Bivalirudin is being promoted as an intravenous (IV) anticoagulant that can be used instead of heparin in patients with unstable angina undergoing coronary angioplasty.

Recombinant interferon alfa-2b conjugated to polyethylene glycol (PEG-Intron), the first "pegylated"alpha interferon, has been approved by the FDA for once-a-week monotherapy of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in patients not previously treated with alpha interferon.

Echinacea, a plant also called purple coneflower, is widely used as a dietary supplement for prevention and treatment of colds.

Fondaparinux (Arixtra - Organon Sanofi-Synthelabo), a synthetic analog of heparin, has been approved by the FDA for prevention of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) after hip fracture surgery or knee or hip replacement.

The investigational monoclonal antibody sotrovimab (VIR-7831; GSK/Vir Biotechnology) has been granted an FDA Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in patients ≥12 years old who weigh ≥40 kg and are at high risk of progressing to severe disease, including hospitalization and death.1 Two other monoclonal antibody regimens are authorized for the same indication: casirivimab (REGN10933) and imdevimab (REGN10987) administered together, and bamlanivimab (LY-CoV555) and etesevimab (LYCoV016) administered together. The FDA revoked its EUA...

Mifepristone (RU 486; Mifeprex - Danco), an antiprogestin, has been approved by the FDA for termination of intrauterine pregnancies of 49 days or less. It is generally used with misoprostol (Cytotec - Searle), an E₁ prostaglandin analog marketed in the USA only for prevention of gastric ulcers.

Use of epoetin alfa, a recombinant human erythropoietin, is being promoted directly to consumers in vague advertisements that promise renewed energy and improved work capacity. Epoetin is approved by the FDA for treatment of anemia due to chronic renal failure, cancer chemotherapy or HIV treatment, and before elective non-cardiac surgery. It is also used illicitly by competitive athletes to increase their endurance.

Ziprasidone (Geodon - Pfizer), a benzisothiazolyl piperazine, has been approved by the FDA for oral treatment of schizophrenia. An intramuscular formulation will probably be available in the near future.

Nesiritide, a recombinant human B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), has been approved by the FDA of intravenous (IV) treatment of patients with decompensated congestive heart failure who have dyspnea at rest or with minimal exertion (New York Heart Association class IV).

Budesonide (Entocort EC — AstraZeneca), a locally active glucocorticosteriod widely used for inhalation treatment of allergic rhinitis and asthma (Medical Letter 2000; 42:19), has been approved for oral treatment of mild to moderate active Crohn's disease involving the ileum and/or ascending colon. Both oral budesonide and budesonide enemas have been available for years in Europe and Canada for treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.