Tacrolimus ointment (Protopic) has been approved by the FDA in 0.03% and 0.1% formulations for treatment of atopic dermatitis. Tacrolimus is used systemically (Prograf) to prevent rejection of organ transplants.

Caspofungin acetate(Cancidas) is the first of a new class of antifungals, the echinocandins. It has been approved by the FDA for treatment of invasive aspergillosis in patients who fail to respond to or are unable to tolerate other antifungal drugs such as amphotericin B and itraconazole.

Botulinum toxin type A (Botox - Allergan) and type B (Myobloc - Elan) are now approved by the FDA for treatment of cervical dystonia. Botulinum toxin type A has been approved since 1989 for treatment of strabismus and blepharospasm. It is also used cosmetically to reduce wrinkles on the face and neck.

Drotrecogin alfa (activated) (Xigris - Lilly), recombinant human activated protein C, has been approved by the FDA for treatment, in combination with standard therapy, of critically ill adults with severe sepsis and a high risk of death.

Testing for HIV infection in the US typically has been a two-step process that requires patients to return for results. This review describes two rapid tests currently FDA-approved, OraQuick and Reveal. It includes a table with the cost and characteristics of each test (result time, device type, equipment needed, etc.).

Memantine hydrochloride, which has been used to treat dementia in Germany (Axura Merz) since 1982, has become the latest word-of-mouth miracle drug for Alzheimer's disease in the US (G Kolata, NY Times, June 15, 2003). Forest Laboratories has submitted a New Drug Application to the FDA for memantine. This review describes the standard treatment for Alzheimer's Disease, mechanism of action, clinical studies, adverse effects and dosage. Also included are sections on availability of the drug and how some people are obtaining memantine from abroad.

An FDA Advisory Committee has recommended over-the-counter (OTC) marketing of Plan B (Barr), an emergency contraceptive "pill pack" that contains two 0.75-mg tablets of levonorgestrel to be taken 12 hours apart (Medical Letter 2000; 42:10). Plan B is one of two FDA-approved products for this indication. The Preven Emergency Contraceptive Kit (Medical Letter, 40:102, 1998) includes four tablets, each containing 0.25 mg of levonorgestrel and 50 ╡g of ethinyl estradiol; these are taken 2 at a time 12 hours apart (the "Yuzpe regimen") and are available only by...

An injectable gel of hyaluronic acid (Restylane) has been approved by the FDA for correction of moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds, such as nasolabial folds. Manufactured by Q-Med AB, a Swedish company, it has been used outside the US since 1996.

Recombinant activated coagulation factor Vll (rFVIIa; NovoSeven - Novo Nordisk), which is marketed worldwide for treatment of bleeding episodes in hemophilia patients with inhibitors to factor VIII or IX, is now being used off-label to stop bleeding in patients who do not have hemophilia. An article in the lay press reported that one or two doses has stopped previously uncontrollable bleeding due to gunshot wounds (B Wysocki, Jr, Wall St Journal, March 17, 2004, page B1).

Lenalidomide (Revlimid - Celgene), a thalidomide analog, has been approved by the FDA for treatment of patients with transfusion-dependent anemia due to myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) associated with a 5q deletion cytogenetic abnormality and a low or low-intermediate risk of mortality and progression to leukemia (based on the International Prognostic Scoring System).