The journal Prescrire has unveiled a new list of drugs to be ruled out in 2023. In all, 88 treatments marketed in France are in the hot seat because they would present too many risks of side effects compared to their benefits.
- In France, up to their 60s, men and women spend roughly equivalent sums on medication.
- From this age, the consumption of men is higher than that of women by 33% on average.
Like every year, the independent magazine Prescrire updated the drugs that should be excluded from the panel of treatments available to doctors.
Treatment: 3 drugs to withdraw from the market
Three more drugs should be withdrawn from the market: peanut protein (Palforzia), roxadustat (Evrenzo) and opium tincture (Dropizal). “These drugs have been added because the adverse effects to which they expose patients are disproportionate to the gain in efficacy they bring”, note the editors.
For example, peanut protein well reduces the frequency and intensity of allergic reactions to this food, “but they increase the frequency of allergic reactions in the daily life of patients, including those motivating the administration of adrenaline”, explain the experts.
Cancer, multiple sclerosis… New drug evaluations
Nintedanib, used against cancers or lung diseases, also reintegrates the list of undesirable drugs following new evaluations. “It had been removed from the list of drugs to be ruled out in 2020”, recalls the magazine Prescrire. But a recentclinical evaluation showed that the benefit-risk balance of nintedanib is unfavorable”, she advances.
Finally, two drugs will be reassessed: idebenone (Raxone) and teriflunomide (Aubagio). Prescrire will analyze the benefit-risk balance of idebenone in Leber’s optic neuropathy, and that of teriflunomide in multiple sclerosis. Concerning this last immunosuppressant, the scientific publication will measure “its benefit-risk balance in an extension of indication in children from the age of 10”, say the editors.
