View source for When is a drug deemed so 'successful' that it deserves to be pulled off a trial?

There doesn't seem to be a standard rule on this, although apparently independent monitoring boards can make the decision if they see fit. A drug could take up to 10, 15 years or more to complete all 3 phases of its clinical trial, but this time varies depending on factors such as the type of treatment and problems with the new drug. <ref> Cancer Research UK [http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=14656] Accessed on December, 6, 2008.</ref>


Is this the best way to ensure the safety and efficacy of drugs, the two most important duties of the [[MHRA]]'s expert advisory body, the [[Commission on Human Medicine]]? A member of the [[British Pharmacopoeia Commission]], who prefers to remain anonymous, had this to say about the recent controversy surrounding [[Vioxx]]:


:'The adverse reaction with Vioxx only became effective after 18 months and the risk was an increased cardiovascular event. Slightly. A slight but real risk, but this wasn’t showing up if a patient was taking it for 18 months. If a patient was only taking it for 12 months, it only became apparent after 18 months. There's a very fine balance, you have the experts, the scientific experts as employees of the [[MHRA]] and those employed on commissions to advise of the work of the MHRA – they only take decisions based on information they receive.'


So why not gather as much information as possible before making a decision that could harm patients? This may have made a difference during the clinical trials for the anti-cholesterol drug [[Crestor]] ([[Rosuvastatin]]). There have been calls to have it removed from the market due to safety concerns as it carries a higher risk of side effects compared to other statins. <ref>BBC [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3838915.stm Call to ban anti-cholesterol drug] Accessed on December 3, 2008</ref> But these negative reports have been buried under a barrage of good news. It has now emerged the statin drug trial was halted six months early after being hailed a success.<ref>von Radovitz, J.[http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/health-news/statin-drug-trial-halted-six-months-early-after-success-1006623.html Statin Drug Trial Halted Six Months Early After Success] ''The Independent'' Accessed on December,1,2008</ref>


'The study was funded by the drug company [[Astra-Zeneca]], the maker of the statin used in the trial, Rosuvastatin, marketed under the name Crestor. Astra-Zeneca had no access to unblinded trial data and played no role in the study’s analysis or interpretation, according to Brigham and Women’s Hospital.'<ref> PhysOrg.com [http://www.physorg.com/news145450584.html Drug trial shows dramatic reduction in hidden heart disease] Accessed on December, 6, 2008</ref>

==References==
<references/>