Acute attacks: treatment.

10% glucose and then Normosang haemarginate are the recommended treatments for an acute attack of porphyria, as outlined in all the recent treatment journal articles.

The product is human heme from Finland with arginine. The alternative haematin is considered inferior and only used in countries where Normosang haemarginate is not available.

The instructions for giving haemarginate are specific and come in the packaging. We have seen it given over four days in a hospital through a central line. The haemarginate goes in for half hour per day, at the same time each day, with glucose the other 23 and 1/2 hours. The line is flushed before and after with normal saline.

It is also recommended to be used prophylactically for people having frequent attacks.

Unfortunately, the process in Australia for obtaining Normosang haemarginate is less than simple. It is currently an Unapproved Therapeutic Good, requiring application via the Special Access Scheme (SAS).

The steps are:

1. Download the SAS Category B form.
   
2. Fill it in and send it to:
   
   The Medical Offficer, SAS
   Phone: (02) 6232 8111
   Fax: (02) 6232 8112
   Drug Safety and Evaluation Branch
   Therapeutic Goods Administration
   Po Box 100
   Woden ACT 2606

This PDF file gives a complete overview of the SAS scheme.

Keywords:
porphyria association, porphyria, association, PEGS, Australia, porphiria, pophryria, disorder, genetic, testing
porphyria association, porphyria, association, PEGS, Australia, porphiria, pophryria, disorder, genetic, testing
porphyria association, porphyria, association, PEGS, Australia, porphiria, pophryria, disorder, genetic, testing