Boceprevir is a medicine used to treat viral infections. This medicine is used together with other medicines to treat long-term hepatitis C virus infection in adults who are previously untreated or those who have failed previous therapy.
Take Boceprevir exactly as directed by your doctor or according to the instructions on the label. Do not take more or less than instructed by your doctor.
Boceprevir should be taken with food (a meal or light snack).
This medicine must be taken at regular intervals for it to be effective. Continue taking it even when you feel better. Do not stop taking it unless instructed by the doctor.
Do not skip any doses. You must complete the entire course of medicine. If you don't, the infection will not be properly controlled.
If you miss a dose and it is 2 or more hours before the next dose is due, take the missed dose and return to your normal dosing schedule.
If it is less than 2 hours before the next dose is due, skip the missed dose and return to your normal dosing schedule.
DO NOT double a dose under any circumstances.
If you often forget to take your medicine, let your doctor and pharmacist know.
Alert your doctor if you have the following conditions:
- serious liver disease other than hepatitis C
- autoimmune hepatitis (inflammation of the liver which occurs when immune cells mistake the liver's normal cells for harmful invaders and attack them)
as Boceprevir may not be suitable for you.
Alert your doctor if you ever had an allergic reaction (breathlessness, rashes, swollen eyes) to similar antiviral medications.
Do not take Boceprevir if you are pregnant or planning to have a baby soon. If you become pregnant while on this medicine, alert your doctor immediately. Boceprevir may cause harm to your unborn child. Both men and women being treated with this medicine must use at least 2 reliable types of birth control during treatment and for at least 6 months after treatment ends.
Do not take Boceprevir with certain antibiotics, medicine for epilepsy (seizures or fits), medicines to treat migraine, mood disorders, anxiety, stomach disorders, prostate disease and high cholesterol levels.
Inform your doctor if you:
- blood disorders
- have HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) or any other immunity problems
- had an organ transplant
Let your doctor know if you are breastfeeding.
For as long as you are being treated with Boceprevir, you will need to have regular blood tests to monitor your body's response to the medicine. Your doctor will advise you about how often you need these tests to be done.
By itself, this medicine cannot treat hepatitis C. Make sure that you take the other medicines given to you by your doctor.
Boceprevir does not prevent you from passing hepatitis C to other people. Follow your doctor's advice about how to prevent spreading the disease to others.
Boceprevir, in combination with other antiviral medicines, may make you dizzy. If affected, do not drive or take part in any activity in which you need to be alert.
Other side effects include any of the following: tiredness, hair loss or thinning of hair, headache, chills, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, difficulty sleeping, weakness, low appetite, shortness of breath, dry mouth and dry skin.
Some side effects may need immediate medical help. Alert your doctor quickly if you experience any of the following:
- fast or irregular heartbeat
- fever with persistent sore throat or mouth ulcers, unusual bleeding or bruising
Inform your doctor if any of these side effects does not go away or are severe, or if you experience any other side effects.
Do not take Boceprevir if you are taking any of these medicines:
- medicines for mood disorder e.g. pimozide
- medicines for anxiety e.g. midazolam, triazolam
- medicines for migraine e.g. dihydroergotamine, ergonovine or ergotamine
- medicines for stomach disorder e.g. cisapride
- cholesterol-lowering medicines e.g. lovastatin, simvastatin
- medicines for TB (lung infection known as tuberculosis) e.g. rifampicinn
- medicines for prostate disease e.g. alfuzosin
- birth control pills containing drospirenone
Inform your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking any of these medicines:
- medicines used to treat irregular heartbeats e.g. amiodarone, and quinidine
- medicines for epilepsy (seizure or fits ) e.g. carbamazepine, phenobarbital and phenytoin
- medicines to treat malaria e.g. lumefantrine, halofantrine
- medicine to treat prostate enlargement e.g. doxazosin, tamsulosin
This list does not include all medicine that may interact with Boceprevir.
Always notify your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including herbal tonics such as traditional Chinese medicines, supplements and medicines that you buy without a prescription.
Avoid alcohol. Consuming large amount of alcohol is damaging to your liver.
Avoid St John's wort.
Store in the refrigerator between 2-8°C, away from the reach of children.
Store outside of the refrigerator at or below 30°C for a period of not more than 3 months until expiry.
Medicines must not be used past the expiry date.
Sign Out
