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Infusion therapy might sound high-tech, but for many people living with neurologic conditions, it’s become one of the most promising instruments in their treatment toolbox.
While clinics offering trendy but questionable “wellness” infusions have recently co-opted the term, in medicine, infusion therapy refers to medications administered intravenously—that is, directly into the bloodstream. Since the medication bypasses the digestive system, it works faster. Infusions also prevent drugs from degrading in the gastrointestinal tract.
Paul G. Mathew, MD, DNBPAS, FAAN, FAHS, an assistant professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and headache specialist at Mass General Brigham/Atrius Health, says this direct access can make a big difference.
“Let’s say a patient is experiencing disabling pain from a migraine or trigeminal neuralgia,” he says. “Their stomach may slow down to the point that it can take hours for an oral drug to absorb, or they may end up vomiting the medication due to disease-associated nausea. Infusion allows us to deliver rapid relief when every second counts.”
For decades, infusion therapy was mostly used in hospital settings. Today, thanks to evolving treatment options and broader access, patients can receive infusions at outpatient clinics, dedicated infusion centers, and even in their own homes with the help of trained nurses.
At infusion centers, patients usually sit in comfortable chairs while a nurse places an intravenous (IV) line in the arm or hand. Depending on the drug, an infusion can take anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours.
Home infusions follow the same steps, but a trained nurse administers them in the patient’s own space. This option can be especially valuable for people who have difficulty traveling or need frequent treatments, as it cuts down on time spent commuting and waiting in a clinic. Regardless of location, infusions always require a doctor’s order, and patients remain under medical supervision and are monitored for adverse reactions.
Transformative Therapies
Richard J. Nowak, MD, director of the Yale Myasthenia Gravis (MG) Clinic and associate professor of neurology at Yale School of Medicine, has seen infusion therapy transform care for people with autoimmune neuromuscular conditions like MG and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. More than a decade ago, he says, treatment was limited to oral steroids and immunosuppressants, which often took months—or even over a year—to show a benefit.
“We had to be patient and hope people responded,” Dr. Nowak says. “Now, we have newer, targeted therapies that can help stabilize someone in just a few weeks.”
These newer infusion medications have let neurologists tailor treatments more precisely to each patient’s needs. Many are monoclonal antibodies—proteins designed to target specific disease-causing substances—that treat conditions such as multiple sclerosis, migraine, and neuromuscular diseases.
For people with moderate to severe diseases—such as someone with MG who struggles to walk, speak clearly, or breathe comfortably—infusions may lead to fewer side effects, faster symptom control, and reduced reliance on long-term steroids.
“The advantage is being able to act quickly,” Dr. Nowak says. “This approach may be considered more proactive, more personalized, and ultimately more hopeful in treating MG as quickly as possible.”
Infusion therapy also has opened an entirely new chapter in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. The drugs lecanemab (Leqembi) and donanemab (Kisunla) are delivered via infusion and target amyloid, one of two proteins that can abnormally build up in the brain and are responsible for Alzheimer’s. While the results are encouraging, they come with important safety considerations. Patients must have frequent MRIs so their neurologist can monitor them for outcomes and side effects, such as small areas of brain swelling and tiny bleeds, a reaction known as amyloid-related imaging abnormalities. Still, many patients choose to move forward.
“We explain the risks, and the patient decides,” says Oscar Lopez, MD, director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at the University of Pittsburgh. “The important thing is that they have a choice now—something we couldn’t offer before.”
A Convenient Choice
For people with chronic conditions like migraine, a quarterly infusion may be easier to manage than traditional treatment. “Most of my patients are balancing work, kids, and other commitments,” Dr. Mathew says. “They forget to take daily medications or miss refills. For them, a scheduled infusion might be a better fit.”
Of course, no treatment is without risk. Side effects vary depending on the patient’s medication and condition, but common concerns include allergic reactions, infusion site reactions, and immune suppression, which can increase the risk of infection. Before starting treatment with some medications—such as complement inhibitors, which block part of the immune system to reduce inflammation—patients must get meningococcal vaccines, according to Dr. Nowak. Others, like the Alzheimer’s drugs, come with imaging requirements so clinicians can catch signs of brain changes early.
Accessing infusion therapy isn’t always simple, though. Many newer medications require prior authorization from insurance companies, and some insurers only cover the treatments after patients try and fail older or cheaper ones. Dr. Nowak says this can delay care at a critical moment.
“A prior authorization process … may include peer-to-peer reviews and appeals before it’s approved,” he says. “That process can take weeks.”
Despite these hurdles, experts agree that infusion therapy represents a powerful shift in neurologic care—one that gives patients more options and clinicians more tools. For people with complex or progressive conditions, that can mean less suffering and more time doing what they love.
“We used to need to wait and see,” Dr. Nowak says. “Now we can intervene earlier and get patients under better control, hopefully symptom-free, and back to their normal lives. That’s a real advantage.”
Trends and Red Flags
With the field of infusion therapy rapidly expanding, there’s also growing public confusion around what constitutes true medical treatment. A quick online search for “infusion therapy” may turn up not just medical options but also wellness clinics promoting IV drips for energy or hydration. These clinics and mobile IV bars have proliferated in recent years, boosted by influencers and social media. They advertise fast fixes for everything from immune system problems to cognitive issues—often priced at $100 to $600 per session.
Scientifically, there’s little to back these trends. A 2024 review in Nutrients concluded that consumer IV vitamin therapies are marketed with unproven claims, carry risks of infection and toxicity, and should not be considered evidence-based medical treatments. The American College of Clinical Pharmacology has called out the aggressive, unsupported claims made by these clinics. And doctors at institutions like the Mayo Clinic have warned about risks ranging from allergic reactions to kidney and heart complications, especially when IVs are given without clear medical need or hygiene controls.
Though these treatments may sound similar to medical infusions, they’re not. Infusion therapies approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for conditions like Alzheimer’s, MG, and migraine have undergone years of rigorous clinical trials and regulatory review. They require careful monitoring and risk mitigation, and licensed medical professionals in controlled settings should administer them, Dr. Mathew says. (While some infusion facilities name a qualified physician or provider who is responsible for supervision, consumers should realize that person may not actually be on site.)
Dr. Mathew says red flags to look for include cash-based services that don’t take insurance; infusions of vitamins and minerals you’d absorb just as easily from a healthy diet or supplements; vague, unverified claims about “boosting immunity,” “energy,” or “wellness”; and no physician oversight mentioned on the clinic’s website. People also should beware stand-alone facilities offering only IV services and no broader medical care.
“Not all infusion centers or services are created equally,” Dr. Mathew says. “If you are considering any kind of infusion therapy, make sure it is in a setting supervised by a qualified physician.”