Archives : 2023

The Prescrire Awards for 2022: no "Pilule d'Or" Awards, one drug on the "Honours List". Details in the March issue of Prescrire International

This year, none of the drugs we examined represented a major therapeutic advance justifying a Pilule d'Or ("Golden Pill" Award). One drug made the Honours List, while one other was cited as Noteworthy.

1 March 2023

Negligence

Editorial According to a World Health Organization (WHO) news release from 27 October 2022, almost 11 million people worldwide fell ill with tuberculosis in 2021, including about a million children. More than 1.5 million people died from tuberculosis.

1 March 2023

Oral vitamin D supplementation: dangerous overdoses caused by errors

Adverse Effects Vitamin D overdose exposes patients to the risk of hypercalcaemia and hyperphosphataemia, and their sometimes serious or even fatal adverse effects, including: thirst, polyuria, anorexia, constipation, muscle weakness, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, confusion and renal disorders.

Full article (3 pages) available for download by subscribers

1 March 2023

Empagliflozin (Jardiance°) in chronic heart failure

Marketing Authorisations Given the absence of any comparison with other heart-failure drugs, empagliflozin has not been shown to represent a therapeutic advance. In particular, when the left ventricular ejection fraction is reduced, there is no evidence to suggest that empagliflozin offers any advantages over dapagliflozin.
Full article (2 pages) available for download by subscribers

1 March 2023

Winners and losers

Marketing Authorisations In the European Union, it has been possible since the mid-2000s for a drug's marketing authorisation to be conditional, i.e. granted on condition that the company subsequently provides data to justify full, standard marketing authorisation. The stated aim is commendable: hasten access to a drug in situations where no satisfactory options are available to patients and healthcare professionals.
Full article (1 page) available for download by subscribers

1 March 2023

Building the evidence base

Editorial Healthcare decisions are based on the available evaluation data, also referred to as "evidence". This evidence base is constantly evolving, through a process of continuous construction and reconstruction. We can all play our part, in our own way, in building and improving the evidence base.

1 February 2023

Semaglutide (Wegovy°) for excess body weight: nothing new

Marketing Authorisations While awaiting publication of the full, detailed results of the "Select" trial, it is best not to count on semaglutide to achieve durable weight loss, but to focus instead on a comprehensive non-pharmacological approach.
Full article (3 pages) available for download by subscribers

1 February 2023

Icosapent ethyl (Vazkepa°) in cardiovascular prevention: not acceptable

Marketing Authorisations Despite trials including tens of thousands of patients, omega-3 fatty acids have not been shown to improve clinical outcomes in cardiovascular prevention. The evaluation data on icosapent ethyl, which is simply a source of the omega-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid, do not alter this conclusion.
Full article (3 pages) available for download by subscribers

1 February 2023

Metformin during pregnancy: possible risk of malformations

Adverse Effects Metformin does not appear to be associated with a high risk of malformations, but the available data do not rule out the possibility that metformin exposure increases the risk of certain rare but serious malformations.

Full article (3 pages) available for download by subscribers

1 February 2023

Drugs to avoid in the name of better patient care: 2023 update

DRUGS TO AVOID - 2023 UPDATE To make it easier to choose quality care, and to prevent disproportionate harm to patients, Prescrire has published its annual update of drugs to avoid. Learn more...
Full article (11 pages) available for free download

1 February 2023

Universities challenge the impact factor

At the start of the 2020s, steps are being taken in some countries to improve the assessment of research.

1 February 2023

Covid-19: Follow Prescrire's independent, evidence-based analysis of the pandemic

COVID-19 Prescrire's editors are publishing an ongoing series of articles featuring independent analysis of developments related to the covid-19 pandemic. Useful and practical information, to help health professionals gain a clear and balanced view.

1 January 2023

Revolving door between the public and private sectors: conflict of interest

Editorial In Europe, as in the United States, senior public officials sometimes go on to occupy positions in the private, for-profit sector, and vice versa. The blurring of roles and conflicts of interest this situation engenders are detrimental to the public interest. There are many such examples in the health sector.

1 January 2023

Relugolix + estradiol + norethisterone (Ryeqo°) in uterine fibroids: not acceptable

Marketing Authorisations The three-drug combination of relugolix + estradiol + norethisterone was mainly evaluated in two placebo-controlled trials. It markedly reduced menstrual bleeding in most women, but not fibroid volume, and no conclusive evidence of effects on other symptoms was obtained.
Full article (4 pages) available for download by subscribers

1 January 2023

Setmelanotide (Imcivree°) in certain, very rare, genetic forms of obesity: possibly helpful

Marketing Authorisations Evaluation of setmelanotide in the very rare patients with obesity due to POMC, PCSK1 or LEPR mutations is only based on two non-comparative trials, in a total of 30 patients treated for one year. These trials suggest that daily subcutaneous injections of setmelanotide help patients feel less hungry, and consequently lose weight, especially those with POMC deficiency.
Full article (3 pages) available for download by subscribers

1 January 2023

Trimebutine: too many cardiac risks

Adverse Effects In 2021, using data from 444 575 patients, a Korean team observed that the risk of QT interval prolongation linked to hydroxychloroquine was greater in patients who were also exposed to trimebutine.

Full article available for download by subscribers

1 January 2023

Impending changes to European pharmaceutical regulations: part II

ADVANCING HEALTHCARE POLICY In order to prepare its new "Pharmaceutical Strategy for Europe", the European Commission organised several public consultations in advance. The present article reproduces extensive excerpts from a report published by the European Parliamentary Research Service, produced in connection with these consultations, which calls for the creation of a "European Medicines Infrastructure".

Full article (3 pages) available for free download

1 January 2023

Spotlight: Archives

Spotlight

2023

The Prescrire Awards for 2022: no "Pilule d'Or" Awards, one drug on the "Honours List". Details in the March issue of Prescrire International

Negligence

Oral vitamin D supplementation: dangerous overdoses caused by errors

Empagliflozin (Jardiance°) in chronic heart failure

Winners and losers

Building the evidence base

Semaglutide (Wegovy°) for excess body weight: nothing new

Icosapent ethyl (Vazkepa°) in cardiovascular prevention: not acceptable

Metformin during pregnancy: possible risk of malformations

Drugs to avoid in the name of better patient care: 2023 update

Universities challenge the impact factor

Covid-19: Follow Prescrire's independent, evidence-based analysis of the pandemic

Revolving door between the public and private sectors: conflict of interest

Relugolix + estradiol + norethisterone (Ryeqo°) in uterine fibroids: not acceptable

Setmelanotide (Imcivree°) in certain, very rare, genetic forms of obesity: possibly helpful

Trimebutine: too many cardiac risks

Impending changes to European pharmaceutical regulations: part II