The Medical Letter - 2003
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January 6, 2003 (Issue 1147)
- Smallpox Vaccine
Because of concerns about the possibility of bioterrorism involving smallpox, the US government is reinstituting smallpox vaccination (https://www.cdc.gov/smallpox/; www.idsociety.org/bt/toc.htm).... - OTC loratadine (Claritin)
The FDA has approved the marketing of loratadine (Claritin - Schering), a second-generation H1-antihistamine, without a prescription. The drug was also recently approved for OTC...
January 20, 2003 (Issue 1148)
- Augmentin XR
Augmentin XR (GlaxoSmithKline), an oral extended-release combination of amoxicillin and the beta-lactamase inhibitor clavulanic acid, is now being promoted for treatment of acute bacterial... - Oxaliplatin (Eloxatin) for Advanced Colon Cancer
Oxaliplatin (Eloxatin -Sanofi-Synthelabo) has been approved by the FDA for use in combination with fluorouracil (5-FU; Adrucil, and others) and leucovorin (LV; Wellcovorin) for... - Smallpox Vaccination - Clarification
The single sentence on vaccination site care in our recent article on Smallpox Vaccination (Vol. 45, page 2) needs clarification. In the past, the vaccination site was generally left uncovered, but...
February 3, 2003 (Issue 1149)
- Teriparatide (Forteo) for Osteoporosis
Teriparatide (ter i par' a tide; Forteo - Lilly), a recombinant segment of human parathyroid hormone, has been approved by the FDA for parenteral treatment of osteoporosis in post-menopausal... - Atomoxetine (Strattera) for ADHD
Atomoxetine (Strattera - Lilly) is the first non-stimulant drug to be approved by the FDA for treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Unlike other drugs approved for use...
February 17, 2003 (Issue 1150)
- Buprenorphine: An alternative to Methadone
The FDA has approved the marketing of buprenorphine in sublingual tablets (Reckitt Benckiser) both alone (Subutex) and with naloxone (Suboxone) for treatment of opioid dependence.... - Aripiprazole (Abilify) for Schizophrenia
Aripiprazole (Abilify - Bristol-Myers Squibb/Otsuka), a quinolinone derivative, has been approved by the FDA for treatment of schizophrenia.
March 3, 2003 (Issue 1151)
- Three New Drugs for Hyperlipidemia
The FDA recently approved three new drugs for treatment of hyperlipidemia. Ezetimibe (ez et' i mibe; Zetia) is the first in a new class of drugs that inhibit intestinal absorption of... - Peginterferon Alfa-2a (Pegasys) for Chronic Hepatitis C
The FDA has approved recombinant interferon alfa-2a conjugated to polyethylene glycol (Pegasys - Roche) alone or with oral ribavirin (Copegus - Roche) for treatment of adults with...
March 17, 2003 (Issue 1152)
- Montelukast (Singulair) for Allergic Rhinitis
Montelukast (Singulair - Merck), a leukotriene receptor antagonist already marketed for asthma (Treatment Guidelines from The Medical Letter 2002; 1:11), has been approved by the FDA for... - Anastrozole (Arimidex) vs. Tamoxifen for Treatment of Early Breast Cancer
Anastrozole (Arimidex - AstraZeneca, Medical Letter 1996; 38:61), an aromatase inhibitor, has received accelerated approval from the FDA for adjuvant treatment of postmenopausal women with... - Drug-eluting Stents
Most angioplasty procedures for coronary artery disease now include placement of stents, which have improved both short- and long-term success rates. The main limitation is restenosis, which occurs...
March 31, 2003 (Issue 1153)
- Adalimumab (Humira) For Rheumatoid Arthritis
Adalimumab (Humira - Abbott), a tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) inhibitor, has been approved by the FDA for treatment of moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A genetically... - Pneumococcal Vaccine (Prevnar) For Otitis Media
The heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (Prevnar - Wyeth) previously approved by the FDA for prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease in infants and children (Medical Letter 2000;...
April 14, 2003 (Issue 1154)
- Nitazoxanide (Alinia) -- a New Anti-protozoal Agent
Nitazoxanide (Alinia - Romark Labs), a new antiparasitic drug, has been approved by the FDA in a liquid formulation for treatment of diarrhea caused by Cryptosporidium parvum and... - Alefacept (Amevive) For Treatment of Psoriasis
Alefacept (a le' fa sept; Amevive - Biogen) has been approved by the FDA for parenteral treatment of adults with moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis.
April 28, 2003 (Issue 1155)
- Eletriptan (Relpax) for Migraine
Eletriptan hydrobromide (Relpax Pfizer) is now available in the US for oral treatment of migraine headache in adults. It is the seventh serotonin 5-HT1B/1D-receptor agonist (triptan) to... - Insulin-Sensitizing Drugs for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), an endocrine abnormality characterized by hyperandrogenism and anovulation, affects 5-10% of women of reproductive age in the US. It is often accompanied by obesity...
