Advise Saving the New Tetracycline Nuzyra as a Last Resort

Nuzyra (noo-ZYE-rah, omadacycline) will be a once-daily tetracycline antibiotic for community-acquired pneumonia or skin infections.

Nuzyra is effective against some bacteria resistant to doxycycline or minocycline. It will be touted to reduce hospital stays...since patients can start with the IV form and be discharged on the oral tabs.

But Nuzyra doesn't seem more effective than other appropriate antibiotics...and costs about $400/oral dose. Plus it has a warning about a higher rate of death than moxifloxacin in patients with pneumonia...FDA is requiring ongoing studies to tease this out.