Dapsone

Y. Vivian Tsai, Pharm.D., Paul G. Auwaerter, M.D.

INDICATIONS

FDA

Dapsone Tablets

  • Leprosy, as part of an appropriate combination regimen
    • Both paucibacillary and multibacillary: all forms except proven dapsone resistance; use as part of multidrug therapy.
  • Dermatitis herpetiformis

Dapsone Gel

NON-FDA APPROVED USES

  • Dapsone is used off-label for numerous inflammatory dermatoses, with variable evidence, including selected autoimmune/bullous disorders (e.g., linear IgA bullous dermatosis, bullous pemphigoid, pemphigus), neutrophilic dermatoses (e.g., Sweet syndrome, pyoderma gangrenosum, subcorneal pustular dermatosis), vasculitic disorders, and selected eosinophilic/inflammatory dermatoses.[4]
  • Aphthous ulcers, severe
  • PJP
    • Prophylaxis as monotherapy or part of a combination therapy
    • Treatment of mild-to-moderate disease as part of a combination therapy
  • Toxoplasma gondii encephalitis prophylaxis as combination therapy

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Last updated: September 6, 2026