The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a first-of-its-kind pill to reintroduce good bacteria to the patient’s gut. Health officials OK’d the treatment for adults who are susceptible to reinfections from Clostridium difficile (C. diff), a bacteria which can induce nausea, diarrhea and cramping. C. diff reinfections cause 15,000-30,000 deaths every year in the US. Antibiotics used to kill C. diff also destroy beneficial bacteria in the gut. These bacteria help maintain a healthy digestive system and keep harmful pathogens in check. The new medication offers a simpler, less invasive alternative to stool-based procedures that have been available for more than ten years. The pill, called Vowst, is taken for times daily, for three consecutive days. To be eligible for the treatment, patients must have already undergone a regimen of antibiotics for C. diff.
Full Story: Associated Press