More comparative effectiveness data is needed for recently approved drugs
Purchasing cheap medication from Canada can be a great way for many Americans to save money.
Purchasing cheap medication from Canada can be a great way for many Americans to save money. Smart shoppers know that hunting for a good bargain can turn up equally effective products at significantly reduced prices. Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a report that revealed the need for more comparative effectiveness data regarding newly approved drugs, as this can help consumers make the best and most cost-effective choices.
Lead researcher Nikolas H. Goldberg and his colleagues from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School conducted a study to find out whether most recently approved drugs had comparative efficacy data available at the time of their market authorization.
They identified a total of 197 eligible, approved products that had this information. Data was more common among some types of medications, including therapies for diabetes and infectious diseases, compared to drugs such as contraceptives and cancer treatments.
"Comparative effectiveness is taking on an increasingly important role in U.S. healthcare," Goldberg said. "Strategies are needed to enhance the accessibility of, and ultimately the use of, this information."
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