An FDA panel has rightly rejected Avastin for the treatment of breast cancer.
As we pointed out in 2003 when Avastin-fever broke out, if Avastin works, it doesn’t work well enough to force insurers and taxpayers to pay for it. This is not to say that cancer patients should be barred from trying Avastin on their own dime but it’s unreasonable to force insurers and taxpayers to throw $8,000 per month at a drug that clinical trials show typically offers no, or at best, a very small benefit.
Healthcare costs are already out-of-control. The last thing the system needs is extraordinarily expensive pharmaceuticals of dubious value (except to Roche).
The libertarian in me says that people should be allowed to take whatever medicine they want. But the libertarian in me also says that you ought not be able to force me to pay for your snake oil.
I am an oncologist and have used the drug. I agree with your libertarian point of view. The only problem I have is that the FDA changed the rules midway. Stating they would accept certain data points to allow the marketing of the drug. When those were reached, the FDA then stated it wasn’t good enough. Studies are too expensive to play this little games. By the way, The fda doesn’t approve drugs or make anyone use an approved drug. The only approve indications the drug company can advertise.
Laetril doesn’t work.
we should forget about all this garbage and go for laetril ( a derivative of apricot pits ,used in mexican cancer clinics with sucess) . also quit useing a lot of personal care products that are full of carcinogens (check out Neways ) avoid junk food and fast food (make your own whole food ) and get some exercise every now and then .