This medicine is used to treat “iron-poor” blood (anemia) in people with long-term kidney disease. You may need extra iron because of blood loss during kidney dialysis. Your body may also need more iron if you use the drug erythropoietin to help make new red blood cells.

Iron is an important part of your red blood cells and is needed to transport oxygen in the body. Many patients with kidney disease cannot get enough iron from food and require injections.