The FDA recently approved the use of atorvastatin (Lipitor) to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients without heart disease who have type 2 diabetes plus other risk factors, with or...

A fixed-dose combination of oxycodone 5 mg and ibuprofen 400 mg (Combunox - Forest Laboratories) is now available and is being heavily advertised for short-term treatment of moderate to...

The FDA has licensed Adacel (Aventis Pasteur) and Boostrix (GlaxoSmithKline), two new combination vaccines that include tetanus toxoid, diphtheria toxoid and acellular pertussis...

The physiologic changes that occur with aging can affect the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of many prescription and over-the-counter drugs, increasing the likelihood of adverse effects.

Chromium is marketed as a dietary supplement, usually containing 20-500 mcg of a chromium salt. It has been promoted for weight loss, muscle building, and for prevention and treatment of diabetes,...

For patients with diabetes poorly controlled with a single oral drug, addition of a second drug with a different mechanism can be helpful. A fixed-dose combination (Actoplus met - Takeda) of...

Gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB), a central-nervous-system depressant notorious for its use in "date rape", was approved by the FDA in 2002 as sodium oxybate (Xyrem - Jazz Pharmaceuticals) for...

Our article on Antiviral Drugs for Prophylaxis and Treatment of Influenza (Med Lett Drugs Ther 2005;47:93) mentioned possible use of amantadine (Symmetrel, and others) and rimantadine...

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections, which have been a concern for many years, previously occurred primarily in hospitalized patients and those recently treated with...

Nelarabine (Arranon - GlaxoSmithKline), a prodrug of the deoxyguanosine analog 9-β-D-arabinofuranosylguanine (ara-G), has been approved by the FDA for treatment of patients with T-cell...

Hyperphosphatemia in end-stage renal disease can lead to secondary hyperparathyroidism, renal osteodystrophy, metastatic calcification and cardiovascular mortality. addition to dietary restriction...

Atacept (Orencia - Bristol-Myers Squibb), an inhibitor of T-cell activation, has been approved by the FDA for treatment of moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in patients who have...

Coenzyme Q10, a fat-soluble antioxidant also known as ubidecarenone, ubiquinone and CoQ10, is marketed as a dietary supplement in the US, both as a single ingredient and in various combination...

Levalbuterol, the R-isomer of the beta-2 adrenergic agonist albuterol, is now available in the US as a metered-dose inhaler (Xopenex HFA - Sepracor) for treatment of asthma in patients...

Avandaryl, a new fixed-dose tablet combining the thiazolidinedione rosiglitazone (Avandia) and the sulfonylurea glimepiride (Amaryl, and others), was recently approved by the...

A study now available on the web site of The New England Journal of Medicine (LY Park-Wyllie et al. Outpatient gatifloxacin therapy and dysglycemia in older adults. www.nejm.org, published online...

Patients may be asking about reports in the lay press that exenatide (Byetta - Med Lett Drugs Ther 2005; 47:45), a synthetic peptide that stimulates release of insulin from pancreatic beta...

Now that glucosamine and chondroitin, 2 favorite over-the-counter remedies for painful osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee, have been at least somewhat discredited, some patients will be asking about...

The FDA has approved a new spray formulation of the super-high-potency corticosteroid clobetasol propionate 0.05% (Clobex - Galderma) for treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in...

Clopidogrel (Plavix - Sanofi-Aventis and Bristol-Myers Squibb), an oral thienopyridine that inhibits platelet aggregation, is now being advertised directly to the public on television....

Lenalidomide (Revlimid - Celgene), a thalidomide analog, has been approved by the FDA for treatment of patients with transfusion-dependent anemia due to myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)...

Insulin glulisine (Apidra - Sanofi Aventis) is the third rapid-acting insulin analog to be marketed in the US, following insulin lispro (Humalog) and insulin aspart (Novolog)....

Rituximab (Rituxan - Genentech), an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody already marketed for treatment of B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, is now FDA-approved for use concurrently with methotrexate...

