Foreword

Thomas B. Fitzpatrick, MD, PhD, would be very pleased with this first edition of Fitzpatrick’s Therapeutics. In addition to his renown as a researcher, teacher, and author, he was interested in the treatment of skin diseases in individual patients. When we dermatology residents rounded with him in 1967 at Massachusetts General Hospital, he was always keenly concerned with the details of therapy, especially evolving therapies. In his office drug closet, he had samples of new therapies under development in the United States and around the world.

Dr. Fitzpatrick would have enjoyed the strong organization of the book. The introductory therapeutic approaches are succinct. The tables are clear and in a consistent format and include topical, systemic, and procedural therapies and, at times, therapies under development. Tables contain dosing ranges, important adverse effects, what monitoring is appropriate. The frequent repetition of levels of evidence designation is very helpful. In the one world of dermatology, there is information about drugs approved in countries other than the United States. References, with complete page numbers, including doi data on journals that may not be easily available, are very convenient.

The format is appropriate for electronic media, and the information will not have to be kept in little black books in white coat pockets as in 1967.

The editor and authors are to be congratulated on a job well done; the book is a logical and useful addition to Fitzpatrick’s Dermatology in General Medicine.