The centuries-old anti-inflammatory drug colchicine (Colcrys, and others) is FDA-approved for prophylaxis and treatment of gout flares and for treatment of familial Mediterranean fever. It is also used off-label to treat pericarditis, and in recent years has been investigated for reduction of cardiovascular risk in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).

Wild poliovirus has circulated during the previous 12 months in Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Iraq, Israel (also the West Bank and Gaza), Somalia, and Syria, as well as in those countries where polio is still endemic (Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan). The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a public health emergency related to the possible spread of polio from affected countries. In response, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued interim guidance for US residents planning travel to and from these countries.Vaccine Recommendations – All travelers...

The FDA has approved baloxavir marboxil (Xofluza – Shionogi/Genentech), the first polymerase acidic (PA) endonuclease inhibitor, for single-dose, oral treatment of acute uncomplicated influenza in patients ≥12 years old. Baloxavir is the first drug with a new mechanism of action to be approved for treatment of influenza in almost 20 years.

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 (Flumadine, and others), but warned that the incidence of resistance has increased substantially. The CDC recently issued a Health Alert (www.cdc.gov) saying that current evidence indicates that a high proportion of circulating influenza A viruses in the US are now resistant to amantadine and rimantadine and they should not be used for this indication, at least this year. Click here to go to this update...

Montelukast sodium (Singulair - Merck), a leukotriene receptor antagonist, has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for oral prophylaxis and chronic treatment of asthma in adults and children at least 6 years old. It is the third 'leukotriene modifier' to become available in the USA; zafirlukast (Accolate - Medical Letter, 38:111, 1996) and zileuton (Zyflo - Medical Letter, 39:18, 1997) were marketed previously. Neither zafirlukast nor zileuton has been approved by the FDA for use in children less than 12 years old. Leukotriene modifiers are not recommended for...

Some classes of drugs include so many agents that hospital formulary committees, managed care organizations and individual practitioners may find it difficult to choose among them. Fifteen beta-adrenergic receptor antagonists (beta-blockers) are now marketed for systemic use in the USA. One or more have been approved by the FDA for use in hypertension and eight other indications.

The CDC is recommending that persons at high risk of mpox (see Table 1) receive two doses of the Jynneos vaccine. The recommendation follows reports of a recent cluster of mpox cases in the US and warnings about the risk of a renewed outbreak during the spring and summer as people gather for festivals and other events. The CDC does not recommend routine immunization against mpox for the general population.

The CDC has reported that many states are experiencing a higher-than-usual incidence of pertussis this year. The highest incidence has been in infants, but the disease has also occurred in older children, adolescents, and adults. Thirteen pertussis-related deaths were reported through August 24; the majority of these were in infants <3 months old.

Probiotics are live, nonpathogenic microorganisms (usually bacteria or yeasts) marketed as dietary supplements. They have not been approved by the FDA for any indication. Since our last article on this subject, some new data have become available.

Belotero Balance (Merz), an injectable hyaluronic acid dermal filler, has been approved by the FDA for temporary correction of moderate-to-severe facial wrinkles and folds. Several other hyaluronic acid products are also available for this indication (e.g., Restylane, Perlane, Juvéderm). They have supplanted bovine collagen products, which persist for a shorter time and cause more allergic reactions.