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Health See other Health Articles Title: Avoid big pharma's drug trials Many of my readers in the past have been tempted to join a drug trial. They might have felt that joining a trial would enable them to get a new state of the art drug before everyone else. I have always advised them against that because I know that the truth is slightly different. Even drugs that have been rigourously tested and in general use for many years still have the potential to do a lot of harm. When you get involved with an experimental drug in a trial, you are just a guinea pig and the risk that something will go wrong is actually very high. You would expect that there would be a certain amount of trust involved when you enrol as a participant in a drug trial. But you would be wrong. I mean, a Big Pharma company is asking you to play guinea pig for an experimental drug. The least you'd expect is for them to support you if your symptoms become WORSE. But they don't. Of course, this doesn't mean I was surprised when I heard about the recent lawsuit brought against Big Pharma giant Pfizer. Back in 2009, a woman named Candace Stewart enrolled in a trial for the experimental osteoarthritis drug tranezumab. She left seven months later when she started experiencing pain in her hip and elbow. Just a few months after that, in June of 2010, Pfizer suspended all trials of the drug. Some patients were actually getting worse, to the point of having to have joint replacement surgery. By August, Candace, who was diagnosed with arthritis before the start of the trial, was walking with a walking stick after a diagnosis of osteonecrosis. She went to Pfizer, asking for help with payment for a medical evaluation and the necessary surgery. Of course, they said no. March 2011 and Candace had to have double hip replacement as well as other procedures. And that's when she decided it was time to make Pfizer answer for the part she believed they played in her suffering. She filed a lawsuit against Pfizer, charging that the Big Pharma giant failed to adequately look into the reports of osteonecrosis in other trial participants and to adequately warn people of the risks involved with taking tanezumab. She's also going after the physician and medical practice that courted her for enrolment in the trial. Pfizer is, of course, fighting it. But shouldn't they have a responsibility to support the wellbeing of people who enrol in a drug trial that could ultimately lead to a company raking in millions or even billions of dollars? Or are these human beings truly nothing more than disposable guinea pigs? I know I would think twice about enrolling in a clinical trial if I knew the REAL risks involved. No wonder Big Pharma companies have trouble finding people who are willing to subject themselves to these trials. Of course, if they can't find anyone in one country, they simply take their business to other countries... usually developing countries where people don't know about their underhand tactics and actually they will be 'cured' by these drugs! If they're not going to do the right thing of their own accord, perhaps they should be forced to. If drug makers were held accountable for the potential side effects of their drugs, would we see fewer dangerous drugs actually make it to the market? Imagine what would happen if they truly had to weigh the possible risks versus rewards before subjecting human beings to their drug trials. So the lesson is, dear people, do not be taken for a fool by the pharmaceutical corporations. You will not receive any thanks and you will be taking a great risk with your welfare. I wish you good health, Ben Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 1.
#1. To: Tatarewicz (#0)
My medical lawyers tell me never to take any med that hasn't been on the market for at least five years - unless it appears to be a life or death decision. I feel it to be sound advice.
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