Going against the recommendation of its advisory panel, the Food and Drug Administration cleared Avastin and judged the effectiveness of the drug based on measurements of tumor growth, not patient survival. Should the drug have been approved?
Tough call
I don't worry about the quality of the drug because it is an approved cancer drug already - for cancers of the colon and lungs.
While Avastin doesn't seem to increase a patients lifespan, according to studies, it seems to be a chicken and egg issue. If it shrinks a tumor and growing tumors are going to kill a person more quickly, then shouldn't a drug that slows or shrinks a tumor extend the patient's life?
If it works well with other drugs used to fight breast cancer, I'm all for it.
by susanc Posted: Mon., February 25, 2008, 12:32 pm
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Tough call
Posted: Mon., February 25, 2008, 12:32 pm
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