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 palivizumab, the following should be considered:

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

Pregnancy—Studies on effects in pregnancy have not been done in either humans or animals.

Breast-feeding—It is not known whether palivizumab passes into breast milk. However, this medicine has not been reported to cause problems in nursing babies.

Children—Studies on this medicine have been done only in children, and it has been shown to be effective in children with breathing problems and those with a history of premature birth.

Older adults—Studies on this medicine have been done only in infants and children, and there is no specific information about its use in older patients.

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

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

• Hypersensitivity to palivizumab