD

Medical Reviewer

Yuying Luo, MD, is an assistant professor of medicine at Mount Sinai West and Morningside in New York City. She aims to deliver evidence-based, patient-centered, and holistic care for her patients.

Her clinical and research focus includes patients with disorders of gut-brain interaction such as irritable bowel syndrome and functional dyspepsia; patients with lower gastrointestinal motility (constipation) disorders and defecatory and anorectal disorders (such as dyssynergic defecation); and women’s gastrointestinal health.

She graduated from Harvard with a bachelor's degree in molecular and cellular biology and received her MD from the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She completed her residency in internal medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where she was also chief resident. She completed her gastroenterology fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital and was also chief fellow.

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Kerry Weiss

Author
Kerry Weiss is a New York–based freelance writer, editor, and content strategist specializing in health and wellness. She has contributed to a variety of online publications, including Healthline, WebMD, Sharecare, Twill Care, and What to Expect.
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