# Fever

- Category: acute
- Review status: reviewed (every claim checked against a document named on this page)
- Sources: Ibuprofen 100 mg/5 ml SmPC section 4.2 (eMC product 4560) · MSF Essential Drugs 2024 - paracetamol (oral) · National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Fever in under 5s: assessment and initial management. NICE guideline NG143. Published 07 November 2019, last updated 26 November 2021.
- Verified date: 2026-08

## Verified against

- MSF Essential Drugs 2024 - paracetamol (oral)
- SmPC section 4.2, https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/4560/smpc
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Fever in under 5s: assessment and initial management. NICE guideline NG143. Published 07 November 2019, last updated 26 November 2021.

## Treatment metadata

- Paracetamol — 500 mg — oral.solid
- Ibuprofen — 400 mg — oral.solid

## Complete treatment card

```text
FEVER
Sources: Ibuprofen 100 mg/5 ml SmPC section 4.2 (eMC product 4560) · MSF Essential Drugs 2024 -
         paracetamol (oral) · National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Fever in
         under 5s: assessment and initial management. NICE guideline NG143. Published 07 November
         2019, last updated 26 November 2021.
Review status: REVIEWED against 3 sources listed above  (2026-08)

1. PARACETAMOL                                            [1st line]
   Adult    1 g three or four times daily, maximum 4 g in 24 hours - As needed for pain or fever
   Peds     15 mg/kg/dose  [child max 500 mg]
            (Child 1 month and over: 15 mg/kg per dose, 3 or 4 times daily,
            maximum 60 mg/kg daily. Child under 1 month: 10 mg/kg per dose, 3
            or 4 times daily, maximum 40 mg/kg daily. MSF's own weight table
            gives one 500 mg tablet three times daily from 30 kg to under 50
            kg, so 500 mg is the per-dose ceiling; the 60 mg/kg daily total
            still applies.)
            3kg -> 45 mg/dose                 4kg -> 60 mg/dose
            5kg -> 75 mg/dose                 6kg -> 90 mg/dose
            7kg -> 105 mg/dose                8kg -> 120 mg/dose
            9kg -> 135 mg/dose                10kg -> 150 mg/dose
            11kg -> 165 mg/dose               12kg -> 180 mg/dose
            13kg -> 195 mg/dose               14kg -> 210 mg/dose
            15kg -> 225 mg/dose               16kg -> 240 mg/dose
            17kg -> 255 mg/dose               18kg -> 270 mg/dose
            19kg -> 285 mg/dose               20kg -> 300 mg/dose
            21kg -> 315 mg/dose               22kg -> 330 mg/dose
            23kg -> 345 mg/dose               24kg -> 360 mg/dose
            25kg -> 375 mg/dose               26kg -> 390 mg/dose
            27kg -> 405 mg/dose               28kg -> 420 mg/dose
            29kg -> 435 mg/dose               30kg -> 450 mg/dose
            31kg -> 465 mg/dose               32kg -> 480 mg/dose
            33kg -> 495 mg/dose               34kg -> 500 mg/dose (capped)
            35kg -> 500 mg/dose (capped)      36kg -> 500 mg/dose (capped)
            37kg -> 500 mg/dose (capped)      38kg -> 500 mg/dose (capped)
            39kg -> 500 mg/dose (capped)      40kg -> 500 mg/dose (capped)
            41kg -> 500 mg/dose (capped)      42kg -> 500 mg/dose (capped)
            43kg -> 500 mg/dose (capped)      44kg -> 500 mg/dose (capped)
            45kg -> 500 mg/dose (capped)      46kg -> 500 mg/dose (capped)
            47kg -> 500 mg/dose (capped)      48kg -> 500 mg/dose (capped)
            49kg -> 500 mg/dose (capped)      50kg -> 500 mg/dose (capped)
   Source   MSF Essential Drugs 2024 - paracetamol (oral)
   Why      Symptomatic relief of the pain and fever only. It does not treat the cause, and the dose
            is the same whatever the cause is.
   Caution  Relief only - it does not treat what is causing the pain or fever.
