The FDA has approved opicapone (Ongentys – Neurocrine), a peripherally-acting reversible catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitor, for oral use as an adjunct to carbidopa/levodopa in adults with Parkinson’s disease (PD) who experience "off" episodes. It is the third COMT inhibitor to be approved for this indication; tolcapone (Tasmar, and generics) and entacapone (Comtan, and generics) were approved earlier. Opicapone has been available in Europe since 2016.

The FDA has licensed PreHevbrio (VBI Vaccines), a recombinant, 3-antigen, 3-dose hepatitis B vaccine, for the prevention of infection caused by all known subtypes of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in adults. It has been available in Israel since 2000.

The FDA has expanded its Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) for the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines manufactured by Pfizer/BioNTech (Comirnaty) and Moderna (Spikevax) to allow for their use in children as young as 6 months old. The Pfizer vaccine was previously authorized for use in persons ≥5 years old, and the Moderna vaccine was authorized for use in adults ≥18 years old.

The FDA has approved an extended-release fixed-dose combination of dextromethorphan and bupropion (Auvelity – Axsome) for treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults.

The injectable interleukin (IL)-23 antagonist risankizumab-rzaa (Skyrizi – Abbvie) has been approved by the FDA for treatment of moderately to severely active Crohn's disease (CD) in adults. Risankizumab was approved earlier for treatment of plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

The FDA has approved daprodustat (Jesduvroq – GSK), a hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor (HIF-PHI), for oral treatment of anemia due to chronic kidney disease (CKD) in adults who have been on dialysis for at least 4 months. It is the first HIF-PHI and the first oral drug to be approved in the US for this indication.

The FDA has approved Airsupra (AstraZeneca), a metered-dose inhaler containing the short-acting beta₂-agonist (SABA) albuterol and the inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) budesonide, for use as needed for treatment or prevention of bronchoconstriction and to reduce the risk of exacerbations in patients ≥18 years old with asthma. Airsupra is the first combination of a SABA and an ICS to become available in the US. It is not approved for use as maintenance therapy.

The FDA has approved gepotidacin (Blujepa – GSK), a triazaacenaphthylene bacterial type II topoisomerase inhibitor, for oral treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (uUTI) in female patients ≥12 years old who weigh ≥40 kg. Gepotidacin is the first triazaacenaphthylene antibiotic to be approved in the US.

Onychomycosis is caused most commonly by Trichophyton rubrum or T. mentagrophytes. About 10% of all persons worldwide and 40% of those ≥60 years old are believed to have the disease. Risk factors include older age, diabetes, poor peripheral circulation, smoking, HIV infection, psoriasis, and immunosuppression. Left untreated, onychomycosis can cause nail plate destruction, ingrown nails, and (particularly in patients with diabetes) secondary infections. Guidelines on treatment of onychomycosis have been published.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommend using insect repellents to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes, ticks, and other arthropods that transmit disease-causing pathogens. Repellents applied to exposed skin should be used in conjunction with other preventive measures such as wearing long-sleeved shirts, pants, and socks and avoiding outdoor activities during peak mosquito-biting times. Some insect repellents are listed in Table 1.