Sunday, September 19, 2010

New Drugs Stir Debate on Basic Rules of Clinical Trials

This article is based on a new drug called PLX4032. It is a new drug that is used to treat melanoma. The article discusses the fact how this new drug is so much more efficient based on trials than the older methods of treating this cancer. However, when doing clinical trials prior to passing the FDA's approval you have to run tests. The tests include patients recieving PLX4032 and a control group recieving the older treatments. The articles argument is why should a drug that makes such a dramatic difference to extend the life of a patient who is terminally ill be withheld from a patient. Doctors say that these sort of drugs need to be analyzed a different way because of the "new waves of drugs." As these drugs continue to be produced, policies must be discussed to get life saving, or life extending drugs out to the public faster.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/19/health/research/19trial.html?src=un&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fjson8.nytimes.com%2Fpages%2Fnational%2Findex.jsonp

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