Tommy G. Thompson, Secretary of Health and Human Services, announced on October 17, 2001 that the Food and Drug Administration is approving new labeling for the use of several antibiotics to treat anthrax .
Doxycycline is approved for the treatment of anthrax in all its forms. The FDA is providing additional information concerning the dosing regimen for the treatment of anthrax, including cutaneous and inhalation anthrax (post-exposure). The currently recommended dosage regimen of doxycycline for severe disease is 100 mg every 12 hours for adults and 1mg per pound (2.2mg per kilogram) every 12 hours for children less than 100 pounds. These dosage regimens are appropriate for use in patients who have been exposed to anthrax (Bacillus anthracis) regardless of the route of exposure.
FDA and other health authorities strongly discourage individuals from taking any antibiotic for prevention of anthrax without the specific advice of a physician and a clear indication that exposure to the organism may have occurred.
Source:
Food and Drug Administration
Last updated October 2004 by Krisha McCoy, MS
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