Deferasirox (Exjade - Novartis), an oral chelating agent, recently received accelerated approval from the FDA as an orphan drug for oral treatment of chronic iron overload due to blood...

Telithromycin (Ketek) is an oral erythromycin derivative FDA-approved for treatment of mild to moderate community-acquired pneumonia, exacerbations of chronic bronchitis and acute bacterial...

Preliminary results from a new study, unpublished but reported in a press release from the National Cancer Institute and widely disseminated in the public press, suggest that raloxifene...

Acupuncture is the practice of inserting fine needles for therapeutic purposes into points on the skin known as acupoints. In traditional Chinese medicine theory, these points arefound along...

The FDA has approved a new genetic test to identify patients who may be at increased risk of severe toxicity when treated with the cancer chemotherapy drug irinotecan (Camptosar). The...

The FDA recently approved the monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) selegiline in a transdermal (patch) formulation (Emsam - Bristol-Myers Squibb/Somerset) for treatment of major depressive...

Anidulafungin (ay nid yoo la fun jin; Eraxis - Pfizer), a third intravenous echinocandin antifungal, has been approved by the FDA for treatment of esophageal candidiasis, candidemia, and...

Last year, a Medical Letter article reviewing colonoscopy preparations warned that oral sodium phosphate preparations, such as Fleet Phospho-Soda solution and Visicol tablets, could cause...

A large mumps outbreak that began in Iowa in December 2005 has spread. About 40% of the cases have been in people 18-25 years old, many of whom are college students and had been vaccinated against...

The FDA has approved the marketing of extended release (ER) ranolazine (Ranexa - CV Therapeutics) for treatment of chronic angina in patients who have not achieved an adequate response with...

The FDA has approved lubiprostone (Amitiza - Sucampo/Takeda), a chloride channel activator, for treatment of chronic idiopathic constipation in adults. The only other prescription drug...

A transdermal patch formulation of methylphenidate (Daytrana - Noven/Shire) has been approved by the FDA for treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in patients ≥ 6...

Conivaptan hydrochloride (Vaprisol - Astellas), a vasopressin antagonist, has been approved by the FDA for short-term intravenous (IV) treatment of euvolemic hyponatremia in hospitalized...

Many prescriptions for eye drops call for instillation of 1-2 drops. But Medical Letter consultants in ophthalmology seem to agree that all eye drops should generally be given in doses of only one...

When the use of aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases was last reviewed in The Medical Letter, only one placebo-controlled prospective trial was available: the (male)...

Insulin detemir (Levemir - Novo Nordisk) is the second long-acting basal insulin analog to be marketed in the US for treatment of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Detemir differs from human...

Taclonex ointment (Warner Chilcott/LEO Pharma), a combination of the vitamin D3 analog calcipotriene 0.005% (Dovonex) and the high-potency corticosteroid betamethasone dipropionate 0.064%,...

An inhaled, dry-powder formulation of rapid-acting human insulin (Exubera - Pfizer) has been approved by the FDA for treatment of adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

Omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), mainly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are essential human nutrients. The main dietary source of PUFAs is fatty fish...

The results of a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of calcium and vitamin D supplements in more than 36,000 postmenopausal women, conducted as part of the Women’s Health Initiative (RD Jackson...

The FDA has recently approved RotaTeq (Merck), an oral live, human-bovine reassortant rotavirus vaccine, for use in infants to prevent rotavirus gastroenteritis, a frequent cause of severe...

An injectable extended-release formulation of the opioid-receptor antagonist naltrexone (Vivitrol - Alkermes/Cephalon) has been approved by the FDA for once-monthly use, along with...

A recombinant quadrivalent human-papillomavirus-like particle vaccine, Gardasil (Merck), has been approved by the FDA for use in girls and women 9-26 years old to prevent diseases associated...

Varenicline tartrate (Chantix - Pfizer) is now available for oral treatment of tobacco dependence. Some other drugs for this indication are listed in this article.

