New York Times Examines Patients' Access To Experimental Medications
However, some experts say patients or their parents can be "too easily oversold" on the potential benefits of an experimental treatment, particularly if they have been working with the company developing it. Sharon Terry, CEO of the Genetic Alliance, said, "The parents are inclined towards the hype because they want the silver bullet, and the companies are inclined towards the hype because they want the blockbuster drug."
According to Susan Goold, director of bioethics at the University of Michigan Medical School, although some people who work with a company or advocate for a cause might feel entitled to first receive an experimental drug, medical research does not operate that way. Goold said activists should hope to advance medical science, not help a specific patient, adding, "You have to recognize this may not directly benefit your loved one."
The Times reports that there also has been support for giving more patients access to experimental treatments through "compassionate use," in which patients -- regardless of whether they meet the eligibility criteria -- are granted access to treatments in clinical trials without having their data count toward the final results. According to the Times, the decision to enroll in compassionate use can be difficult for patients and their families because there is little information about whether the treatment is safe or effective. Richard Finkel of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia said, "The burden is on everyone to ensure that safety is kept in mind in each step and that we don't get ahead of ourselves in our enthusiasm."
Patients who hope to enroll in clinical trials under companionate use can experience problems, the Times reports. According to the Times, some companies are reluctant to provide their drugs to such patients because issues that occur in compassionate use patients could hinder the treatment's chances of receiving approval. For companies that do participate in compassionate use cases, deciding which patients will receive the drug can become an issue. Goold said, "There are definitely issues of fairness" (Abelson, New York Times, 7/17).
Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.
© 2008 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
New York Times analizeazã Pacienþii "Accesul la experimentale Medicamente - New York Times Examines Patients' Access To Experimental Medications - articole medicale engleza - startsanatate