Is Febuxostat safe while breastfeeding?
Here is what LactMed, the Drugs and Lactation Database published by the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), reports about Febuxostat. The text below is quoted from that source — it is not our own verdict.
Summary of use during breastfeeding
No information is available on the use of febuxostat during breastfeeding. Because febuxostat is more than 99% bound to plasma proteins, the amount in milk is likely to be low. Furthermore, oral bioavailability is only about 50%, so the amount an infant receives systemically is expected to be very small. If febuxostat is required by the mother, it is not a reason to discontinue breastfeeding; however, until more data become available, an alternate drug may be preferred.
Effects on the breastfed infant
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Levels in milk
Maternal Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Alternatives LactMed lists
“No published information” means the studies do not exist yet — not that Febuxostat is known to be harmful, and not that it is known to be safe. Your prescriber or pharmacist can weigh your baby's age and whether a better-studied alternative would do the same job. Worth asking before stopping a medicine you need.
Source: Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), via NCBI Bookshelf, record “Febuxostat” (febuxostat). LactMed on NCBI Bookshelf. LactMed is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Educational summary of an authoritative source — not medical advice. Never start, stop, or change a medicine while breastfeeding without confirming with your doctor.