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What the FDA labels say about taking them together

Dapsone and quinine

Dapsone's FDA label (Aczone) of October 23, 2025 names quinine in its drug interactions section; the quinine label PlainMeds reads does not name dapsone. The dapsone label: “… para‐aminosalicylic acid, phenacetin, phenobarbital, phenytoin, primaquine, and quinine may increase the risk for developing methemoglobinemia.”

Check it at the source: the dapsone FDA label on DailyMed (effective July 20, 2026, Macleods Pharmaceuticals Limited); the quinine FDA label on DailyMed (effective November 9, 2023).

What does the dapsone label say about quinine?

Aczone label (Almirall, LLC, October 23, 2025), drug interactions

Use with Drugs that Induce Methemoglobinemia Concomitant use of ACZONE Gel, 7.5% with drugs that induce methemoglobinemia such as sulfonamides, acetaminophen, acetanilide, aniline dyes, benzocaine, chloroquine, dapsone, naphthalene, nitrates and nitrites, nitrofurantoin, nitroglycerin, nitroprusside, pamaquine, para‐aminosalicylic acid, phenacetin, phenobarbital, phenytoin, primaquine, and quinine may increase the risk for developing methemoglobinemia [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 )].

Source: FDA drug label (Aczone, NDA207154), Almirall, LLC, effective October 23, 2025 (SPL set 22058b7d-a578-4eaa-a476-ac982337f02a), via openFDA

Source: FDA drug label (Dapsone, NDA021794), Pacific Pharma, Inc., effective September 30, 2018 (SPL set 8dbe1a41-6d9d-414f-aa9c-09bd95857e2a), via openFDA

Source: FDA drug label (Dapsone), Macleods Pharmaceuticals Limited, effective July 20, 2026 (SPL set 839d7440-ba0e-4c56-b648-d374b155cf03), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed

What does the quinine label say about dapsone?

Quinine's label (effective November 9, 2023) does not name dapsone in these sections. A label lists what its studies and reports found; it is not a complete list.

Source: FDA drug label (Chininum sulphuricum), Boiron, effective November 9, 2023 (SPL set 33885950-2a55-11e7-8288-424c58303031), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed

These are the labels' own sentences. PlainMeds does not grade interactions; a pharmacist or prescriber can say what they mean for one person's medicines.

Both medicines on the record

27Dapsone generic labelers
4Quinine generic labelers
DapsoneQuinine
Labeled forAcnen/a
Boxed warningNoYes
Pharmacy cost (NADAC)$0.664 per gram 5% gel$0.698 per capsule 324 mg capsule
Shortage nowA presentation being discontinuedNo current entry

Source: FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026 and the FDA Drug Shortage Database (FDA files October 8, 2026)

What next?