Eflornithine (Systemic)

Brand name(s): Ornidyl

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For eflornithine, the following should be considered:

Allergies-Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to eflornithine. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy-Studies have not been done in humans. However, studies in animals have shown that eflornithine causes death of the fetus and birth defects. Before taking this medicine, make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant.

Breast-feeding-It is not known whether eflornithine passes into breast milk. Although most medicines pass into breast milk in small amounts, many of them may be used safely while breast-feeding. Mothers who are receiving this medicine and who wish to breast-feed should discuss this with their doctor.

Children-Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of eflornithine in children with use in other age groups.

Older adults-Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of eflornithine in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Other medicines-Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are receiving eflornithine, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Amphotericin B by injection (e.g., Fungizone) or
• Antineoplastics (cancer medicine) or
• Antithyroid agents (medicine for overactive thyroid) or
• Azathioprine (e.g., Imuran) or
• Chloramphenicol (e.g., Chloromycetin) or
• Colchicine or
• Cyclophosphamide (e.g., Cytoxan) or
• Flucytosine (e.g., Ancobon) or
• Ganciclovir (e.g., Cytovene) or
• Interferon (e.g., Intron A, Roferon-A) or
• Mercaptopurine (e.g., Purinethol) or
• Methotrexate (e.g., Mexate) or
• Plicamycin (e.g., Mithracin) or
• Zidovudine (e.g., AZT, Retrovir)-Caution should be used if these medicines and eflornithine are used together; receiving eflornithine while you are using these medicines may make anemia and other blood problems worse

• Anti-infectives by mouth or by injection (medicine for infection) or
• Chloroquine (e.g., Aralen) or
• Cisplatin (e.g., Platinol) or
• Deferoxamine (e.g., Desferal) (with long-term use) or
• Hydroxychloroquine (e.g., Plaquenil) or
• Inflammation or pain medicine, except narcotics, or
• Quinine (e.g., Quinamm)-Use of any of these medicines with eflornithine may increase the chance of hearing loss

Other medical problems-The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of eflornithine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Anemia or other blood problems-Eflornithine may cause blood problems, making the problems you already have worse

• Hearing loss-Long-term treatment with eflornithine may increase your chance of hearing loss

• Kidney disease-Patients with kidney disease may have an increased chance of side effects

Last Revised: 06/26/1995