Cautions about Protopic for Treatment of Eczema.

In 2000, the FDA approved the use of Protopic ointment as a short-term treatment of moderate to severe eczema. Now, in 2006, the FDA has issued an alert warning that use of tacrolimus, the active ingredient in Protopic, has been linked to increased development of skin cancers in mice. In animal studies, tacrolimus treated mice developed skin tumors more quickly than normal when exposed to sunlight.

Users of Protopic had been cautioned against sun exposure while on the medication. In addition, the FDA mentions that Protopic may increase the likelihood of developing skin infections and viral infections.

If you use Protopic to manage your eczema, do contact your physician to discuss this latest FDA warning. It might be important to review your personal health history and cancer risks.