Addyi, marketed as the 'female Viagra,' was approved over a decade ago amid controversy, but it has proven to be only marginally effective with significant side effects. Despite lobbying efforts and expanded indications for older women, the drug's actual benefits are minimal, with only a slight increase in satisfying sexual events, and it remains a poor choice compared to other medications. The article criticizes the drug's approval process and marketing tactics, emphasizing that it is not a safe or effective solution for female sexual desire issues.
A study found that most cancer drugs granted accelerated approval by the FDA do not demonstrate clinical benefits within five years, raising concerns about patient access to unproven medications. Despite the program's intention to speed access to promising drugs, only 43% of the drugs demonstrated a clinical benefit in confirmatory trials, yet 63% were converted to regular approval. The study highlights the need for better communication of uncertainty to patients and the importance of careful explanation by doctors. Recent updates to the program give the FDA more authority to withdraw drugs when companies don't meet their commitments, aiming to streamline the process for verifying drug efficacy.
A study published in 'The Heart' suggests that the benefits of long-term use of beta blockers, a class of drugs used to manage abnormal heart rhythms, angina, and high blood pressure, may not be as significant as its widespread use suggests. The study followed over 40,000 heart attack sufferers and found that long-term treatment with beta blockers wasn't associated with improved cardiovascular outcomes during an average monitoring period of 4.5 years. The study further says beta blockers are associated with side-effects such as depression and fatigue and, therefore, the value of long-term treatment with these drugs in heart attack patients needs reassessment.
