US clinical trials register
A national registry of clinical trials has been set up for members of the public
in the US by the National Institutes for Health. About 5,000 ongoing trials
are included and the information given includes trial location, criteria for
participation and contacts for enrolling in a trial. The registry is available
on the internet (http://clinicaltrials.gov).
Mifepristone licensed for abortion in the US
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved mifepristone for the termination
of pregnancies of 49 days gestation or less. The drug has been in the US approval
system since 1996 but became available in the UK in 1991.
Mifepristone is a steroid derived from norethisterone and is an anti-progestogen.
In the UK, it is licensed for termination of pregnancies of up to 20 weeks duration
and for softening and dilatation of the cervix before mechanical dilatation
for termination of pregnancy.
New snake antivenom approved
The first new rattlesnake antivenom for 50 years has been approved in the US
by the Food and Drug Administration. The product, Crofab, is produced in Wales
by Protherics, a UK biotechnology company, and will be marketed in the US by
Savage Laboratories.