DAY 1 IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ PART III: CONSUMER INFORMATION DAY 1 Sandoz® Azithromycin (Azithromycin Monohydrate) Powder for Oral Suspension This summary contains important information about Sandoz Azithromycin. It is not meant to take the place of your child’s doctor’s instructions. Read this information carefully before you give Sandoz Azithromycin to your child. Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again. This leaflet does not contain the complete information about Sandoz Azithromycin. Ask your child’s doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you do not understand any of this information or if you want to know more about Sandoz Azithromycin. This medicine has been prescribed for your child personally and you should not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their symptoms are the same as your child’s. What is Sandoz Azithromycin (azithromycin monohydrate)? Sandoz Azithromycin is an antibiotic medicine that is taken only once a day to treat the following types of infections in children: ear infections, pneumonia, and throat infections. Can Antibiotics Cure a Cold or Flu? No. Antibiotics work only on infections caused by bacteria. They do not kill viruses. No antibiotic, including Sandoz Azithromycin, can treat viral infections such as the common cold and the flu. What to Tell Your Child’s Doctor Before You Start Sandoz Azithromycin Only your child’s doctor can decide if Sandoz Azithromycin is right for your child. Before you start S andoz Azithromycin, be sure to tell the doctor if your child: DAY 1 Drawing A 1-Day Treatment for Ear Infections DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 1 DAY 1 Drawing B 3-Day Treatment for Ear Infections DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5 Drawing C 5-Day Treatment for Ear Infections or Pneumonia DAY 4 DAY 5 DAY 4 DAY 5 •is being given any prescription medicines, including those for asthma •is being given any over-the-counter medicines you can buy without a prescription, including n atural/herbal remedies or antacids •has ever had any liver or kidney problems •has any other medical problems •is allergic to any medicines •is allergic to certain antibiotics such as erythromycin •is allergic to azithromycin or any of the ingredients of Sandoz Azithromycin suspension. (See What Does Sandoz Azithromycin Powder for Oral Suspension Contain?) When Can I Expect My Child to Begin Feeling Better? Although Sandoz Azithromycin’s dosing is short and you may be able to give all the medicine to your child more easily, you should not expect Sandoz Azithromycin to work faster than other antibiotics which are dosed for up to 10 days. Your child’s doctor or nurse can advise you when your child should begin feeling better. How and When to Give Sandoz Azithromycin? Sandoz Azithromycin should be taken once-a-day and may be given with or without food. Shake the bottle well just before you give a dose. Use the dosing device that comes with Sandoz Azithromycin to carefully measure the dose. Do not use a household teaspoon as it is not accurate enough. Give Sandoz Azithromycin for the full number of days prescribed by the doctor, even if your child feels better before finishing all the medicine as prescribed. If you forget to give your child a dose, call your pharmacist or child’s doctor. What is the Right Amount of Sandoz Azithromycin to Give to My Child? Sandoz Azithromycin gets into infected tissue where it is released slowly over time so the medicine keeps fighting bacteria for many days after the last dose is taken. This is why Sandoz Azithromycin may be taken for as short a time as one day. Your child’s doctor will decide the total amount of Sandoz Azithromycin to give to your child, depending on your child’s weight and on the specific infection your child has. In addition to deciding the total amount of Sandoz Azithromycin to give to your child, the doctor will tell you to give all the medicine to your child in 1 day or to divide it over 3 days or over 5 days. DAY 1 DAY 3 Drawing D DAY 2 5-Day Treatment for Throat Infections DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5 DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5 DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5 For Ear Infections For ear infections, your child’s doctor will tell you to give Sandoz Azithromycin to your child in one of the following ways: the total amount as 1 dose on 1 day (see Drawing A), or once-a-day for 3 days (see Drawing B) or once-a-day for 5 days, with a double dose on the first day (see Drawing C). Whether given all on 1 day, 1 2 DAY 3 4 DAY 5 or DAY divided over DAY 3 days or over 5 days, theDAY total amount of Sandoz Azithromycin you give to your child should be the same. For Pneumonia For pneumonia, your child’s doctor will tell you to give Sandoz Azithromycin to your child with on the day (see Drawing C). DAYonce-a-day 1 DAYfor 2 5 days,DAY 3 a double DAYdose 4 DAYfirst 5 For Throat Infections (Pharyngitis/Tonsillitis) For throat infections, your child’s doctor will tell you to give Sandoz Azithromycin to your child in the following way: once-a-day for 5 days (see Drawing D). When Sandoz Azithromycin is given for 5 days for throat infections, you do not need to give a double dose on the first day (as you would with ear infections). If you have questions