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What does 'medicine by press release' mean?
When can you trust it, and when are you skeptical?
Two press releases came out today
Cheap dexamethasome in COVID
Costly Abemaciclib in breast cancer
Yes, I want to and will read both papers
But
No, they aren't the same
Why? [thread]
![What does 'medicine by press release' mean?When can you trust it, and when are you skeptical?Two press releases came out todayCheap dexamethasome in COVIDCostly Abemaciclib in breast cancerYes, I want to and will read both papersButNo, they aren't the sameWhy? [thread]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eaqyeo9UcAociEQ.jpg "What does 'medicine by press release' mean?When can you trust it, and when are you skeptical?Two press releases came out todayCheap dexamethasome in COVIDCostly Abemaciclib in breast cancerYes, I want to and will read both papersButNo, they aren't the sameWhy? [thread]")
![What does 'medicine by press release' mean?When can you trust it, and when are you skeptical?Two press releases came out todayCheap dexamethasome in COVIDCostly Abemaciclib in breast cancerYes, I want to and will read both papersButNo, they aren't the sameWhy? [thread]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EaqyfJYU4AAmQZL.jpg "What does 'medicine by press release' mean?When can you trust it, and when are you skeptical?Two press releases came out todayCheap dexamethasome in COVIDCostly Abemaciclib in breast cancerYes, I want to and will read both papersButNo, they aren't the sameWhy? [thread]")
When can you trust it, and when are you skeptical?
Two press releases came out today
Cheap dexamethasome in COVID
Costly Abemaciclib in breast cancer
Yes, I want to and will read both papers
But
No, they aren't the same
Why? [thread]
One drug costs $12 a month
The other costs $12000 a month
The other costs $12000 a month
One trial is run by academics without financial stake in the outcome
The other is run by a corporation with billions of dollars at stake, by 'academics' who are likely paid by the company, designed with the goal of winning the FDA seal of approval
The other is run by a corporation with billions of dollars at stake, by 'academics' who are likely paid by the company, designed with the goal of winning the FDA seal of approval
One trial has a 35 page published protocol you can read right now, and I did: https://www.recoverytrial.net/files/recovery-protocol-v6-0-2020-05-14.pdf
The other doesn't, and with NEJM these days, might end up with only a redacted one online ultimately
The other doesn't, and with NEJM these days, might end up with only a redacted one online ultimately
One trial improves all cause mortality in critically ill patients
The other improves invasive disease free survival (iDFS) in women with early breast cancer s/p surgery who mostly do well, and where many are cured already
Wait? what is IDFS?
The other improves invasive disease free survival (iDFS) in women with early breast cancer s/p surgery who mostly do well, and where many are cured already
Wait? what is IDFS?
Its a newly invented outcome that has an awful correlation with overall survival, and if we were really honest would not exist
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18029973/
Oh, right.. as you were saying..
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18029973/
Oh, right.. as you were saying..
One trial has very few ways to game it (having read the protocol)
The other has many many ways it could be distorted or biased (having not read the protocol, but lived on planet earth long enough to read many cancer drug trials)
The other has many many ways it could be distorted or biased (having not read the protocol, but lived on planet earth long enough to read many cancer drug trials)
So in short
'medicine by press release' is adopting practice based on the latter type of press release, and not the former
Yes, absolutely I will read both papers in full and supplements, but these are not the same
'medicine by press release' is adopting practice based on the latter type of press release, and not the former
Yes, absolutely I will read both papers in full and supplements, but these are not the same
One you should act on today
The other you should definitely wait for the paper, wait for FDA approval, and most of all wait for @Plenary_Session to discuss
Hope that helps!
The other you should definitely wait for the paper, wait for FDA approval, and most of all wait for @Plenary_Session to discuss
Hope that helps!
Agree?
