An over-the-counter drug for constipation offers superior symptom relief compared with a commonly used prescription agent, results of a systematic review suggest. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) led to greater improvement in stool frequency and form, relief of abdominal pain, and need for additional treatments as compared with lactulose, according to combined data from 10 randomized clinical trials involving more than 850 adults and children. PEG demonstrated superiority in children and adults alike.

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Researchers at National Jewish Health have discovered that a naturally occurring lipid in the lung can prevent RSV infection and inhibit spread of the virus after an infection is established. RSV is the major cause of hospitalization for children in the first two years of life, and is increasingly recognized as a dangerous pathogen in adults with chronic lung diseases, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. Currently, there is no effective vaccine for the virus.

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Quidel Corporation has announced that the FDA has granted a CLIA (clinical laboratory improvement amendments) waiver for the QuickVue test. This test enables the qualitative detection of the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The American Academy of Pediatrics has recognized RSV as the primary cause of pneumonia and bronchiolitis in children of 2 years of age and below. The waiver allows the QuickVue RSV test to be made more widely available for use, especially in clinics and offices of physicians, where waived tests are used most frequently.