News

Washington, D.C. - The Prescription Drug User Fee Act of 1992 reducedthe time the U.S. Food and Drug Administration needs to review and approvenew pharmaceuticals, said the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development.

You are about to subscribe to Dermatology Times Weekly, dermatology?smost timely, credible news source. With each issue, you'll receive thehottest news items of the week in Dermatology. As a bonus, you will alsoreceive our headline news service - quick announcements on drugapprovals and industry news as they happen. The voice you've grown totrust, Dermatology Times, now weekly and at your fingertips. COMING SOON!

Hanover, N.H. - Some medical press releases use formats that exaggeratethe perceived importance of findings and do not routinely highlight studylimitations, according to a study published in a recent issue Journal ofthe American Medical Assn.

Montville, N.J. - Berlex Laboratories announced last week the availabilityof a new, convenient 50-gram tube size for Finevin (azelaic acid cream)20 percent for the topical treatment of mild to moderate inflammatory acnevulgaris.

Palo Alto, Calif. - Connetics Corp., based here, plans to start clinicaltrials on a new acne drug that some reports say is "cosmetically elegant."

The World Health Organization added to its arsenal in the fight againstskin cancer by offering guidelines that tell people when its safe to sunbathe.

TheraLight received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administrationto market its UV120-2 UVA/UUVB Phototherapy System for the treatment ofpsoriasis, vitiligo, atopic dermatitis and seborrheic dermatitis.

Antigenics Inc. reports the U.S. Food and Drug Administration grantedthe company's personalized cancer vaccine (Oncophage) orphan drug statusfor the treatment of metastatic melanoma. This offers the company potentialmarket exclusivity for seven years from FDA marketing approval.

You are about to subscribe to Dermatology Times Weekly, dermatology?smost timely, credible news source. With each issue, you'll receive thehottest news items of the week in Dermatology. As a bonus, you will alsoreceive our headline news service - quick announcements on drugapprovals and industry news as they happen. The voice you've grown totrust, Dermatology Times, now weekly and at your fingertips. COMING SOON!

National Report - Annual sunburns are almost family traditionsin the summer, and some 60 percent of young adults experience at least onesunburn a year, says the National Cancer Institute.

Washington&shy - A recent study revealed that many over-the-counterbeauty products can cause birth defects. In fact, 72 percent of 72 productstested by three environmental and advocacy groups were found to containdangerous chemicals called phthalates.

New York - Although it is well known that rash is a common sideeffect of anti-epileptic drugs, less known is that hirsutism in young girlsand baldness in boys may be frequent side effects as well.

New Orleans - Atopic dermatitis is a frustrating condition to treat,and many frequently employed interventions lack scientific support. Thiswas the rationale behind a systematic review of all randomized, controlledtrials of AD conducted by the United Kingdom Department of Health and presentedat the American Academy of Dermatology annual meeting by Hywel Williams,Ph.D.

Pilot study shows nine patients with pruritus respond well to topicalmast cell stabilizerNew Orleans - Results of a pilot study suggest the mast cell stabilizercromolyn may be an innovative new topical therapy for itch, Larry E. Millikan,M.D., said.

As Congress tries desperately to balance the need to increase spendingfor homeland defense, lawmakers must still deal with the pressing needsof ongoing, but crucial, programs, such as research into the causes of cancerand other dreaded diseases.

Resistance to OTC treatments has doctors seeking reliable treatments,patients creating own Miami Beach, Fla. - The epidemic of resistant head lice in theUnited States is real and only one or two of the handful of products availableto treat head lice and nits reliably rid patients of the pests, Ronald C.Hansen, M.D., said here at the annual Masters of Pediatrics meeting.

Q. Does the use of nail polish promote splitting of the nail plate?A. Lamellar splitting of the nail plate is a common concern of women who consult a dermatologist for treatment of nail conditions. This lamellar splitting is known as onychoschizia and is due to nail-plate dehydration. The normal water content of the nail is somewhat controversial, since it depends on where the measurement is taken. As might be expected, the newly grown proximal nail has a higher water content than the nail-free edge, since the nail at the free edge is older and has been exposed to more solvents, surfactants, and water. Once the water has been removed from the nail plate, it loses its flexibility and will split. This water cannot be permanently restored, which points to the importance of wearing gloves to prevent nail-plate damage.

Those of us who travel find a laptop computeressential, both to work and to keep in touch with friends, family, andbusiness associates.A common question is: "Which internet provider can give me accessin a wide variety of places?"

Physician and staff can make patient more comfortable with some simpleinjection suggestionsNew Orleans - A primary consideration in administering local anesthesiais ensuring the comfort of the patient, according to David A. Davis, M.D.

Atlanta - Preliminary research results from a pilot study showbasal cell carcinoma may be eradicated by pulsed dye laser. The study wasdiscussed by Karl R. Beutner, M.D., Ph.D., here at the annual meeting ofthe American Society of Laser Medicine and Surgery.

Atlanta - A pilot study of laser-assisted photodynamic therapy(PDT) indicates that the technique could offer several advantages over otherforms of treatment for actinic keratoses, said Macrene Alexiades-Armenakas,M.D., Ph.D., director of research, Laser and Skin Surgery Center of NewYork.

Atlanta - When a port-wine stain has persisted despite conventional pulsed-dyelaser therapy, it may respond to a modality combining dynamic cooling andlong-pulse durations, according to Catherine M. Gorst, N.P. This systemmay cause at least a 50 percent lightening in resistant lesions, she said.

Silver Spring, Md. - The FDA Dermatologic and Ophthalmic AdvisoryCommittee, by an 8-2 vote, on May 23 recommended approval of alefacept,a systemic drug for the treatment of chronic plaque psoriasis.

Atlanta - Two recent studies suggest that the 308nm excimer laser may be the first device effective in the treatment of hypopigmented facial scars, striae, and hypopigmentation caused by resurfacing with the CO2 laser. Both studies were presented at the 22nd annual meeting of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery.

Los Angeles - Preliminary results from a split-face, double-blind study are further substantiating the efficacy of a unique topical product containing growth factors and antioxidants for improving photodamaged skin and indicate that its effects persist and increase even after treatment is stopped, Richard E. Fitzpatrick, M.D., reported at the annual meeting of the Society for Investigative Dermatology.

New Orleans - Sedating patients is a serious business, and dermatologic surgeons need to be well aware of the progressive levels of sedation and ensure that patients are monitored appropriately to prevent complications, J. Lance Lichtor, M.D., said.

New Orleans - Excision with primary closure can be an excellent option for surgical treatment of extensive acne keloidalis nuchae (AKN), provided that the procedure incorporates three fundamental elements, Hugh M. Gloster Jr, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Atlanta - The 308nm excimer laser, currently used for treatment of psoriasis and vitiligo, could also be effective in the treatment of other losses of pigmentation, including stretch marks, according to David J. Goldberg, M.D., J.D..

Electron microscopy analysis has shown a correlation between clinical response and ultrastructural findings following treatment with a nonablative flashlamp 350 ?sec, 585nm pulsed-dye laser.

New Orleans - Research studies using the excimer laser to treat vitiligo and psoriasis have confirmed the procedure to be effective and relatively safe. The key to a successful outcome is the proper selection of patients, study author Suhail Hadi, M.D., said at the annual meeting of American Academy of Dermatology.