People suffering from cancer, be cautious! According to a recent study, half of the cancer drugs that have recently arrived on the market have come with little evidence that they boost the survival or well-being of patients. The researchers found that of cancer drugs approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) between 2009 and 2013, 57 % (39/68) had no supporting evidence of better survival or quality of life when they entered the market. After an average of five years of follow up, only half had shown a survival or quality of life gain over existing treatments or placebo. Of the 23 drugs with a survival benefit that could be scored with a validated tool, only 11 (48 %) were judged to offer a clinically meaningful benefit, they added.

Source: Hindustan Times October 06, 2017 04:18 UTC