Before Receiving This Medicine

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

Allergies—Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to proteins. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances.

Pregnancy—Basiliximab crosses the placenta. However, basiliximab has not been studied in pregnant women. Women of childbearing age are advised to use contraception before receiving basiliximab. Use of the contraception should continue until 2 months after treatment with basiliximab is completed.

Breast-feeding—It is not known if basiliximab passes into breast milk. Patients receiving basiliximab should not breast-feed their babies.

Children—Studies on the use of basiliximab in children have not been completed. Preliminary information on the use of basiliximab in children suggests children have the same side effects from receiving basiliximab as those experienced by adult patients, and basiliximab works as well to prevent rejection of the transplanted kidney in children as it does in adult patients.

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 as 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 basiliximab in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Other medicines—Tell your health care professional if you are using any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.

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

• Cancer—Basiliximab may make this condition worse

• Infection—Basiliximab may decrease the body's ability to fight infection