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Pineguy wrote: Why We Need Comparative Effectiveness Research
In 2008, over $50 billion was spent on new pharmaceutical research and development with the goal of creating the next superstar drug. With that type of investment comes incentives to make sure there is some market return on new discoveries. Proving the efficacy of the new drug (demonstrating its worth versus a placebo, for example) is key to passing the FDA trials on the way to approval.
However, comparing the new drug to any and all other similar drugs or therapies that treat the same condition is not part of the current process. This type of side-by-side analysis, known as comparative effectiveness research (CER), will receive a $1.1 billion shot in the arm from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act stimulus bill. Now, a new study reveals the sad current state of medication research, showing how much this new funding is needed.
Defined as the comparison of "the benefits and harms of different interventions and strategies to prevent, diagnose, treat and monitor health conditions," CER has the potential to finally deliver the elusive goal of evidence-based medicine. Patients facing a new diagnosis may often have multiple options for treatment including medications, therapies and/or surgery. They rely on the advice of their physicians, sometimes checking that against second opinions. Physicians face an exponential growth in medical information and need tools to stay current not only on new treatments but how they compare with existing treatments.
http://health.change.org/blog/view/why_ ... s_research
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