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Post subject: Arthritis drug gets NHS approval
 Posted: Aug 22, 2007 - 09:28 AM
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Joined: Mar 25, 2003
Posts: 7573
Location: 221B Baker Street London
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Patients with severe arthritis are to be given access to a new generation of drug on the NHS - a decision hailed by campaigners as a "triumph".
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has approved the so-called "smart drug" MabThera for prescription in England and Wales.
The drug works by specifically targeting one of the key immune system cells involved in rheumatoid arthritis. It comes after a similar drug, Orencia, was ruled out for prescription.
"The search for effective treatment can be a long, agonising journey, littered with dashed hopes ",Neil Betteridge, Arthritis Care chief executive
The final recommendation from NICE means doctors in England and Wales can now prescribe MabThera to NHS patients who have not responded to other therapies.
Rheumatoid arthritis affects 400,000 people in the UK
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6956953.stm |
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Post subject:
Posted: Aug 22, 2007 - 09:35 AM
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Joined: Sep 18, 2004
Posts: 5199
Location: standing here shaking my head in disbelief....
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Good and bad news. We have that drug here under the name of Rituxan. It is used for arthritis, ITP, lupus, ALPS, and a host of other autoimmune diseases.
Sadly, I know of at least one person who died from the drug, several who almost died of an allergic reaction, and a number of other people who developed "serum sickness" after taking the drug, and wound up far worse off then they started.
Another problem is that it is not as target specific as they are trying to make out. It targets certain B cells, that also help fight disease. It targets those cells which offer immunity because of innoculations and previous exposure. It can leave you immune compromised.
My docs were reluctant to have me take the drug for my problems, and after research and seeing what had happened to others, I declined. There are certain cases in which it is indicated. But I saw here that it is overused, often by doctors who don't know how serious the problems can be. |
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Post subject:
Posted: Aug 22, 2007 - 09:39 AM
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Member
Joined: Sep 18, 2004
Posts: 5199
Location: standing here shaking my head in disbelief....
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| I should have added that it was originally developed for use in lymphoma, and it is certainly indicated to fight cancer. I just feel it is greatly overused in autoimmune disorders. |
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When you try to make others look small, you only show how truly tiny your own spirit is.
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Post subject:
Posted: Aug 22, 2007 - 09:42 AM
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Joined: Mar 25, 2003
Posts: 7573
Location: 221B Baker Street London
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| So is the "cure" almost as bad as the disease then? |
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Post subject:
Posted: Aug 22, 2007 - 09:49 AM
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Joined: Sep 18, 2004
Posts: 5199
Location: standing here shaking my head in disbelief....
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| britstarfan wrote: | | So is the "cure" almost as bad as the disease then? |
It certainly seems that way. In a case of life and death issue with cancer, then I think pretty much any drug is worth the risk. And I can sure understand how people suffering with arthritis would be willing to try anything that may help.
What bugged me with the use of the drug here, was that people were not told of the possible serious side effects, so that they could make an informed decision. I doubt many of the doctors even knew themselves. The drug companies here do such a strong marketing blitz on the docs, it's really shameful. So, docs have incentives to prescribe these drugs, even though they don't know enough about them to make it safe. They often only know what the drug companies have told them.
I was lucky and had a good hemo, who did his research. It was frustrating watching some of my friends suffer from the side effects of this drug, because their doctors didn't know enough about its effects.
I guess it just shows that we always need to be our own doctors in some sense, and research thoroughly any drug or treatment that is suggested.
Whew ~ off my soapbox now.  |
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When you try to make others look small, you only show how truly tiny your own spirit is.
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Post subject:
Posted: Aug 22, 2007 - 03:39 PM
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Member
Joined: Dec 12, 2005
Posts: 10561
Location: Never you mind where I'm at! You don't need to be knowing! Snoops!
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I'm very glad that you had someone to do careful research. I'd hate to think what could have happened  Glad you're a Cat instead of a guinea pig!  |
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ChuckD |
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Post subject:
Posted: Aug 22, 2007 - 05:11 PM
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Member
Joined: Oct 24, 2002
Posts: 6435
Location: Southwestern Connecticut, U.S.A Heroes: Bjorn Of Borg, and Bill, of course.
Status: Offline
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| These medications have so many side-effects that I think I'd rather die than risk taking them. |
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