Peter Pitts in the Boston Globe: Similar Drugs, But a World of Difference

Peter Pitts in the Boston Globe: Similar Drugs, But a World of Difference

The Boston Globe
By Peter Pitts
February 17, 2007

MARCIA ANGELL claims that "most new drugs are not advances over old ones, but minor variations with new patents and higher prices" ("High cost for me-too drugs," Op-ed, Feb. 12). As a former associate commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, I find her claim incredibly misleading. Just as a Honda Accord isn't the same as a Toyota Camry, no two drugs are alike.

When it comes to cholesterol-lowering pills like Lipitor, Crestor, Zocor, and Pravachol, Ms. Angell would have us believe that they're essentially the same, even though some are used to treat mild cholesterol elevations, others are used for severely elevated cholesterol, and still others are prescribed because they're not as likely to interact with certain medications.

Or look at Vioxx, the popular arthritis drug that was voluntarily withdrawn in 2004. That was because it posed unique heart risks not shared by similar painkilling drugs, including Celebrex.

Different drugs are indeed different, even if you describe them as "me-too" medications. No two patients are alike, and the more options available, the more likely doctors are to find what works best for each patient.

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