WARNINGS
If hypersensitivity to ELIMITE™ (permethrin) 5% Cream
occurs, discontinue use.
PRECAUTIONS
General
Scabies infestation is often accompanied by pruritus,
edema, and erythema. Treatment with ELIMITE™ (permethrin) 5% Cream may
temporarily exacerbate these conditions.
Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment Of Fertility
Six carcinogenicity bioassays were evaluated with
permethrin, three each in rats and mice. No tumorigenicity was seen in the rat
studies. However, species-specific increases in pulmonary adenomas, a common
benign tumor of mice of high spontaneous background incidence, were seen in the
three mouse studies. In one of these studies there was an increased incidence
of pulmonary alveolarcell carcinomas and benign liver adenomas only in female
mice when permethrin was given in their food at a concentration of 5000 ppm.
Mutagenicity assays, which give useful correlative data for interpreting results
from carcinogenicity bioassays in rodents, were negative. Permethrin showed no
evidence of mutagenic potential in a battery of in vitro and in vivo genetic
toxicity studies.
Permethrin did not have any adverse effect on
reproductive function at a dose of 180 mg/kg/day orally in a three-generation
rat study.
Pregnancy
Teratorgenic Effects
Pregnancy Category B
Reproduction studies have been performed in mice, rats,
and rabbits (200 to 400 mg/kg/day orally) and have revealed no evidence of
impaired fertility or harm to the fetus due to permethrin. There are, however,
no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. Because animal
reproduction studies are not always predictive of human response, this drug
should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed.
Nursing Mothers
It is not known whether this drug is excreted in human
milk. Because many drugs are excreted in human milk and because of the evidence
for tumorigenic potential of permethrin in animal studies, consideration should
be given to discontinuing nursing temporarily or withholding the drug while the
mother is nursing.
Pediatric Use
ELIMITE™ (permethrin) 5% Cream is safe and effective in
pediatric patients two months of age and older. Safety and effectiveness in
infants less than two months of age have not been established.
Geriatric Use
Clinical studies of ELIMITE™ (permethrin) 5% Cream did
not identify sufficient numbers of subjects aged 65 and over to allow a
definitive statement regarding whether elderly subjects respond differently from
younger subjects. Other reported clinical experience has not identified
differences in responses between the elderly and younger patients. This drug is
known to be substantially excreted by the kidney. However, since topical permethrin
is metabolized in the liver and excreted in the urine as inactive metabolites,
there does not appear to be an increased risk of toxic reactions in patients
with impaired renal function when used as labeled.