For doctors
What is it and how is it used?
Advagraf is an immunosuppressant. Following your organ transplant (liver, kidney), your body’s immune system will try to reject the new organ. Advagraf is used to control your body’s immune response, enabling your body to accept the transplanted organ.

You may also be given Advagraf for an ongoing rejection of your transplanted liver, kidney, heart or other organ when any previous treatment you were taking was unable to control this immune response after your transplantation.

Prograf and Advagraf contain both the active substance, tacrolimus. However, Advagraf is taken once daily, whereas Prograf is taken twice daily. This is because Advagraf capsules allow for a prolonged release of tacrolimus.

What do you have to consider before using it?
Do not take Advagraf

Take special care with Advagraf
Tell your doctor if any of the following apply to you:

You should keep in regular contact with your doctor. From time to time, your doctor may need to do blood, urine, heart, eye tests, to set the right dose of Advagraf.

The use of Advagraf is not recommended in children and adolescents under 18 years.

You should limit your exposure to the sun and UV (ultraviolet) light whilst taking Advagraf. This is because immunosuppressants could increase the risk of skin cancer. Wear appropriate protective clothing and use a sunscreen with a high sun protection factor.

Using other medicines
Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription and herbal preparations.

It is not recommended that Advagraf is taken with ciclosporin.

Advagraf blood levels can be affected by other medicines you take, and blood levels of other medicines can be affected by taking Advagraf, which may require an increase or decrease in Advagraf dose. In particular, you should tell your doctor if you are taking or have recently taken medicines like:

Tell your doctor if you are taking or need to take ibuprofen, amphotericin B or antivirals (e.g. aciclovir). These may worsen kidney or nervous system problems when taken together with Advagraf.

Your doctor also needs to know if you are taking potassium supplements or certain diuretics used for heart failure, hypertension and kidney disease, (e.g. amiloride, triamterene, or spironolactone), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, e.g. ibuprofen) used for fever, inflammation and pain, anticoagulants (blood thinners), or oral medicines for diabetes, while you take Advagraf.

If you need to have any vaccinations, please tell your doctor before.

Taking Advagraf with food and drink
Take Advagraf on an empty stomach or 2 to 3 hours after a meal. Wait at least 1 hour until the next meal. Avoid grapefruit (also as juice) while on treatment with Advagraf, since it can affect its levels

Pregnancy and breast-feeding
If you are, think you might be or are planning to become pregnant, ask your doctor for advice before using Advagraf.
Advagraf passes into breast milk. Therefore, you should not breast-feed whilst using Advagraf.

Driving and using machines
Do not drive or use any tools or machines if you feel dizzy or sleepy, or have problems seeing clearly after taking Advagraf. These effects are more frequent if you also drink alcohol.

Important information about some of the ingredients of Advagraf
Advagraf contains lactose (milk