            Check every other product the patient is taking for paracetamol; combination cold and
            flu preparations are the usual route to an accidental overdose.
            Reduce the dose in significant liver disease, chronic alcohol use, or low body weight.
            RED FLAG - Fever with neck stiffness or a rash (meningitis), with confusion or reduced
            consciousness, with severe localized pain or breathlessness, in an infant under 3
            months, after travel to a malaria-endemic area, or persisting more than 5-7 days: assess
            urgently rather than treating the temperature alone.
   Egypt    FEBRIMOL 500 MG 20 TAB.          PHARCO               3.50 EGP (0.17/unit)
            CETAMOL 500 MG 20 TABS.          MEMPHIS              8.00 EGP (0.40/unit)
            PARACETAMOL-MUP 500MG B.P. 20 TABS. MUP                            13.00 EGP (0.65/unit)
            CETAL 500 MG 20 TABS.            EIPICO              24.00 EGP (1.20/unit)
            ARKADOLOW 500 MG 30 F.C. TABS.   UTOPIA              42.00 EGP (1.40/unit)
            PARAMOL 500MG 20 TAB.            MISR                38.00 EGP (1.90/unit)
            ADOL 500MG 24 CAPLETS            JULPHAR             32.00 EGP
            AUGICETAMIDE 500 MG 20 SACHETS   AUG PHARMA          50.00 EGP
            FEBRIMOL ORAL DROPS 20 ML        PHARCO               4.00 EGP
                -> ? strength differs, ? different route - not oral solid
            THERA-LO 3.2G/100ML ORAL SUSP. 100 ML PHAROPHARMA                               5.00 EGP
                -> ? strength differs, ? different route - not oral solid

2. IBUPROFEN                                              [add-on - not a substitute]
   Adult    200-400 mg PO Q6-8H PRN, max 1200 mg/day. - As needed, shortest effective course
   Peds     For pain and fever: 20 mg/kg/day in divided doses.
   Source   SmPC section 4.2, https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/4560/smpc
   Why      An anti-inflammatory analgesic for the pain and any inflammatory component. Symptomatic
            only; the dose does not change with the underlying diagnosis.
   Caution  Relief only - it does not treat what is causing the pain.
            Avoid in dehydration and in anyone not drinking - the kidney risk is highest there.
            Avoid in active peptic ulcer, significant kidney disease, and heart failure.
            CONTRAINDICATED in the third (last) trimester of pregnancy. In the first and second
            trimesters, do not give unless clearly necessary, at the lowest dose for the shortest
            time.
            Avoid in active peptic ulcer, significant kidney disease, severe heart failure, and last
            trimester of pregnancy.
   Egypt    DAJUANOFEN 400 MG 20 F.C. TABS.  COPAD PHARMA         5.00 EGP (0.25/unit)
            FLABU 400MG 10 F.C.TAB.          DELTA PHARMA         3.75 EGP (0.38/unit)
            NOVA-PROFEN 400MG 30 F.C. TABLETS SANOFI                           12.75 EGP (0.42/unit)
            IBUPROFEN 400 MG 10 TAB.         SEDICO               6.00 EGP (0.60/unit)
            MAFO 400 MG  30 F.C.TABS         EIPICO              42.00 EGP (1.40/unit)
            BRUFEN 400 MG 30 TABS.           KAHIRA > ABBO...    78.00 EGP (2.60/unit)
            PROFUSOL 400MG 20 S.G CAPS.      EUROPEAN EGYP...    31.00 EGP
            ANALGIPROF 400 MG 25 SACHETS     EVA PHARMA          37.50 EGP
            NOVA-PROFEN  100MG/5ML ORAL SUSP. 100ML SANOFI                                  2.25 EGP
                -> ? strength differs, ? different route - not oral solid
            BRUFEMOL-N SUSP. 60 ML           ARAB DRUG COM...     4.50 EGP
                -> ? strength differs, ? different route - not oral solid

Prices are indicative (dataset snapshot 2026-06); verify with the pharmacy.
```

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