April 18, 2006

News and notes

A survey of 200 patients in West Palm Beach, Fla., with a type of multiple sclerosis known as relapsing remitting has found that more than half would definitely or probably use a drug that significantly reduces frequency of relapse or progression in disability even if the drug involves a 1-in-1,000 chance of a fatal side effect.

The survey was conducted by John E. Calfee for the AEI-Brookings Joint Center for Regulatory Studies, established by the American Enterprise Institute and the Brookings Institution.
Those interviewed suffered substantial disability, most of them requiring a wheelchair or support for walking any significant distance, and over half suffering relapses in the past year. All were on drug therapy, while half had switched drugs and one-third had switched at least twice.
An FDA expert panel recommended unanimously last month bringing back Tysabri. The drug was pulled from the market in February.

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