english.prescrire.org > Prescrire International > N°83 - June 2006

n°83

June 2006

Issue Contents
Editorial

Free  Take action!

p.82
France tries to legalise compliance support programmes by drug companies

Marketing Authorisations

Anagrelide (essential thrombocythaemia) (new drug)

p.83-86
The only available comparative trial fails to establish the precise risk-benefit balance of anagrelide, but it is clearly less favourable than that of hydroxycarbamide

Erlotinib (non small-cell lung cancer) (new drug)

p.86-89
Like gefitinib: no established advantage, frequent adverse effects

Cinacalcet (secondary hyperparathyroidism) (new drug)

p.90-93
Approval in parathyroid cancer seems premature, in view of the limited data available

Bevacizumab (metastatic colorectal cancer) (new drug)

p.94-97
Poor evidence of efficacy as a first-line treatment compared with European standard first-line protocols

Bortezomib (multiple myeloma) (new indication)

p.98-100
Limited benefits, potentially severe reactions, inadequate unit dose: use with great care

Fondaparinux (prevention of pulmonary embolism)

p.101
No advantages over LMWH or standard heparin

Inhaled iloprost (pulmonary hypertension)

p.101
Adverse effects outweigh the very modest efficacy

Zinc: Wilson's disease: an alternative to penicillamine

p.101-102
A helpful alternative to penicillamine

Eflornithine (female facial hirsutism)

p.102
Possibly helpful when non drug options fail

Abacavir + lamivudine (HIV-infected patients)

p.102
Hypersensitivity to abacavir is the main issue

Capecitabine (adjuvant treatment of colon cancer)

p.102
No clear benefit but oral administration is a plus

Adverse Effects

Alzheimer's disease: beware of interactions with cholinesterase inhibitors

p.103-106
Potential adverse effects of cholinesterase inhibitors often resemble symptoms of Alzheimer

Tibolone: cancers of the breast and endometrium

p.107
No justification for using tibolone for menopausal symptoms

Tibolone and stroke

p.107
Increased incidence of stroke

Adverse effects: children too

p.108
Adverse effects occur as frequently in children as in adults

Melagatran/ximelagatran: market withdrawal

p.108
It was approved despite known hepatotoxicity

Reviews

Adjuvant chemotherapy of colon cancer

p.109-111
The fluorouracil + folinic acid combination should be offered to patients with surgically treated stage-III colonic cancer.

Results of the ASCOT-BPLA trial: no practical implication for treatment of hypertension

p.112
Results do not challenge guidelines: first-line treatment should consist of a single agent, and that agent should be a low-dose thiazide diuretic

Outlook

Free  Sleeping sickness: a cosmetic solution

p.113-114
Long-term availability of treatments for sleeping sickness is still not guaranteed

Free  Compliance support programmes:a trojan horse

p.114
Drug companies

Free  Transposition of directive 2004/27/EC on human medicines: beware

p.115
The draft bill ignores important provisions for transparency included in the Directive

Free  Marketing authorisations and public health: the European Commission

p.116-117
According to the EU Commission, major gaps in a drug

Free  News of Prescrire network

p.117
Insider view on sales force training

2005 end-of-year statement by Association Mieux Prescrire (AMP)

p.118-119

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