User:Mr. Ibrahem/Succimer

Succimer, also called dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), is a medication used to treat lead, mercury, and arsenic poisoning. When radiolabeled with technetium-99m, it is used in a number of types of diagnostic testing. A full course is 19 days of medications by mouth. More than two weeks should pass before a second course is given.

Common side effects include vomiting, diarrhea, rash, and low blood neutrophil levels. Liver problems and allergic reactions may also occur with use. Whether use during pregnancy is safe for the baby is unclear. Succimer is in the chelating agent family of medications. It works by binding with lead and a number of other heavy metals, allowing them to leave the body in the urine.

Succimer has been used medically since the 1950s. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. In the United States, no generic version was available as of 2015. A course of treatment costs more than US$200 (about $6.63 per 100-mg pill). In India, it costs about $1.24 per 100-mg pill.