May 12, 2003 (Issue 1156)
- Pediarix - a Combined Vaccine for Infants
A new pentavalent vaccine (Pediarix - GlaxoSmithKline), licensed by the FDA for children 6 weeks to 7 years old, includes the antigens from vaccines already marketed against diphtheria,... - Oxybutynin Transdermal (Oxytrol) for Overactive Bladder
A patch formulation of oxybutynin (Oxytrol - Watson) is now available for treatment of overactive bladder. It is claimed to be as effective as the oral drug, with less dry mouth. - Eplerenone (Inspra)
Eplerenone (e pler' en one; Inspra - Pharmacia), an aldosterone receptor antagonist similar to spironolactone (Aldactone, and others), has been approved by the FDA, but not yet...
May 26, 2003 (Issue 1157)
- Insect Repellents
Superseded by The Medical Letter "Insect Repellents" - Issue 1579, August 26, 2019Insect repellents have been used on the skin for many years, primarily to prevent mosquito bites, which... - Ophthalmic Cyclosporine (Restasis) for Dry Eyes
A cyclosporine 0.05% ophthalmic emulsion (Restasis - Allergan) has been approved by the FDA for use in patients with dry eye disease (keratoconjunctivitis sicca). This review begins with a... - Xanax XR for Panic Disorder
The FDA has approved an extended-release (XR) formulation of the benzodiazepine alprazolam (Xanax XR - Pfizer) for treatment of panic disorder, with or without agoraphobia. The new...
June 8, 2003 (Issue 1158)
- Antioxidant Vitamins and Zinc for Macular Degeneration
High doses of beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E and zinc oxide are now being promoted to the general public to "preserve eye health" (Ocuvite PreserVision), "promote retinal and visual... - Drug Interactions
Changes caused by one drug in the absorption, distribution, metabolism or excretion of another may lead to a pharmacokinetic adverse drug interaction (DN Juurlink et al, JAMA 2003; 289:1652)....
June 23, 2003 (Issue 1159)
- Enfuvirtide (Fuzeon) for HIV infection
Enfuvirtide (T-20; Fuzeon Trimeris/Roche), the first in a new class of HIV drugs known as fusion inhibitors, has received accelerated approval from the FDA for use with other antiretrovirals... - Blue light (ClearLight) for Acne Vulgaris
A high-intensity, narrow-band blue light (ClearLight -Lumenis) approved by the FDA for treatment of moderate inflammatory acne vulgaris has been featured in some stories in fashion magazines.... - Prilosec, Nexium and Stereoisomers
Recently pharmaceutical manufacturers have marketed a stereoisomer of a successful drug nearing patent expiration as a new drug. Examples, such as esomeprazole (Nexium) , levalbuterol (Xopenex),...
July 7, 2003 (Issue 1160)
- Are SSRIs Safe for Children?
A "Dear Colleague" letter from the UK's Committee on Safety of Medicines advised physicians, on the basis of unpublished data, not to use paroxetine (Paxil in the US; Seroxat in the UK) to treat... - Rapid Tests for HIV Infection
Testing for HIV infection in the US typically has been a two-step process that requires patients to return for results. This review describes two rapid tests currently FDA-approved, OraQuick and... - Pegvisomant (Somavert) for Acromegaly
The FDA has approved pegvisomant (Somavert Pfizer), a growth hormone receptor antagonist, for parenteral treatment of acromegaly in patients who are not candidates for or have had an inadequate...
July 21, 2003 (Issue 1161)
- Bortezomib (Velcade) for Multiple Myeloma
Bortezomib (PS341; Velcade Millenium), the first proteasome inhibitor, has received accelerated approval from the FDA for treatment of refractory multiple myeloma. This review includes... - Prevention and Treatment of Heat Injury
Summer heat waves cause thousands of cases of heat-related illness in the US each year and hundreds of heat-related deaths, especially among the elderly. This review describes the contributing...
August 4, 2003 (Issue 1162)
- Over-the-counter Omeprazole (Prilosec OTC)
The FDA recently approved the proton pump inhibitor omeprazole magnesium (Prilosec OTC) for over-the-counter use for treatment of frequent heartburn. It will be marketed in late September or... - Aprepitant (Emend) for Prevention of Nausea and Vomiting Due to Cancer Chemotherapy
Aprepitant (Emend - Merck), the first substance P/neurokinin 1 (NK1) receptor antagonist to be approved by the FDA, is now available for oral use with corticosteroids and selective... - Hypoglycemia and Hyperglycemia With Fluoroquinolones
The July 2003 edition of the Canadian Adverse Reaction Newsletter, published by Health Canada (the Canadian FDA), reported that the Health Canada database had received more spontaneous... - Drug Interactions Correction
In the February 2003 update of the Adverse Drug Interactions Program and in the Handbook of Adverse Drug Interactions 2003, the potentially lethal interaction between selective serotonin reuptake...
August 19, 2003 (Issue 1163)
- FluMist: An Intranasal Live Influenza Vaccine
FluMist (MedImmune), the first live-attenuated and first intranasally administered influenza vaccine, has been approved by the FDA to prevent influenza in healthy people 5-49 years old. Given... - Omalizumab (Xolair): An Anti-IgE Antibody For Asthma
The FDA has approved release of omalizumab (oh mah lye zoo mab; Xolair - Genentech, Novartis), a humanized monoclonal antibody given subcutaneously that binds to immunoglobulin E (IgE). The...
