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Like every year, the independent review Prescrire publishes its 2022 Medicines Awards, based on the evaluations published in the review during 2022. It does not award the Pilule d’Or and only two medicines are awarded. The point of view of Dr. Yves Dour, pharmacist member of the committee of experts of Doctissimo.
The journal Prescrire has just published on February 1 its 2022 list of medicines, drawn up from the evaluations published in Prescrire during the year 2022.
No Golden Pill this year
This year, none of the drugs analyzed by Prescrire brought decisive therapeutic progress capable of justifying a Golden Pill. As a reminder, a Pilule d’Or is awarded to a drug that constitutes decisive therapeutic progress in a field where patients and caregivers were particularly deprived.
Moreover, only two drugs are awarded: one is listed in the Honor Roll and the other is Cited in the Awards, which are the following two categories. A drug entered on the Honor Roll brings clear progress for some patients compared to the therapeutic means already available, with certain limits. A drug cited on the Prize list contributes to improving, modestly, the means of taking care of patients.
Paxlovid and Onureg, two award-winning drugs
It was Paxlovid that was placed on the Honor Roll, due to its effectiveness against Covid-19 with “fewer complications in symptomatic patients at risk of severe disease” note the authors of the review. The latter justify this inscription by “the rapid development of this drug capable of reducing hospitalizations and limiting the difficulties of hospital structures, especially during contamination peaks”.
Onureg, for its part, is a “maintenance” treatment in acute myeloid leukemia which allows the substantial extension of survival time. “Given the substantial lengthening of the survival time of these patients in a situation of poor prognosis, azacitidine (Onureg) is cited in the Awards. The seriousness of the adverse effects which weigh on the quality of life of patients and the absence of results from a second trial confirming those observed led to this drug not being placed on the Honor Roll. further justify the journalists of Prescrire.
The opinion of Dr Yves Dour, pharmacist member of the Doctissimo expert committee
“It is true that there are few drug releases at the moment. The list of winners is therefore limited even if the Honor Roll does indeed highlight a drug which for several weeks has allowed rapid treatment of covid, Paxlovid.notes the pharmacist.So much so that it was the subject of a beginning of traffic towards China, moreover” he adds.