The new corticosteroids: are they effective and safe?

Abstract

We cannot as yet fully answer the question of the safety of the new corticosteroids. Budesonide is frequently found to be an allergen now that it is being marketed, and it can certainly serve as a primary sensitizer. For the other new corticosteroids, too, we already had numerous positive tests even before they were marketed. This must be considered cross-sensitivity. We will have to wait to see whether or not they are primary sensitizers. For the pharmaceutical industry, there is one more challenge in the development of new corticosteroids: In addition to finding more effective corticosteroids with the fewest "classic" side effects, the industry will also have to identify the least sensitizing molecules.