Source: BMJ
Area: News
The BMJ has featured an analysis of the controversy surrounding the use of new drugs for age related macular degeneration, using intravitreal bevacizumab as an example of a "not me" drug. This example, probably the first of its kind, has the potential to create similar situations in which a drug manufacturer is motivated to discourage the use of one of its own drugs to increase sales of another.
The authors highlight how differing health funding systems have contributed to the wide variation in the use of these drugs in different countries. While economic evaluations have supported the adoption of bevacizumab for AMD, regulators have been challenged by the unprecedented unwillingness of the drug's manufacturer to submit an application for its use in AMD. However, third party payers will be the primary factor for determining treatment - for example the US Medicare covers both bevacizumab and ranibizumab for AMD but favours bevacizumab because of cost whereas the ...
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