The progestin levonorgestrel is available over the counter for emergency contraception as two 0.75-mg tablets taken 12 hours apart (generic formulations of Plan B) and as a single 1.5-mg tablet taken once (Plan B One-Step, and generics). A third emergency contraceptive, ulipristal (Ella – Watson), is available with a prescription.1 It appears that, pursuant to a court order, Plan B One-Step (but not the generic products), which was previously available over the counter from a pharmacist only for women 17 years and older, will now be available directly from pharmacy shelves with no age...

The FDA has approved the pyrimidine analog uridine triacetate (Xuriden [zur' uh den] – Wellstat Therapeutics) for treatment of hereditary orotic aciduria, a rare autosomal recessive disorder (estimated birth prevalence: <1:1,000,000) in infants and children caused by a deficiency in uridine 5'-monophosphate (UMP) synthase. This deficiency prevents synthesis of uridine nucleotides and causes developmental delays, failure to gain weight, hematologic abnormalities, and excessive urinary excretion of orotic acid, which can lead to urinary obstruction.1 Xuriden is the first drug to be approved...

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has issued new recommendations for meningococcal vaccination. Booster vaccination against Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B (MenB) is now recommended in persons at increased risk for meningococcal disease (see Table 1). MenB booster doses were not recommended previously for any population.

The FDA has approved Soaanz (Sarfez), a new formulation of the loop diuretic torsemide, for treatment of edema associated with heart failure or renal disease in adults. Torsemide has been available generically for years for treatment of hypertension and treatment of edema due to heart failure, renal disease, or hepatic disease. According to the manufacturer, Soaanz tablets are formulated to provide a gradual and sustained diuresis, lowering the risk of excessive urination and hypokalemia.

The FDA has required changes in the labels of all testosterone products to reflect new data on their cardiovascular effects. The updated labels will no longer include a boxed warning about an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes, but will contain a new warning about an increase in blood pressure.

Uterine artery embolization (UAE) is an increasingly used alternative to surgery for treatment of uterine fibroids.

The FDA has recently approved RotaTeq (Merck), an oral live, human-bovine reassortant rotavirus vaccine, for use in infants to prevent rotavirus gastroenteritis, a frequent cause of severe diarrhea in infancy.

Treatment options for snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) now include, in addition to lifestyle remedies such as weight loss and avoidance of alcohol in the evening, mechanical devices, injection of botulinum toxin into the soft palate and a variety of ENT surgical outpatient procedures. Palatal implants (Pillar procedure - Restore Medical Inc) have been approved by the FDA for treatment of snoring and OSA.

The da Vinci Surgical System (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA) has become available in recent years for use in laparoscopic prostatectomy, gynecological procedures, general surgery, otolaryngology and cardiothoracic procedures.

Botulinum toxin type A (Botox Cosmetic - Allergan) has received formal approval from the FDA for treatment of glabellar ("frown") lines in adults not more than 65 years old, and is being heavily advertised. Even before this approval, cosmetic use of botulinum toxin to reduce wrinkles on the face and neck had become a popular alternative to cosmetic surgery (Medical Letter 1999; 41:63). Botulinum toxin type A (Botox) and type B (Myobloc) are approved for treatment of cervical dystonia (Medical Letter 2001; 43:53), and type A has been approved since 1989 for treatment of strabismus and...