OBJECTIVES: To describe the experience of RA patients with subcutaneous (SC) anti-TNF therapy from the patient perspective. METHODS: Patients aged ≥18 and self-reporting an RA diagnosis completed a cross-sectional, self-administered, Internet-based questionnaire in August 2009. Biologic therapies included in the questionnaire were abatacept, adalimumab, certolizumab, etanercept, golimumab, infliximab and rituximab. This analysis focused on patients who reported current or past use of adalimumab (ADA) or etanercept (ETA), the most commonly prescribed SC anti-TNF agents. Certolizumab and golimumab were not included in the analyses due to the limited time they were available at the time of the study and their very small sample sizes. Patients provided information about their experiences with self-injection and how these experiences have affected self-reported discontinuation of therapy. RESULTS: A total of 263 patients were using SC anti-TNF therapy (129 ADA and 134 ETA) at the time of the survey. More than half of SC anti-TNF users (57%) experienced burning during or after injection. Of these, 15% rated the burning as very or extremely intense and 56% rated the burning as somewhat intense. Among SC users who reported that they did not take their medication as directed all the time (n=41), 12% cited discomfort in administering medication as often or very often a reason for treatment discontinuation. Of a small group of patients reported discontinuing in the year preceding the study (n=62), lack of efficacy, side effects, cost of drugs, and discomfort in administering medication were cited as major reasons for discontinuation.  CONCLUSIONS: More than half of SC anti-TNF users experience burning during or after injection, and this discomfort may adversely affect treatment discontinuation. The results suggest that the patient experience should be considered when making treatment decisions. Further research is needed to examine the relationship between injection site reaction and patient outcomes including observed medication discontinuation.