Acute cough (<3 weeks in duration) generally does not require pharmacologic treatment, especially in children. Suppression of productive cough may be harmful. Management of patients with cough should include elimination of any precipitating factor (e.g., cigarette smoking) and treatment of any underlying cause such as upper airway cough syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease, asthma, or other pulmonary disease.

Cefmetazole sodium (Zefazone - Upjohn), a second-generation parenteral cephalosporin, was recently marketed in the USA for intravenous (IV) treatment of various infections caused by susceptible organisms. Like cefotetan (Cefotan), cefamandole (Mandol), cefoperazone (Cefobid), and moxalactam (Moxam), cefmetazole contains a methylthiotetrazole group that has been associated with prothrombin deficiency.

Growth hormone has been in the news recently because of accusations of criminal misconduct in some marketing and prescribing practices (G Kolata, New York Times, August 15, 1994, page 1). The high cost of the drug and its widespread use for unauthorized indications apparently were contributing factors.

Acarbose (Precose -Bayer), an oral alpha-glucosidase inhibitor that has been available in Europe for several years, was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM).

0.5% malathion in 78% isopropanol was recently approved by the FDA for treatment of head lice.

Alosetron hydrochloride (Lotronex - Glaxo Welcome), a selective serotonin receptor antagonist, has received FDA approval for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in women whose primary bowel symptom is diarrhea.

A transdermal contraceptive patch (Ortho Evra — Ortho-McNeil) has been approved by the FDA. Each 20 cm² patch contains 6 mg of the progestin norelgestromin (the active metabolite of norgestimate) and 0.75 mg of ethinyl estradiol.

The FDA has approved vemurafenib (Zelboraf – Genentech), a kinase inhibitor, for treatment of unresectable or metastatic melanoma with the BRAF V600E mutation, which is found in 30-60% of melanomas. An FDA-approved test can detect the mutation in DNA from melanoma tissue.

Zolpidem oral spray (Zolpimist – NovaDel/ECR), a new formulation of the oral hypnotic zolpidem tartrate (Ambien, and others), has been approved by the FDA for short-term treatment of insomnia characterized by difficulty falling asleep.

The FDA has approved carfilzomib (Kyprolis – Onyx), a proteasome inhibitor, for intravenous treatment of refractory multiple myeloma. Bortezomib (Velcade) was the first proteasome inhibitor to be approved for this indication.