Apriso (Salix) is a new formulation of mesalamine (5-aminosalicylic acid; 5-ASA) approved by the FDA for maintenance of remission in mild to moderate ulcerative colitis (UC). Mesalamine is a locally acting antiinflammatory agent that is widely used both to maintain and induce remission in inflammatory bowel disease. Various mesalamine formulations have been developed to target drug delivery to areas of the small intestine and colon. Most of these agents require frequent dosing and have a high pill burden. The newest products - Lialda, introduced in 2007,1 and now Apriso - can be dosed once daily.

Web sites and blogs are advising patients that periodic "cleansing" of the colon is necessary to rid the body of toxins.

The FDA has announced that it will lower the age for over-the-counter access to the emergency contraceptive Plan B1 from 18 to 17 years old. In a randomized, controlled trial, the two 0.75-mg levonorgestrel tablets in Plan B, taken 12 hours apart beginning within 72 hours after unprotected intercourse, decreased the overall pregnancy rate to 1.1% (11/976) of women who requested emergency contraception.2 The sooner the drug is taken after coitus, the more effective it is. Nausea and vomiting can occur with Plan B. Fetal malformations have not been associated with pregnancies that occurred despite use of levonorgestrel-only emergency contraception.3

1. Emergency contraception OTC. Med Lett Drugs Ther 2004; 46:10.
2. Task Force on Postovulatory Methods of Fertility Regulation. Randomised controlled trial of levonorgestrel versus the Yuzpe regimen of combined oral contraceptives for emergency contraception. Lancet 1998; 352:428.
3. L Zhang et al. Pregnancy outcome after levonorgestrel-only emergency contraception failure: a prospective cohort study. Hum Reprod 2009 Mar 31 (epub).

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