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participating institutions:
Johns Hopkins University AIDS Service, New York State DOH AIDS Institute, The CORE Center, Cook County Hospital



NEWS AND NEW DEVELOPMENTS



St. John's Wort Included in U.S. Depression Guidelines [Lancet 2000;355:1619]: St. John's Wort is included in the guidelines for treating depression from the American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine. The drug is not approved for depression by the FDA, but Herbert Waxman, Vice President of the ACP-ASIM, noted that it does contain an active ingredient that is more reliably present in the product sold in Europe than in the U.S.
Comment: This news report from Lancet is reviewed because of the recent concern regarding the interaction between St. John's Wort and protease inhibitors as well as other drugs that are metabolized by the P450 pathway. Patients may well be aware of this recommendation, and use for depression may be supported by some physicians as well. Nevertheless, most authorities in the field feel that antidepressants other than St. John's Wort are superior and drug interactions may be a contraindication. posted 6/6/2000





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