Afinitor Patient Counseling Information

Dispersible tablet: Instructions for Use: Read and follow these instructions carefully so that you know how to correctly prepare the medicine. This will look like a cloudy liquid (known as an oral suspension).
Use an oral syringe or a small glass for preparing and taking the Afinitor suspension only - do not use it for anything else.
Important information: Take Afinitor dispersible tablets as a suspension only.
These instructions are for taking a dose between 2 mg and 10 mg.
The most you can take at one time using the oral syringe or small glass is 10 mg, using a maximum of 5 dispersible tablets.
If you need to take a higher dose or need to use more than 5 dispersible tablets, split the dose and repeat the steps using the same oral syringe or small glass.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist about how to split the dose if you are not sure.
Caregivers should try to avoid skin contact with the oral suspension.
Only use water (drinkable tap water or non-sparkling bottled water) to prepare the oral suspension. Do not use juice or any other liquids.
The patient must drink the suspension immediately after it is prepared. If the patient does not drink it within 30 minutes, an oral syringe has been used or within 60 minutes, or a small glass has been used, throw it away and prepare a new suspension.
Instructions for caregivers preparing the suspension using an oral syringe: You will need: The blister with Afinitor dispersible tablets; Scissors to open the blister; 10 ml oral syringe with 1 ml increments (for single use); 2 clean glasses; Approximately 30 ml of water.
Getting ready: 1. Wash and dry your hands.
2. Take the 10 ml oral syringe and pull out the plunger, removing it completely from the barrel of the syringe.
Adding the dispersible tablets: 3. Use scissors to open the blister along the dotted line. Remove the dispersible tablets from the blister. Place them into the barrel of the oral syringe straight away.
4. Re-insert the plunger into the barrel of the oral syringe. Push the plunger in until it touches the dispersible tablets.
Adding water: 5. Fill a small glass with water (drinkable tap water or non-sparkling bottled water). Put the tip of the syringe into the water. Draw up about 5 ml of water by slowly pulling the plunger out until it is at the 5 ml mark on the syringe.
Note: The amount of water in the oral syringe does not need to be exact but all the tablets should be covered. If any tablets get stuck in the dry upper part of the oral syringe, gently tap the oral syringe until they fall down into the water.
Mixing the medicine: 6. Hold the oral syringe with the tip pointing up. Pull the plunger slowly down to draw in air until it is at the 9 ml mark on the syringe.
7. Put the filled oral syringe in the clean, empty glass with the tip pointing up. Wait for 3 minutes - until the dispersible tablets have completely broken apart.
8. Mix the medicine by slowly turning the oral syringe upside down and back again five times just before using the dose. Do not shake it. Use the oral suspension immediately. If you do not use it within 30 minutes, throw it away and prepare a new suspension.
Removing air: 9. Hold the oral syringe with the tip pointing upwards. Push the plunger up slowly to remove most of the air (it is okay for a small amount of air to remain around the tip).
Taking the medicine: 10. Put the oral syringe into the patient's mouth. Push the plunger in slowly to release the full contents of the oral syringe.
11. Carefully remove the oral syringe from the patient's mouth.
Making sure all of the medicine has been taken: 12. Insert the tip of the oral syringe into the glass filled with water. Draw up 5 ml of water by slowly pulling the plunger up.
13. Hold the oral syringe with the tip pointing up. Pull the plunger slowly down to draw in air until it is at the 9 ml mark on the syringe.
14. With the tip of the oral syringe pointing upwards, swirl the water around to collect any medicine that is left inside.
15. Hold the oral syringe with the tip pointing upward. Push the plunger up slowly to remove most of the air.
16. Put the oral syringe into the patient's mouth. Push the plunger in slowly to release the full contents of the oral syringe.
17. Carefully remove the oral syringe from the patient's mouth.
If the total prescribed dose is more than 10 mg or has to be prepared using more than 5 dispersible tablets, repeat steps 2 to 17 to finish giving the dose.
Cleaning up: 18. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away the oral syringe.
19. Wash and dry your hands.
Instructions for patients or caregivers preparing the suspension using a small glass: You will need: Blister with Afinitor dispersible tablets; Scissors to open the blister; 1 small glass (maximum size 100 ml); 30 ml dose cup for measuring water; Approximately 50 ml of water to prepare the suspension; Spoon for stirring.
Getting ready: 1. Wash and dry your hands.
Adding water: 2. Add about 25 ml of water to the 30 ml dose cup. The amount of water added does not need to be exact.
3. Pour the water from the dose cup into the small glass.
Adding the dispersible tablets: 4. Use scissors to open the blister along the dotted line. Remove the dispersible tablets from the blister.
5. Add the dispersible tablets into the water.
Mixing the medicine: 6. Wait for 3 minutes until the dispersible tablets have completely broken apart.
7. Gently stir the contents of the glass with a spoon and then proceed immediately to step 8.
Taking the medicine: 8. The patient must immediately drink all of the oral suspension from the glass. If the suspension is not used within 60 minutes, throw it away and prepare a new suspension.
Making sure all of the medicine has been taken: 9. Refill the glass with the same amount of water (about 25 ml). Stir the contents with the spoon to remove any medicine left on the glass and spoon.
10. The patient must drink all of the oral suspension from the glass.
If the total prescribed dose is more than 10 mg or has to be prepared using more than 5 dispersible tablets, repeat steps 2 to 10 to finish taking the dose.
Cleaning up: 11. Wash the glass and the spoon thoroughly with clean water. Wipe the glass and spoon with a clean paper towel. Store them in a dry and clean place until next time. 12. Wash and dry your hands.