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Before Using
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 this medicine, the following should be considered:
Allergies
Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.
Pediatric
Studies of this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of imiquimod in children up to 12 years of age with use in other age groups. Actinic keratosis and basal cell carcinoma usually do not occur in children.
Geriatric
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 imiquimod in the elderly with use in other age groups. However, older adults may be more sensitive to the effects of imiquimod.
Pregnancy
| Pregnancy Category | Explanation | |
|---|---|---|
| All Trimesters | C | Animal studies have shown an adverse effect and there are no adequate studies in pregnant women OR no animal studies have been conducted and there are no adequate studies in pregnant women. |
Breastfeeding
There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.
Drug Interactions
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. Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.
Other Interactions
Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.
Other Medical Problems
The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
- Allergy to imiquimod, parabens, or any ingredients in the product—This drug should not be used
- Autoimmune disorders—Tell your doctor if you have this condition; you and your doctor will decide if this medicine is right for you.
- Inflamed skin—May make condition worse
- Lower immune response (your body is not able to fight infections as well)—It is not known if imiquimod is safe to use with this condition
- Medicine that you have taken recently for the same skin problem or
- Surgery (recent)—Imiquimod should not be used until the skin is completely healed from any previous treatments that you have had with medicine or surgery
- Sensitive to sunlight—Use caution as you may have a higher risk of getting a sunburn
- Sunburn—Should not use until sunburn is gone
