english.prescrire.org > Prescrire International > N°73 - October 2004

n°73

October 2004

Issue Contents
Editorial

Free  Gefitinib: shameless exploitation of cancer market

p.162
High price for a drug aimed at a condition lacking treatment, despite a poorly known risk-benefit balance

Marketing Authorisations

Fluvoxamine (new indication)

p.163-165
No progress in obsessive-compulsive disorder

Topiramate (new indication)

p.165-167
Single-agent therapy in refractory epilepsy: for a few patients only

Gefitinib (new preparation)

p.168-170
Non small-cell lung cancer: stricter assessment needed

Adalimumab (new preparation)

p.171-175
Rheumatoid arthritis: no therapeutic advance

Ezetimibe (new preparation)

p.176-179
A cholesterol-lowering drug with no clinical advantage

Tenofovir (new indication)

p.180-182
For first-line antiretroviral therapy: wait and see

Insulin aspart

p.183
Me-too: just another ultrafast insulin analogue

Insulin aspart mixture

p.183
No advantage over insulin lispro mixture

Ketotifen eye drops

p.183
A simple copy of other antihistamine eye drops

Dutasteride

p.183
No better than finasteride

Adverse Effects

Fluoroquinolones in children: poorly defined risk of joint damage

p.184-186
Pefloxacin seems the most risky
Serious reactions seem uncommon but data are sparse and weak; animal studies are not reassuring. Pefloxacin seems the most risky, and in the rare cases in which fluoroquinolone therapy is justified, ciprofloxacin is the drug of choice, with duration as short as possible.

Metabolic acidosis due to topiramate

p.186
Watch for fatigue, loss of appetite and hyperventilation

Reviews

St John

p.187-192
Slight efficacy, many drug interactions
St John

St John's wort: from herbal remedy to approved drug

p.189

St John's wort: many drug interactions

p.191

Outlook

Free  Medicines agencies and transparency

p.193
The new European legislative framework provides for an increased obligation to become transparent. But many obstacles are expected to pop up: let

Free  Ambiguities in orphan drug designation in the EU

p.194
Patient

Free  EMEA drafts for public consultation

p.194-195
Make your voice heard

Free  Problems in the EMEA patient information working group

p.195
Too drug oriented, too many conflicts of interest

Proposals of the Prescrire Editorial staff

p.195

Open letter to the French Health Minister

p.196
All elements in the drugs sector should prompt the authorities to define a clear, long term health policy.

French generics policy: just for show

p.196-197
INN-based prescribing and dispensing should be urgently adopted: it bypasses regulatory obstacles and help focus attention on the substance.

Free  Aventis Pasteur MSD and vaccine shortage

p.197

Free  Association Mieux Prescrire

p.199
Association Mieux Prescrire (AMP) is the owner and administrator of la revue Prescrire and Prescrire International.

Forum

Interpretation of the topiramate dossier

p.198-199

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