Two new medications have recently been approved to help patients lose weight: lorcaserin and phentermine and topiramate extended-release.

The LINX Reflux Management System, which was approved by the FDA in 2012, has demonstrated impressive results in a study involving 100 participants with long-term acid reflux.

The FDA approved the emergency contraceptive to be sold OTC to girls aged 15 and older, and the Justice Department appealed a judge’s order that it be made available OTC to girls of all ages.

Eliquis (apixaban) tablets are approved to reduce the risk of stroke and systemic embolism in adults with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.

The FDA will not approve generic forms of OxyContin that lack abuse-resistant features—and OxyContin’s manufacturer will be able to state that the drug has tamper-resistant properties.

The development of multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis in recent decades has made treatment challenging.

Fycompa (perapanel) tablets are approved for the treatment of partial-onset seizures in patients 12 years and older.

Clinical studies support the use of these supplements to promote health.

Xeljanz (tofacitnib) tablets are indicated for adults with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis who have failed methotrexate.

The new vaccine, Flublok, is made using cultured insect cells and can be produced much more rapidly than conventional flu vaccines, which are grown in chicken eggs.

Flu shots are in short supply as the 2012-2013 season ramps up a month earlier than usual, but there are signs that this year's outbreak may peak early as well.

Help patients choose the right monitor for their needs.

Truvada (emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) was approved for prophylaxis to reduce the risk of HIV-1 infection in adults.

Linzess (linaclotide) is approved for treatment of adults with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation or chronic idiopathic constipation.

Proposed legislation would allow the FDA to track the volume and distribution of drugs produced at compounding pharmacies, provide more information to the public about compounded drugs, and institute a waiver system in times of public need.

An inhaler from Nephron Pharmaceuticals has brought an OTC asthma medication back to retail stores, filling the gap left when Primatene Mist was discontinued in 2011.

The FDA’s enforcement action against online pharmacies led to the shutdown of more than 18,000 illegal pharmacy websites and the seizure of $10.5 million worth of pharmaceuticals around the world.

Eli Lilly’s investigational monoclonal antibody failed to reach its primary endpoints, but it was associated with a significant slowing of cognitive decline in patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease.

Fever can be a sign of a serious underlying illness and can be treated with antipyretics or nonpharmacologic measures.