On April 13, 2021, the FDA and CDC advised suspending use of the Johnson & Johnson adenovirus-based COVID-19 vaccine while the agencies investigate 6 cases of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) and thrombocytopenia that occurred following administration of the vaccine. In an April 14 emergency meeting, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended continuing the suspension until more data become available. About 7 million people in the US have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

View the Treatment of COVID-19 in High-Risk Outpatients Chart

The direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) apixaban (Eliquis) and rivaroxaban (Xarelto, and generics) are frequently used for treatment of acute venous thromboembolism (VTE) and are usually continued for at least 3 months. The other DOACs (edoxaban [Savaysa] and dabigatran [Pradaxa, and generics]) are alternatives for long-term treatment, but they require prior treatment with low-molecular-weight heparin for ≥5 days. Until recently, no large randomized trial directly comparing the safety of apixaban and rivaroxaban for treatment of VTE was available.

View the Comparison Table: Some Topical Corticosteroids

View the Comparison Table: Some Nonopioid Analgesics for Pain

Adults with persistent fasting triglyceride levels ≥150 mg/dL are considered to have hypertriglyceridemia; when levels are ≥500 mg/dL, it is considered severe. Hypertriglyceridemia is associated with an increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD); severe hypertriglyceridemia increases the risk of acute pancreatitis.

The FDA has approved suvorexant (Belsomra – Merck), the first orexin receptor antagonist to become available in the US, for treatment of sleep-onset and/or sleep-maintenance insomnia.

The FDA has approved the oral Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor upadacitinib (Rinvoq – Abbvie) for treatment of moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis in adults who have had an inadequate response to or cannot tolerate one or more tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors. Upadacitinib is the second JAK inhibitor to be approved for this indication; tofacitinib (Xeljanz) was the first. Upadacitinib is also approved for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, atopic dermatitis, and ankylosing spondylitis.

The FDA has approved two new oral formulations of testosterone undecanoate — Kyzatrex (Marius) and Tlando (Antares) — for treatment of males with a deficiency of endogenous testosterone due to conditions such as Klinefelter syndrome, orchiectomy, toxic damage from chemotherapy or alcohol, or pituitary-hypothalamic injury caused by tumors, trauma, or radiation. Jatenzo, another oral testosterone undecanoate formulation, was approved for the same indication in 2019. No testosterone products are approved for treatment of low testosterone levels due solely to...

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.