Recent studies have found low value for fast-tracked drugs and underrepresentation in medical research.
Four studies that Becker's has reported on since the end of June:
1. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that minority groups are consistently underrepresented in clinical trial research and in medical literature. Researchers from The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and other institutions looked at clinical trial reports published between 2015 and 2019 in three medical journals. The researchers noted reports that include race, socioeconomic status and sex information.
2. An August study published in the JAMA Health Forum found that between 2008 and 2021, of the 146 drugs receiving fast-tracked approval from the FDA, 61 percent were shown to have low therapeutic value. The study identified fast-tracked drugs in Europe and the U.S., and tracked their therapeutic value ratings to judge effectiveness at treating clinical conditions.
3. Mayo Clinic researchers in Phoenix used artificial intelligence to create an algorithm to better predict colorectal cancer recurrence, according to a multinational study published in Gastroenterology.
4. Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine found that ophthalmologists and optometrists who received incentives from pharmaceutical companies are twice as likely to prescribe name-brand eye drops for glaucoma instead of generic, less expensive options. The incentives could be presented in things as small as free food to as large as sponsoring physician travel.