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| Dear Kelley Why the new cholesterol-reducing drug is nothing to get excited about The results of a study which found a new drug (REGN727) was highly effective at reducing cholesterol in combination with a statin has got some doctors quite excited. In one of my blogs this week I look at this and explain why these results are not necessarily a cause for celebration, and why history should temper our enthusiasm for this new drug. For more on this, click this link. Does flu vaccination prevent death in the elderly? Apparently not Flu vaccination is vigorously promoted for the elderly, and is often said to prevent death in this group. The problem is, it doesn't. Plus, the overall effectiveness of flu vaccination is much less assured than we have been led to believe. For more on this, click this link. The placebo response. Who cares?
A lot of things we do in medicine (conventional or 'alternative') have not been subjected to 'randomised, placebo-controlled' studies, but we do them nonetheless. Often, this is because they appear to work. We actually don't if their apparent benefits is driven by a real effect, the placebo response, or a bit of both. In one of my blog posts this week I explain why the thought that something might work through the placebo response does not put me off using it, and neither does it generally put off my patients. For more on this, click this link. To your good health! Dr John Briffa www.drbriffa.com | | |
