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The Food and Drug Administration approved ketamine for use as a general anesthetic in 1970. It remains the medication of choice in many surgeries and is on the World Health Organization’s list of essential medicines because of its record of safety, efficacy and cost-effectiveness. (Leana S. Wen, 12/18)

On September 1, 2023, a panel of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals allowed a case to proceed against the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concerning its public statements on the use of ivermectin for treating Covid-19.1 This decision raises questions about the agency’s ability to advise the public about the safety and efficacy of medical products and to influence the off-label use of drugs. If the case against the FDA ultimately prevails, the agency’s ability to protect the public and support evidence-based medicine could be eroded. (Tina Watson, B.A. and Christoper Robertson, J.D., Ph.D., 12/16)

Before 2023, there were no immunizing tools to protect older adults and all infants from illness and death due to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). In 2023, two RSV vaccines for older adults, one of which is also approved for use in pregnant persons, and a long-acting monoclonal antibody to protect infants and some toddlers up to 19 months of age were approved by the Food and Drug Administration and recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Amanda C. Cohn, M.D., and Aron J. Hall, D.V.M., M.S.P.H., 12/14)