September 1, 2003 (Issue 1164)
- Minimal Surgery for Treatment of GERD
Laparoscopic surgery has become increasingly popular for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The usual surgical procedure, a Nissen fundoplication, prevents reflux into the... - Testim and Striant - Two New Testosterone Products
Two new topical testosterone products, a 1% gel (Testim) and a buccal tablet (Striant), have been approved by the FDA for treatment of hypogonadism in men. This review briefly describes...
September 15, 2003 (Issue 1165)
- Memantine for Alzheimer's Disease
Memantine hydrochloride, which has been used to treat dementia in Germany (Axura Merz) since 1982, has become the latest word-of-mouth miracle drug for Alzheimer's disease in the US (G... - Agalsidase beta (Fabrazyme) for Fabry Disease
Agalsidase beta (Fabrazyme Genzyme) has received accelerated approval from the FDA for treatment of patients with Fabry disease, an inherited lysosomal storage disease caused by deficiency... - Azelaic Acid (Finacea) for Rosacea
Azelaic acid 15% gel (Finacea Berlex) is now available in the US for treatment of mild to moderate rosacea. A 20% cream formulation of the drug (Azelex Allergan; Medical Letter 1996;...
September 29, 2003 (Issue 1166)
- Vardenafil (Levitra) for Erectile Dysfunction
Vardenafil (Levitra -Bayer) is the second oral drug approved by the FDA for treatment of erectile dysfunction. Sildenafil (Viagra - Medical Letter 1998; 40:51), the first oral drug, has been... - Influenza Prevention 2003-2004
Superseded by The Medical Letter "Influenza Vaccine for 2020-2021" - Issue 1607, September 21, 2020Unlike the last few years there is no early-season shortage of influenza vaccine....
October 13, 2003 (Issue 1167)
- Rosuvastatin - a New Lipid-lowering Drug
Rosuvastatin (Crestor - AstraZeneca), an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (or "statin"), was recently approved by the FDA for lowering serum cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations and raising... - Lp-PLA2: a New Marker of Vascular Risk
Lipoprotein associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2), an enzyme involved in the repair of oxidative damage to lipoproteins, causes release of inflammatory mediators associated...
October 27, 2003 (Issue 1168)
- Lowering Plasma Homocysteine
High plasma homocysteine concentrations, like high cholesterol, have been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death (O Nygσrd et al, N Engl J Med 1997; 337:230; RS Vasan... - Iodine-131 Tositumomab (Bexxar) for Treatment of Lymphoma
Bexxar, a combination of the monoclonal antibody tositumomab and radiolabeled Iodine-131 tositumomab (Corixa Corp/GlaxoSmithKline) has been approved by the FDA for a single treatment of... - Alpha-L-Iduronidase (Laronidase; Aldurazyme)
Recombinant human α-L-iduronidase (laronidase; Aldurazyme BioMarin/Genzyme), an orphan drug, has been approved by the FDA for enzyme replacement therapy in mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) type I,...
November 10, 2003 (Issue 1169)
- Growth Hormone for Normal Short Children
The FDA has approved Humatrope, Lilly's brand of recombinant human growth hormone (somatropin), for long-term treatment of children with idiopathic, non-growth-hormone-deficient (NGHD) short... - Atazanavir (Reyataz) and Emtricitabine (Emtriva) for HIV Infection
Atazanavir (Reyataz - Bristol-Myers Squibb), a new protease inhibitor (PI), and emtricitabine (Emtriva - Gilead), a nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI)...
November 24, 2003 (Issue 1170)
- Which SSRI?
Five different selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are promoted for treatment of depression and a sixth (fluvoxamine) for use in obsessive compulsive disorder. Which one should we... - Tattoo Removal
While more people than ever are getting tattoos, many come to regret their decision and would like to have them removed. The technology of removing tattoos is much better than it used to be, but...
December 8, 2003 (Issue 1171)
- Efalizumab (Raptiva) for Treatment of Psoriasis
Efalizumab (Raptiva - Genentech/XOMA), a humanized monoclonal antibody that inhibits T-cell activation, has been approved by the FDA for treatment of adults with moderate to severe chronic... - New Glucose-monitoring Technologies
Improved glucose meters and 2 sensing systems for continuous monitoring have become available for management of diabetes. - Safety of Canadian Drugs
Questions have been raised in the US press recently about the safety of Canadian drugs. The process of drug approval in Canada is similar to that in the US (D Paul, Int J Med Marketing 2001; 1:224)....
December 22, 2003 (Issue 1172)
- Tadalafil (Cialis) for Erectile Dysfunction
Tadalafil (Cialis - Lilly Icos) is the third oral drug to be approved by the FDA for treatment of erectile dysfunction. It has a longer duration of action than sildenafil (Viagra) or... - Choice of an Antipsychotic
A recent supplement to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, titled "The Expert Consensus Guideline Series: Optimizing Pharmacologic Treatment of Psychotic Disorders," concluded that most...