New agent relieves painful symptoms of depression
September 13th 2004The painful physical symptoms of depression often go unrecognized and/or untreated, although 69% of those with the condition list physical symptoms as the main reason for a visit to their primary care physician. Fortunately, clinicians can now offer patients with depression an agent that addresses both depressed mood and common physical symptoms, such as back pain. The FDA recently approved duloxetine (Cymbalta, Eli Lilly) capsules for the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder. The drug is currently available in pharmacies.
New antiretroviral for AIDS combines efficacy, simplicity
August 23rd 2004Combination products make treatment regimens for HIV/AIDS easier to follow, because such regimens often require the simultaneous use of 3 or more drugs from different classes. The FDA recently approved abacavir/lamivudine (Epzicom, GlaxoSmithKline) 600 mg/300 mg tablets for the treatment of HIV infection. The drug will be available in U.S. pharmacies by the end of August or in early September.