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The Prescrire Awards for 2012

The 2012 Prescrire Awards: a yearly round-up from the editors of independent French journal Prescrire

Prescrire looks back at new drugs and indications in 2012

Abstract: The therapeutic advances identified in 2012 were minimal, and 15 new drugs or indications are dangerous. The dearth of improvement in patient care contrasts with the sometimes disproportionately high prices agreed upon for drugs, especially in oncology. The few steps taken by health authorities that benefited patients, mainly by withdrawing or revoking reimbursement for drugs with an unfavourable harm-benefit balance, were insufficient in view of the constant pressure from the pharmaceutical industry to sell ever more drugs.