Acyclovir and Chickenpox
In the January 1994 issue of Pediatrics in Review (page 23), Dr. Rapkin's comment on the abstract was positive about "using acyclovir therapy routinely." Dr. Georges Peter, Editor-in-Chief of RED BOOK: REPORT OF THE AAP COMMITTEE ON INFECTIOUS DISEASES, pointed out that the Redbook Committee (Pediatrics. 1993;91:675) states, "Oral acyclovir therapy is not recommended routinely for the treatment of uncomplicated varicella...." The discrepancy is due to Dr. Rapkin having written his commentary before the Committee made its recommendation, but a delay in publication led to the commentary being printed without revision. Dr. Rapkin agress with the Redbook Committee's statement. We have no objection to publishing differences of opinion in Pediatrics in Review if buttressed by facts, but in this instance there is no difference of opinion.
