Key takeaways
Voriconazole (Vfend) and Posaconazole (Noxafil) are both antifungal medications, but they have some key differences. Voriconazole is used to treat serious fungal infections like invasive aspergillosis and esophageal candidiasis, while Posaconazole is used both to treat and prevent fungal infections, including oral thrush. Voriconazole is available in both oral and injectable forms and is typically started as an IV infusion in a hospital setting before switching to oral forms. Posaconazole also comes in oral and injectable forms and the oral tablet or suspension is taken with food to help absorption. Voriconazole can cause vision changes and skin sensitivity to sunlight, whereas Posaconazole is known for causing more gastrointestinal side effects like diarrhea and nausea. Both medications can cause liver damage and have many drug interactions, but Posaconazole is noted to be particularly hard on the liver and kidneys. Additionally, Posaconazole can be expensive, and pediatric use from 2 years old is available with some indications only approved for children over 13 years old, while Voriconazole's pediatric use under 12 years old is not established except for off label use.