Ibandronate (Boniva - Roche) is the first bisphosphonate approved by the FDA for intravenous (IV) treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. It is given as a bolus injection once...

The US manufacturer of varicella zoster immune globulin (VZIG; Massachusetts Public Health Biologic Laboratories, Boston, MA) recently discontinued its production. A Canadian formulation,...

Sudden cardiac arrest has a survival rate of about 6% without immediate defibrillation. Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) can be found in many public locations such as shopping malls, office...

A live attenuated varicella-zoster vaccine (Zostavax - Merck) has been approved by the FDA for prevention of herpes zoster (HZ; zoster; shingles) in persons ≥60 years old. Each dose of...

Darunavir (Prezista - Tibotec), a new protease inhibitor, has received accelerated approval from the FDA for use in combination therapy of human-immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in...

The FDA has approved over-the-counter (OTC) sales of Plan B (Duramed), an emergency contraceptive package that contains two 0.75-mg tablets of levonorgestrel, to women ≥18 years old....

Statins have been shown to reduce the risk of stroke in patients at high risk for cardiovascular disease (Treat Guidel Med Lett 2005; 3:15). A recent issue of The New England Journal of Medicine...

Soon after The Medical Letter first reviewed use of natalizumab (Tysabri – Biogen Idec and Elan) for treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) (Med Lett Drugs Ther 2005;...

Three new combination oral contraceptives (COCs) with shortened hormone-free intervals, Seasonique, Loestrin 24 Fe and Yaz, have recently been approved by the FDA. All 3 are...

Atripla (Gilead/Bristol-Myers Squibb) is the first once daily, single-tablet combination of 3 antiretroviral drugs for treatment of HIV infection. Each tablet contains 600 mg of the...

The US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has recommended the addition of a routine second dose of varicella vaccine for children

Superseded by The Medical Letter "Influenza Vaccine for 2019-2020" - Issue 1583, October 21, 2019Annual immunization against influenza A and B is the most effective method of preventing...

Implanon (Organon), an implantable contraceptive containing the progestin etonogestrel, has been approved by the FDA. Two other implantable contraceptives, Norplant and Jadelle,...

The FDA has approved ranibizumab (Lucentis - Genentech) as an intravitreal injection for treatment of neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Ranibizumab is a derivative of...

Superseded by The Medical Letter "Antiviral Drugs for Influenza" - Issue 1589, January 13, 2020Antiviral drugs can be used to control institutional influenza outbreaks and for prophylaxis of...

Superseded by The Medical Letter "Influenza Vaccine for 2019-2020" - Issue 1583, October 21, 2019Since the publication of our article on influenza vaccine (October 9, 2006), a fourth...

The gram-positive anaerobic bacillus Clostridium difficile is the most common identifiable cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. The antibiotics most often implicated have been ampicillin,...

Decitabine (Dacogen - MGI Pharma), a pyrimidine nucleoside analog of cytidine, was approved by the FDA as an orphan drug for treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), a heterogeneous...

Posaconazole (Noxafil - Schering-Plough), an oral azole antifungal with a chemical structure similar to that of itraconazole (Sporanox), has been approved by the FDA to prevent Candida...

The FDA has approved an extended-release formulation of minocycline (Solodyn - Medicis) for once-daily treatment of non-nodular moderate to severe acne.

Rasagiline (Azilect - Teva), a monoamine oxidase-type B (MAO-B) inhibitor, was recently approved by the FDA for once-daily oral treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). It can be taken alone...

Standard approaches to therapy for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) include lifestyle changes, over-the-counter and prescription drugs, and sometimes surgery. Emerging endoscopic anti-reflux...

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) has 6 FDA approved indications and is prescribed off-label for many others. How many of these uses are justified is controversial.

Nabilone, an oral synthetic cannabinoid similar to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in marijuana, has recently been reintroduced to the US market (Cesamet - Valeant)...

View the 2006 Annual Index