about how to give Sandoz Azithromycin to your child, please ask your child’s doctor, nurse or pharmacist. What Should I Do if My Child Vomits (Spits Up) the 1-Day Treatment of Sandoz Azithromycin? If your child vomits within 30 minutes after the 1-Day treatment (Drawing A) for an ear infection, it is recommended that you call your pharmacist or child’s doctor because your child may need to receive the same dose of medicine again. Sandoz Azithromycin and Other Medicines Some medicines can affect how well Sandoz Azithromycin works. Check with your child’s doctor before giving your child any new medicines. Possible Side Effects Like all medicines, Sandoz Azithromycin may cause side effects in some children that are usually mild to moderate and go away after the medicine is stopped. The most common ones are diarrhea, abdominal (“tummy”) pain, vomiting and nausea. As with other antibiotics, if your child develops diarrhea that becomes severe and watery or does not go away, stop taking the medicine and call the doctor or nurse. This could be a sign of a serious medical problem. Allergic reactions to Sandoz Azithromycin are rare, but these can be very serious if not treated right away by a doctor. If you think your child might be having an allergic reaction to Sandoz Azithromycin, stop the medicine and call the doctor right away. If you cannot reach the doctor, go to the nearest hospital emergency room. Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction may include trouble breathing; swelling of the face, mouth and neck; or severe skin rash or blisters. Sandoz Azithromycin may cause other less common side effects besides those listed here. If you have any unexpected side effects while taking Sandoz Azithromycin, contact your doctor, nurse or pharmacist. REPORTING SUSPECTED SIDE EFFECTS You can report any suspected adverse reactions associated with the use of health products to the Canada Vigilance Program by one of the following 3 ways: • Report online at www.healthcanada.gc.ca/medeffect • Call toll-free at 1-866-234-2345 • Complete a Canada Vigilance Reporting form and: - Fax toll-free to 1-866-678-6789, or - Mail to: Canada Vigilance Program Health Canada Postal Locator 0701E Ottawa, (Ontario) K1A 0K9 Postage paid labels, Canada Vigilance Reporting Form and the adverse reaction reporting guidelines are available on the MedEffect™ Canada Web site at www.healthcanada.gc.ca/medeffect. Pull back on syringe handle to prescribed dose. Insert syringe into bottle top. 5 6 Push down on syringe handle to allow air into bottle. Turn bottle upside down and pull back syringe handle, drawing prescribed dose of medicine into syringe. 7 Remove syringe from bottle. Give medicine by mouth by slowly pushing on syringe handle. Remember to put the cap back on the medicine bottle. Rinse the syringe with water after each daily dose. After your child has taken Sandoz Azithromycin for the correct number of days, throw out the syringe, cap, and bottle. Do not save any medicine for future use. What does Sandoz Azithromycin (azithromycin monohydrate) Powder for Oral Suspension Contain? The active substance contained in Sandoz Azithromycin is azithromycin monohydrate equivalent to: 300 mg; 600 mg; 900 mg and 1500 mg of azithromycin per bottle. The nonmedicinal ingredients include: sucrose, xanthan gum, hydroxypropylcellulose, trisodium phosphate anhydrous, colloidal anhydrous silica, aspartame, cream caramel, and titanium dioxide. After reconstitution, the 300 mg strength contains 100 mg/5 mL and the 600, 900 mg and 1500 mg each contain 200 mg/5 mL azithromycin. MORE INFORMATION This document plus the full product monograph, prepared for health professionals can be obtained by contacting the sponsor, Sandoz Canada Inc., at: 1-800-361-3062 or by written request at: 145 Jules-Léger Boucherville QC J4B 7K8 Or by e-mail at: medinfo@sandoz.com This leaflet was prepared by Sandoz Canada Inc. NOTE: Should you require information related to the management of side effects, contact your health professional. The Canada Vigilance Program does not provide medical advice. What to Do for an Overdose In the event of overdosage, contact your doctor, hospital emergency department or regional Poison Control Centre. How to Store Sandoz Azithromycin Keep Sandoz Azithromycin out of the reach of children. Sandoz Azithromycin can be stored between 5-30°C. Throw away any medicine that is left over after treatment. Instructions for Use of the Dosing Devices: Use only the dosing device provided to measure the correct amount of suspension. ORAL SYRINGE If you receive the oral syringe with Sandoz Azithromycin oral suspension shake the bottle well before using. The syringe may need to be filled many times to get the full dose needed for the day. 1 2 To open, push down on the bottle cap while twisting the cap counterclockwise. Remove cap from bottle. Push plastic stopper into bottle top (if pharmacist has not done so). Once inserted, leave plastic stopper in place. 3 4 Pull back on syringe handle to prescribed dose. Insert syringe into bottle top. ® Registered trademark used under license by Sandoz Canada Inc. Sandoz Canada Inc. Qc, Canada J4B 7K8 medinfo@sandoz.com ? 1-800-361-3062 Last revised: September 2009 46017915Sus vi 5 6 Push down on syringe handle to allow air into bottle. Turn bottle upside down and pull back syringe handle, drawing