Ophthalmic formulations of ketotifen fumarate (Zaditor), pemirolast potassium (Alamast) and nedocromil sodium (Alocril) have recently been approved by the FDA for use in adults and children with itching of the eyes due to allergic conjunctivitis.

Some patients may ask physicians about the effectiveness and safety of homeopathic drugs, which are marketed through health food stores, pharmacies, direct mail and person-to-person sales, and promoted for use in a wide range of disorders.

With the coming of spring, direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertisements in newspapers, in magazines and on television are urging people with seasonal allergies to ask their doctors about one or another of the newer, non-sedating antihistamines.

The FDA has approved an epinephrine nasal spray (neffy – ARS Pharma) for emergency treatment of type 1 hypersensitivity reactions including anaphylaxis in patients who weigh ≥30 kg. It is the first noninjectable epinephrine product to be approved for this indication.

Bepotastine besilate 1.5% ophthalmic solution (Bepreve - ISTA Pharmaceuticals), an H₁-antihistamine, has been approved by the FDA for topical treatment of itching associated with allergic conjunctivitis in patients ≥2 years old. Bepotastine was first developed in an oral systemic formulation and has been used as such for treatment of allergic rhinitis in Japan.

The FDA has approved a 0.15% cream formulation of the phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) inhibitor roflumilast (Zoryve – Arcutis) for topical treatment of mild to moderate atopic dermatitis (AD) in patients ≥6 years old. Roflumilast is the second PDE4 inhibitor to be approved in the US for treatment of AD; crisaborole (Eucrisa), which can be used in patients ≥3 months old, was the first. Roflumilast is available as Zoryve in a 0.3% cream for treatment of plaque psoriasis and a 0.3% foam for treatment of seborrheic dermatitis. It is also available in an oral formulation (Daliresp) for...

The Medical Letter article (Med Lett Drugs Ther 2007; 49:71) on Low-Dose Transdermal Estrogens said that Elestrin has been marketed in Europe since 1976. Actually it is EstroGel (Ascend Therapeutics), a similar product, that has been available in Europe since 1976.

The FDA has approved marketing of the corticosteroid budesonide in an oral inhalatoin powder formulation (Pulmicort Turbuhaler - Astra) for maintenance treatment of asthma in adults and children at least six years old. Budesonide has been available in the USA as an intranasal spray (Rhinocort) for treatment of allergic rhinitis since 1994 and has been used for inhalation treatment of asthma in Canada and Europe for ten years.

The FDA has approved a nebulized suspension of the corticosteroid budesonide for maintenance treatment of persistent asthma in children one to eight years old.

Tapinarof 1% cream (Vtama – Dermavant), an aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonist, has been approved by the FDA for topical treatment of atopic dermatitis in patients ≥2 years old. Tapinarof is the first AhR agonist to be approved in the US for this indication. It was approved in 2022 for treatment of plaque psoriasis in adults.