Ecamsule (terephthalylidene dicamphor sulfonic acid), the first new sunscreen agent to be approved by the FDA in 18 years, is now available in the US in a moisturizer called Anthelios SX. Ecamsule has been used in Canada and Europe for more than 10 years.

Tuberculosis (TB) is still a common cause of death worldwide, and the prevalence of drug-resistant TB poses challenges to its treatment and control. Guidelines with detailed management recommendations are available from the American Thoracic Society, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA).

Atacept (Orencia - Bristol-Myers Squibb), an inhibitor of T-cell activation, has been approved by the FDA for treatment of moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in patients who have not responded to one or more disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs).

In the US, over one third of adults under the age of 35 and about one quarter of those aged 18-50 now have at least one tattoo. In later life, some people come to regret their tattoos, but tattoo inks can be difficult and expensive to remove.2 Recently, some new tattoo inks have been designed for improved safety and ease of removal.

Pregabalin (Lyrica - Pfizer) is the first drug approved by the FDA for management of fibromyalgia. When it was first marketed, pregabalin, which is structurally similar to gabapentin (Neurontin, and others), was approved for treatment of neuropathic pain associated with postherpetic neuralgia and diabetic peripheral neuropathy and for adjunctive treatment of partial onset seizures in adults with epilepsy. It has also been prescribed off-label for other types of neuropathic pain such as sciatica.

Atopic dermatitis (AD; also known as eczema) is frequently associated with other atopic disorders such as allergic rhinitis, asthma, and food allergy. It commonly presents in infancy and early childhood and has a relapsing course, often improving by adolescence, but sometimes persisting into (or first appearing in) adulthood or even old age.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommend using insect repellents to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes, ticks, and other arthropods that transmit disease-causing pathogens. Repellents applied to exposed skin should be used in conjunction with other preventive measures such as wearing long-sleeved shirts, pants, and socks and avoiding outdoor activities during peak mosquito-biting times. Some insect repellents are listed in Table 1.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD), referred to collectively as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), are chronic immune-mediated inflammatory conditions. Guidelines for treatment of UC and CD have been updated in recent years

Smoking tobacco remains the primary preventable cause of death in the US. Smoking cessation often requires both pharmacotherapy and behavioral support.

With increasing travel, immigration, use of immunosuppressive drugs and the spread of AIDS, physicians anywhere may see infections caused by parasites. The table in this document lists first-choice and alternative drugs for most parasitic infections.