Dapsone 50 mg and 100 mg tablets are concerned, you should discuss this with your • Dapsone syndrome: Rarely

• Dapsone syndrome: Rarely (may up to 1

Dapsone doctor. in 1,000 people) a condition called “dapsone
syndrome” may occur after 3 - 6 weeks of
1. What Dapsone is an d what it is used for Dapsone may reduce the number and/or the treatment. The signs always include rash, high
movement of sperm; this may make it more temperature, and changes in blood cells. You
Dapsone belongs to a group of medicines called difficult to make your partner: if you are concerned must seek medical advice at once since severe
antibacterials. It works by stopping the production you should discuss this with your doctor or skin reactions, liver inflammation, kidney damage
of folic acid in certain bacteria, therefore pharmacist. and mental illness have occurred if treatment is not
stopping them growing. stopped or reduced. Some deaths have been
3. How to take Dapsone reported.
Dapsone may be used for: • Effects on your leprosy: if you are being
• leprosy Always take this medicine exactly as your treated for leprosy and the condition does not
• skin problems doctor or pharmacist has told you. Check with your improve or if you get eye damage or nerve
• the prevention of malaria in combination with doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure. damage, you should talk to your doctor at once.
pyrimethamine
• the prevention of pneumonia in AIDS Swallow the tablets with some water. Tell your doctor if you notice any of the
patients. following side effects or notice any other effects
Use in Adults and Children over 12 years: not listed:
Your doctor will explain what you are being treated Multibacillary (also called MB or lepromatous)
for; if not you should ask the doctor. leprosy: 100mg daily for at least two years. Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):
Paucibacillary (also called PB or tuberculoid) • Haemolysis (destruction of red blood cells),
2. What you need to know before you take leprosy: 100mg daily for at least six months. which may make you feel tired.
Dapsone Malaria prophylaxis or Prevention of Malaria: • Shortness of breath, feeling tired, bluish tinge
100mg weekly with 12.5mg pyrimethamine. to the skin (Methaemoglobinaemia).
Do not take Dapsone tablets and tell your doctor if Dermatitis herpetiformis or Intensely itchy,
you: blistering rash, called dermatitis herpetiformis: Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people):
• are allergic (hypersensitive) to dapsone or any of initially 50mg daily which may be gradually • Lack of iron in the blood (anaemia), caused by
the other ingredients (listed in section 6) in the increased to 300mg daily and then reduced to a destruction of red blood cells, which may make
tablet. usual maintenance dose of 25mg-50mg daily. you feel tired.
• are allergic to similar medicines such as Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia or • Fast heart-beat.
sulfonamide or sulfone (see section 6). An allergic Pneumonia caused by a germ called • Loss of appetite.
reaction may include a rash, itching, lips, throat or Pneumocystis carinii: in combination with • Nausea.
tongue. another medicine called trimethoprim: In • Vomiting.
• suffer from lack of iron in your blood (serve as combination with trimethoprim, 50-100mg daily • Inflammation of the liver characterized by
anaemia). or 100mg twice weekly or 200mg once weekly. tiredness, abdominal pain, poor appetite (hepatitis).
• have a genetic or inherited disorder of the red • Yellowing of skin or whites of the eye
blood pigment, haemoglobin, called porphyria. Use in the Elderly (jaundice).
• suffer from severe glucose-6-phosphate If you have a damaged liver your doctor may • Changes in liver function tests (your doctor will
dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD), this can cause give you a lower dose than for adults. check this).
episodes of anaemia after eating certain foods such • Low levels of albumin in the blood
as fava beans (favism). People of African, Asian, Use in Children 6-12 years: (Hypoalbuminaemia) - your doctor will check
or Mediterranean ancestry are especially at risk of Multibacillary (also called MB or lepromatous) this.
this. leprosy: 50mg daily for at least two years. • Headache.
Paucibacillary(also called PB or tuberculoid) • Nerve damage which may result in tingling in
Warnings and precautions leprosy: 50mg daily for at least six months. your arms or legs and some weakness (peripheral
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before neuropathy, peripheral motor neuropathy).
taking Dapsone: Continue to take them for as long as your • Difficulty in sleeping
• if you suffer from any other blood disorder. doctor tells you to, it may be dangerous to stop • Hallucinations, delusions, excessive
• if you have heart disease. without their advice. movements, loss of contact with reality
• if you have lung disease. (Psychosis).
If you take more Dapsone than you should If you, • Skin being more sensitive to the sun or to light
Other medicines and Dapsone or someone else swallow a lot of tablets (photosensitivity).
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, together, or you think a child may have • Itching.
have recently taken or might take any other swallowed some, contact your nearest hospital • Skin rash.
medicines, including medicines obtained without a emergency department, or tell your doctor
prescription. immediately. Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people):
It is especially important: • Sudden fever, chills, soreness of the throat,
• if you are taking a medicine for gout called If you forget to take Dapsone mouth and gums, mouth ulcers, gum bleeding
probenecid. Do not take a double dose to make up for a (Agranulocytosis).
• if you are taking antibiotics for infections called forgotten dose. If you forget to take a dose • A serious skin reaction with symptoms such
rifampicin, rifabutin, ortrimethoprim. take it as soon as you remember it and then as rash, blistering or peeling of the skin
• if you are to have an oral typhoid take the next dose at the right time. (Exfoliative dermatitis).
• Severe, raised, red, lumpy rash
Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before If you stop taking Dapsone (Maculopapular rash).
taking any medicines. You should continue to take Dapsone for as • Red, painful raised rash, with skin loss (Toxic
long as you doctor tells you to do so. It may epidermal necrolysis).
Pregnancy, breast-feeding and fertility be dangerous to stop taking Dapsone without • Flu like symptoms, followed by a red or
If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you your doctor telling you to stop. purple rash which spreads and forms blisters,
may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, followed by skin loss (Stevens-Johnson
ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before If you have any further questions on the use of this syndrome).
taking this medicine. medicine, ask your doctor, or pharmacist.
Very rare (may affect up to 1 in 10, 000 people):
You may be prescribed folic acid supplements by 4. Possible side effects • Well defined, round or oval areas of reddening
your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to and swelling of the skin, ntypically on the arms and
become pregnant. Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side legs (Fixed drug eruptions).
effects, although not everybody gets them.
Dapsone can be present in breast milk. There Report of side effects if you get any side effects.
have been reports of low iron in blood (anaemia) Contact your doctor immediately if the Talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This
of infants breast-fed while the mother has been following occur: includes any possible effects not listed in this
taking Dapsone. If you are breast-feeding, or you leaflet.