Monthly Archives: February 2012

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Drugmaker-funded science isn't always more likely to favor new medicines than studies paid for by non-profits, according to a new report on past research in rheumatoid arthritis. The finding flies in the face of a large body of evidence showing industry studies tend to promote new drugs and downplay potential side effects. That potential bias has fueled concerns that medical care could be guided by warped science, not least because more and more research is being done or paid for by companies with money riding on the results. The new report, published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism, shows 37 of 49 drug trials funded exclusively by manufacturers had positive results. When non-profits such as the government or a foundation picked up the tab, 11 of 16 trials found the studied drug to be effective. That difference -- seven percent -- is too small to be statistically reliable, meaning that a trial's outcome didn't depend on who sponsored it. Still, Dr. Nasim Khan, who led the new work, was quick to add a caveat. "A single study limited to (clinical trials in a single disease) is insufficient to completely dispel worries about potential for bias … Continue reading →

The head of Britain biggest drugs company has accused the Government of systematically delaying the introduction of new cancer drugs in order to save money. GlaxoSmithKline chief executive Sir Andrew Witty warned that ministers were making false economies as they tried to grapple with the deficit in the public finances. In an interview with the BBC, he said that governments across Europe had already cut drug prices by 5% a year - costing GSK around £300 million per annum. However, he said governments were now seeking to go further in an effort to achieve even bigger savings - and he highlighted Britain's decision to delay new cancer treatments. "The bit I'm much more frightened about is that what's now beginning to become clear is that, in addition to price reductions, governments are delaying the approval of innovative new drugs," he said. "So a second way they can save money, they think, is 'Let's just not buy the next round of innovation'. "Cancer in the UK is a good example where we're seeing oncology drugs being systematically delayed from introduction and reimbursement. "We are seeing a variety of the more innovative and more expensive medicines being delayed in a whole series … Continue reading →

Zach Nielson at age 11 couldn't quite put his finger on the two words his doctors were avoiding using around him. But his mother certainly could. Deb Nielson knew people in wheelchairs, knew what it meant that Zach was waking up numb, knew how scary it was when he staggered stiffly down the hallway like a young drunk. But just over two years later, a new generation of powerful drugs has drained the power of the words "multiple sclerosis" for Zach and thousands of patients like him. The drugs have erased symptoms and reversed nerve scarring in the largest subgroup of MS sufferers, transforming for the first time victims' experience with the disease. Far from a life sentenced to relentless disability, Zach Nielson is among a growing group who feel as if their MS never happened. "When they first told me, I was worried it would get worse and worse, and I wouldn't be able to have my dream job," said Zach, who just turned 14. "Now I know I can be a pilot." The new class of drugs "gave me my active son back," Deb Nielson said. "I'm convinced of that now." Eight hundred MS patients are on Zach's … Continue reading →