(ATDN) Treatment Briefs: New Use for Foscarnet

(ATDN) Treatment Briefs: New Use for Foscarnet

Treatment Review; August 1995

The drug foscarnet has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treating herpes infections that are resistant to the standard treatment, acyclovir (also known as Zovirax). Herpes infections include herpes simplex, which can cause nerve pain and sores around the mouth and genitals, and herpes zoster (commonly known as shingles), which causes painful lesions on the body.

Up until now foscarnet was only been approved for the treatment of one specific kind of herpesvirus infection called CMV retinitis. It has been commonly used to treat other herpesvirus infections that haven't responded to acyclovir.

The Network has heard from people in the past that have had to go into hospital to get foscarnet treatment for their acyclovir-resistant herpes infections, because their insurance wouldn't pay for the drug otherwise. Now that the drug has full approval for acyclovir-resistant herpes, people in this situation will be able to receive treatment at home.

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This information is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
©1995. AEGIS.