Indication

• Herpes zoster infection
• By mouth (adult): 500mg 3 times a day for 7 days

Side effects

• Abdominal pain, diarrhoea, dizziness, headache, nausea, skin reactions, vomiting
• Angiodema, confusion, drowsiness
• Hallucination, jaundice cholestatic, palpitations, thrombocytopenia

Suitability

• Pregnancy: avoid unless benefit > risk
• Breast feeding: no information available, present in milk in animal studies
• Hepatic impairment: efficacy decreased in severe impairment
• Renal impairment: reduce dose

Reference

1. NICE. (n.d.). Famciclovir. [online] Available at: https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/famciclovir/ [Accessed 3 Nov. 2026].