Indications: leprosy, dermatitis herpetiformis.

Cautions: cardiac or pulmonary disease; breast-feeding, anaemia, G6 PD Deficiency, porphyria.

Contra-indications: pregnancy; porphyria

Side Effects: dose-related and uncommon at doses used for leprosy, haemolysis, methaemoglobinaemia, neuropathy, allergic dermatitis (rarely including toxic epidermal necrolysis and Stevens-Johnson syndrome), anorexia, nausea, vomiting, tachycardia, headache, insomnia, psychosis, hepatitis, agranulocytosis; dapsone syndrome (rash with fever and eosinophilia)—discontinue immediately (may progress to exfoliative dermatitis, hepatitis, hypoalbuminaemia, psychosis and death.

Dose: leprosy, 1-2 mg/kg daily.

Multibacillary leprosy, as part of a three - drug regimen with rifampicin and clofazimine, 100 mg daily, self administered for at least 2 years.

Paucibacillary leprosy, as part of a two - drug regimen with rifampicin, 100 mg daily, self administered for at least 6 months.

Pregnancy: Third trimester: Neonatal haemolysis and methaemoglobinaemia reported.

Breast feeding: Haemolytic anaemia; although significant amount in milk, risk to infant very small unless infant is G6PD deficient.