Dear Tamera,
Today, FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg announced the revocation of the drug Avastin for treatment of metastatic breast cancer, agreeing with the recent unanimous recommendation of the Oncologic Drug Advisory Committee (ODAC).
Breast Cancer Action supports Dr. Hamburg’s decision to revoke Avastin for metastatic breast cancer based on existing science. Since 2007, BCAction has actively opposed the use of Avastin for metastatic breast cancer patients because of its failure to improve overall survival or quality of life and its serious side effects.
As
a former BCAction board member testified before the FDA panel:
Today’s decision is the right one, but it’s not a victory. We will continue to demand and support the approval of more effective, less toxic, and more affordable treatment options for all women with breast cancer. Women deserve more than false hope—they deserve treatments that work.
Sincerely,
Karuna
Jaggar
Executive Director
TC, How do you feel about this decision? I support it, though somewhat reluctantly. I have to side with the science. But as BCAction's Karuna Jaggar stated, this is not a victory. Far from it.
ReplyDeleteThe lack of victory is that so much is spent (and wasted) on these types of NOT fully vetted meds. That, and the FDA didn't take it off the market. But rather, only revoked the "on" label use of it to treat MBC. It is still readily avaiblable on the pharma market. It all comes down to profit margin. Whether the disease is breast cancer, lymphoma, AIDS, etc. I am cautiously joyous about an alternative treatment I appear to be responding to - but it would never make headlines because no one would be cashing in...
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