NORITATE Cream Ref.[10898] Active ingredients: Methronidazole

Safety data from 302 patients who used Noritate (n=200) or vehicle control (n=102) once daily in clinical trials and experienced an adverse event considered to be treatment related include: application site reaction (Noritate 1, vehicle 1), condition aggravated (Noritate 1, vehicle 0), paresthesia (Noritate 0, vehicle 1), acne (Noritate 1, vehicle 0), dry skin (Noritate 0, vehicle 2). The majority of adverse reactions were mild to moderate in severity.

Two patients treated with Noritate once daily discontinued treatment because of adverse events: one for a severe flare of comedonal acne and one for rosacea aggravated.

Additional clinical adverse effects reported spontaneously since the drug was marketed are uncommon and include tingling or numbness of extremities, allergic reactions, skin and eye irritation, rash, headache, nausea and dry mouth.

To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Bausch Health US, LLC at 1-800-321-4576 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

If a reaction suggesting local skin irritation occurs, patients should be directed to discontinue use of the medication. Conjunctivitis associated with topical use of metronidazole on the face has been reported. Contact with the eyes should be avoided. Metronidazole is a nitroimidazole and should be used with care in patients with evidence of, or history of, blood dyscrasia.

Patients using Noritate should receive the following information and instructions:

• This medication is to be used as directed.
• It is for external use only.
• Avoid contact with the eyes.
• Cleanse affected area(s) before applying Noritate.
• This medication should not be used for any disorder other than that for which it is prescribed.
• Patients should report any adverse reaction to their physician.

Oral metronidazole has been reported to potentiate the anticoagulant effect of coumarin and warfarin resulting in a prolongation of prothrombin time. Drug interactions should be kept in mind when Noritate is prescribed for patients who are receiving anticoagulant treatment, although they are less likely to occur with topical metronidazole administration because of low absorption (See CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, Pharmacokinetics).

Teratogenic Effects

There are no adequate and well-controlled studies with the use of Noritate in pregnant women. Metronidazole crosses the placental barrier and enters the fetal circulation rapidly. No fetotoxicity was observed after oral administration of metronidazole to rats or mice at 200 and 20 times, respectively, the expected clinical dose. However, oral metronidazole has shown carcinogenic activity in rodents. Because animal reproduction studies are not always predictive of human response, Noritate should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed.

After oral administration, metronidazole is secreted in breast milk in concentrations similar to those found in the plasma. Even though blood levels taken after topical metronidazole application are significantly lower than those achieved after oral metronidazole, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or to discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother and the risk to the infant.

Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established.