Tacrolimus Topical

A small number of patients who used tacrolimus ointment or another similar medication developed skin cancer or lymphoma (cancer in a part of the immune system). There is not enough information available to tell whether tacrolimus ointment caused these patients to develop cancer. Studies of transplant patients and laboratory animals and an understanding of the way tacrolimus works suggest that there is a possibility that people who use tacrolimus ointment have a greater risk of developing cancer. More study is needed to understand this risk.

Follow these directions carefully to decrease the possible risk that you will develop cancer during your treatment with tacrolimus ointment:

• Use tacrolimus ointment only when you have symptoms of eczema. Stop using tacrolimus ointment when your symptoms go away or when your doctor tells you that you should stop. Do not use tacrolimus ointment continuously for a long time.
• Call your doctor if you have used tacrolimus ointment for 6 weeks and your eczema symptoms have not improved, or if your symptoms get worse at any time during your treatment. A different medication may be needed.
• Call your doctor if your eczema symptoms come back after your treatment with tacrolimus ointment.
• Apply tacrolimus ointment only to skin that is affected by eczema. Use the smallest amount of ointment that is needed to control your symptoms.
• Do not use tacrolimus ointment to treat eczema in children who are younger than 2 years old. Do not use tacrolimus ointment 0.1% to treat eczema in children who are between 2 and 15 years old. Only tacrolimus ointment 0.03% may be used to treat children in this age group.
• Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had cancer, especially skin cancer, or any condition that affects your immune system. Ask your doctor if you are not sure if a condition that you have has affected your immune system. Tacrolimus may not be right for you.
• Protect your skin from real and artificial sunlight during your treatment with tacrolimus ointment. Do not use sun lamps or tanning beds, and do not undergo ultraviolet light therapy. Stay out of the sunlight as much as possible during your treatment, even when the medication is not on your skin. If you need to be outside in the sun, wear loose fitting clothing to protect the treated skin, and ask your doctor about other ways to protect your skin from the sun.

Your doctor or pharmacist will give you the manufacturer’s patient information sheet (Medication Guide) when you begin treatment with tacrolimus and each time you refill your prescription. Read the information carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. You can also visit the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website (http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm085729.htm) or the manufacturer’s website to obtain the Medication Guide.

Talk to your doctor about the risks of using tacrolimus ointment.

🔔 Why is this medication prescribed?

Tacrolimus ointment is used to treat the symptoms of eczema (atopic dermatitis; a skin disease that causes the skin to be dry and itchy and to sometimes develop red, scaly rashes) in patients who cannot use other medications for their condition or whose eczema has not responded to another medication. Tacrolimus is in a class of medications called topical calcineurin inhibitors. It works by stopping the immune system from producing substances that may cause eczema.

🔔 How should this medicine be used?

Tacrolimus comes as an ointment to apply to the skin. It is usually applied twice a day to the affected area. To help you remember to apply tacrolimus ointment, apply it at around the same times every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Use tacrolimus exactly as directed. Do not use more or less of it or use it more often than prescribed by your doctor.

To use the ointment, follow these steps:

1. Wash your hands with soap and water.
2. Be sure that the skin in the affected area is dry.
3. Apply a thin layer of tacrolimus ointment to all affected areas of your skin.
4. Rub the ointment into your skin gently and completely.
5. Wash your hands with soap and water to remove any leftover tacrolimus ointment. Do not wash your hands if you are treating them with tacrolimus.
6. You may cover the treated areas with normal clothing, but do not use any bandages, dressings, or wraps.
7. Be careful not to wash the ointment off of affected areas of your skin. Do not swim, shower, or bathe immediately after applying tacrolimus ointment.

🔔 Other uses for this medicine

This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Part of the reason for these long wait times and short appointments is due to a nationwide shortage of physicians that is only getting worse. A report by the Association of American Medical Colleges predicts that, due to population growth and specifically growth of the elderly population, the physician shortfall in the U.S. could reach 121,300 by the year 2030.