Oral iron chelator
Deferiprone
Brand names: Ferriprox
Adult dose
Dose: 25–33mg/kg TDS
Route: Oral
Frequency: TDS
Clinical pearls
- BSH iron overload: alternative to deferasirox / desferrioxamine; particularly cardiac iron overload
- NICE TA161 (combination therapy)
- Weekly FBC monitoring mandatory due to agranulocytosis risk
Contraindications
- Severe neutropaenia
- Pregnancy
- Hypersensitivity
Side effects
- Agranulocytosis (significant — boxed warning)
- Neutropaenia
- Arthralgia
- GI upset
- Hepatotoxicity
- Zinc deficiency
Interactions
- UGT inducers
- Aluminium-containing antacids
- Vitamin C (timing per protocol)
Monitoring
- FBC weekly
- LFTs
- Cardiac MRI T2*
- Ferritin
Reference: BNF; BSH iron overload; NICE TA161; MHRA Drug Safety Update; https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/deferiprone/. Verify against your local formulary and the latest BNF before prescribing.
Related
Curated clinical cross-links plus same-class fallbacks.
Calculators
- DOAC Score for Selecting Direct Oral Anticoagulant in Non-Valvular AF · Anticoagulation
- Corrected Reticulocyte Count / Reticulocyte Production Index · Anaemia
- Ganzoni Equation for Iron Deficiency · Anaemia
- Transferrin Saturation Calculator · Anaemia / Iron Studies
- Iron Deficiency Anaemia Calculator · Anaemia Assessment
- Ferritin Iron Store Interpretation · Haematological Values
Pathways
- Major Haemorrhage / Massive Transfusion · BCSH; RCOA; RCEM; RCS — BCSH Guidelines
- Anaemia Investigation · BSH / NICE
- Splenomegaly Workup · BSH; BMJ Best Practice
- Deep Vein Thrombosis Diagnosis and Treatment · NICE CG144 / NICE NG158
- Sickle Cell Crisis · BSH 2021 / BCSH
- Neutropenic Sepsis · NICE CG151 2012 / ESMO