Moderate Topical Corticosteroid Use Doesn’t Adversely Affect Fetuses

Use of low or moderate potency topical corticosteroids by pregnant women doesn’t appear to have adverse effects on fetal development, according to a new study. Higher potency formulations could be a problem, however. Here are the details. 

Novel Program Cuts Off Inappropriate Prescribers at Pharmacy Chain

What if pharmacists could just refuse to dispense high-risk medications when a suspect prescriber wrote the script? Something like that is occurring now at CVS pharmacies. An article in a major medical journal describes how CVS Caremark used its database to identify inappropriate prescribers and cut them off.

Depression Medications Don’t Cause Bone Loss in Middle-Aged Women

The possibility that depression medications could accelerate bone loss is especially a concern for those already at higher risk of osteoporosis. New research, however, put some of those worries to rest for middle-aged women. The study out of the University of Minnesota found no adverse effect on bone loss from selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or tricyclic antidepressants compared to nonusers.

Severe Asthma Patients Getting Less Benefit
From Medication

Patients with severe asthma generally use more powerful therapies to control their condition. The problem, according to a recent study, is that they also respond less well to treatment than those with milder forms of the respiratory ailment. Find out more about the special challenges of treating severe asthma patients from a recent presentation at the European Respiratory Society Annual Congress.