FDA has now approved Famvir as a form of treatment for genital herpes and cold sores. There has been lots of medication for temporary relief of herpes and various methods to make the herpes attacks shorter. However, Famvir is the first medication that consists of taking medicine for only one day. As FDA has now approved of it, Famvir is now considered as a safe alternate of medication to shorten the herpes attacks as well as making the attacks less severe.

About 45 million people from the age of twelve onwards suffer from herpes infection in the United States of America. Cold sores and fever blisters are caused by herpes simplex virus 1, and genital herpes is caused by both herpes simplex virus 1 and herpes simplex virus 2. Genital herpes causes multiples blisters in the genital and rectal region of the patient; these blisters then burst and make painful sores which stays for days.

Cold sores are a type of contagious infection that can be spread by using the same towels, kissing, sharing a razor or even using the same utensils. Genital herpes, however, is a sexually transmitted infection; it can be spread by unprotected sex, oral sex and through any cuts in the skin. Herpes is a very catchy virus. Famvir is one of the first drugs that can be used to treat both HSV 1 and HSV 2.

Famvir is a high dose oral medicine which the Patient is required to take for only one day. The treatment of genital herpes consists of taking one 1,000 milligram tablet of Famvir twice a day for one day as soon as signs of a herpes attack show up. Cold sores are treated by a 1,500 milligram dose taken only one a day. Famvir can be only be taken if prescribed.

Famvir is a reputed medicine, and had received FDA approval to treat shingles way back in 1994, along with the treatment of cold sores and genital herpes infection. The one day treatment is comparatively new.

Famvir is manufactured by the renowned medicine company called Novartis. However, the one day Famvir treatment works best if the medicine is taken in about 6 hours of the first symptoms showing. These symptoms include appearance of herpes sores, or any itching or burning sensation. The faster the medicine is taken, the more affective it is. Novartis claims that the virus is extremely affective in replicating itself, so it is important to take the medicine in time.

Tests were conducted to see how affective Famvir is at calming down a herpes attack or healing cold sores. There were separate trials for genital herpes and cold sores. Three hundred and twenty nine people participated in the trial for genital herpes, and were given the 1,000 milligram dose twice a day on the onset of a genital herpes attack. Some of the volunteers received a placebo pill, which is a dummy pill that had no medicine but looks the same as the original pill. The volunteers who had consumed Famvir had a much milder attack that was less painful and lasted for four days. Those who had received the placebo pill had stronger attacks which lasted for about six days.

There were four hundred and eighty one people who took part in the clinical trials for the cold sores. The volunteers received either a Famvir pill of 1,500 milligram once a day, or a placebo pill of the same dimensions once a day. Famvir proved to have shortened the length of the cold sores and lessened the severity of the sores as well.

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