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Drugs in 2021: a brief review

Just 17 of the 108 new marketing authorisations analysed and rated in our French edition in 2021 represented a major or notable therapeutic advance for patients. How does this finding for 2021 compare with prior years?

Prescrire’s ratings of new products and indications over the past 10 years
 
 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Bravo  BRAVO
0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
A Real Advance  A REAL ADVANCE
1 0 2 3 1 1 2
 1 2 3
Offers an advantage  OFFERS AN ADVANTAGE
3 6 5 5 5 9 11 10 6 14
Possibly helpful  POSSIBLY HELPFUL 
14 12 15 15 9 18 22 13 18 19
Nothing new  NOTHING NEW
42 48 35 43 56 45 50 61 55 51
Judgement reserved  JUDGEMENT RESERVED
7 9 10 6 5 4 5
 9 17 12
Not acceptable  NOT ACCEPTABLE 
15 15 19 15 16 15 9
 14 10 9
TOTAL 82 90 87 87 92 92 99 108 109 108
 
Therapeutic advances in 2021 compared with the previous 9 years
Therapeutic advances 2012-2021
       Progrès notable Notable advance Pas de progrès No proven advantages
  Progrès minime Minimal advance Pas de progrès More dangerous than useful

In summary

Three new drugs, all based on messenger RNA or small interfering RNA technology, represented a major therapeutic advance in 2021.

But the bigger picture is that most of the new authorisations that advanced patient care were adaptations of existing drugs. And that more than half of this year’s new authorisations were not advances, and in fact about one-tenth represented a step backwards compared to existing options.

Every month, Prescrire publishes independent, comparative, systematic reviews of the latest developments in the European pharmaceutical market, including recent marketing authorisations for new active substances, new combinations, new dose strengths, new pharmaceutical forms and new indications.

We also closely monitor news on adverse effects, market withdrawals (instigated by pharmaceutical companies or regulatory authorities), re-introductions of previously withdrawn products, new clinical evaluation data on drugs already on the market, shortages, and the regulatory environment for health products, particularly at EU level.

Our aim is to help subscribers distinguish between genuine pharmaceutical advances and new products or new uses that are no better than existing treatments or should never have been authorised, due to uncertainty over their harms or benefits, or because they are clearly dangerous.


©Prescrire 1 April 2022

Source: "Prescrire's ratings of new drugs in 2021: a brief review" Prescrire International 2022; 31 (236): 100-102. Free.

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For more information:

"Prescrire's ratings for new
drugs and new indications"
(February 2022)
Free


See also:

"The Prescrire Drug
Awards for 2021"
(February 2022)
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