The Drug Database for Acute Porphyrias was created and established at the Norwegian Porphyria Centre (NAPOS), Haukeland University Hospital, Norway in 2002, through the visionary work of Dr. Atle Brun, who for nearly 20 years was the driving force behind the drug database. The database was in 2005 expanded from being a Nordic database to an international online resource.

We gratefully acknowledge the large contributions of Professor Stig Thunell from Porfyricentrum, Karolinska University Hospital, Sweden, for his work in both method development and drug evaluations.

As part of an EU-funded EPNET project, clinical drug reports were collected in the period from 2007 to 2010, which contributed to strengthen the evidence of the safety classification of many drugs and to verify the classification method. We are grateful for the contributions of all those who participated in this EPNET project and who submitted clinical drug reports.

Currently, NAPOS regularly updates the database with the support of pharmacists and porphyria specialists from the UK Porphyria Medicines Service (UKPMIS), Cardiff Porphyria Service, and the Ipnet Safety of Drugs for Porphyria Patients Working Group (WG-DRUGS).

The evaluations and classifications of drugs in the Drug Database are based on the method described in the paper: Guide to drug porphyrinogenicity prediction and drug prescription in the acute porphyrias by Stig Thunell, Erik Pomp, and Atle Brun (Br J Clin Pharm 2007;64(5):668-79, PMID 17578481).

By using this website, we consider that you accept the following:

The Drug Database for Acute Porphyria is a property of The Norwegian Porphyria Centre (NAPOS). The information provided in this database is intended for use by healthcare professionals. While it may be of interest to patients, decisions regarding drug use in acute porphyria should always be made in consultation with healthcare professionals. In cases of uncertainty, additional advice should be sought.

The database comprises expert assessments of the potential of drugs to provoke porphyria attacks in patients with acute hepatic porphyria, including Acute Intermittent Porphyria (AIP), Variegate Porphyria (VP), Hereditary Coproporphyria (HCP), and ALA Dehydratase Deficiency Porphyria (ADP). It offers guidance based on a thorough evaluation of international clinical experience, published case reports, and theoretical considerations. The information presented in this database, which involves some degree of uncertainty, serves as guidance to healthcare professionals.

The Norwegian Porphyria Centre (NAPOS) accepts no responsibility for any errors, differences of opinion, or adverse consequences arising from the use of information published on this website.