The story did a good job providing information about the study, the potential for benefit and the possible side effects associated with this medication. Good comparison with coumadin, the effective, though challenging, medication used to treat atrial fib. It also mentioned the newly FDA approved medication Pradaxa for this condition.
The story ended with a terrific quote indicating that “we’re left with a question of cost versus convenience.” The ending quote goes right to the heart of the issue (pun intended). In reality, there was no signficant difference in outcomes between coumadin and rivaroxaban in the study. If approved, rivaroxaban will presumably be more convenient to use and may end up being less expensive when you include laboratory testing.
The story mentioned that the price of rivaroxaban would likely be significantly greater than coumadin. But it could have been more specific, noting, at least, what Canadians pay for it already. There coumadin is about 50 cents a day and rivaroxaban is about $9 a day. It wouldn’t have taken long to do that extra research.
The story mentioned that the study reported on found rivaroxaban to be equally effective as coumadin in reducing stroke and clot risk.
This story provided more information about the adverse events from the drug than did other stories we reviewed.
The story should have included at least a line about the limitations of drawing conclusions from a talk at a scientific meeting. It has not been published, has not undergone the kind of peer review a journal would employ, and not all data have been released. These are important caveats that take only a few words to explain.
The story made a point of calling one expert, Elaine Hylek of Boston University, “an independent expert.” However, MedPageToday wrote, in their story, that:
“Hylek disclosed research grants from NIH/NINDS, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Ortho-McNeil. She also said she serves on advisory boards at Bayer, Boehringer-Ingleheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Daiichi Sankyo, Genentech, Medtronic, Merck, Pfizer, and sanofi-aventis.”
Perhaps the story should have explained how it defines “independent.”
The drug reported on was compared with the old standard as well as some discussion about a newly approved medication for AF.
The story makes it clear that rivaroxaban is not available in the US and that the companies co-producing the product will seek FDA approval. The story admirably resists the temptation to suggest approval is a foregone conclusion. Readers may have benefited by knowing the drug is approved in other countries including Canada.
The story ended with a terrific quote indicating that “we’re left with a question of cost versus convenience.” The story also contained information about another drug used in this patient population which was recently FDA approved
Does not appear to rely on a news release.
Systematic, Criteria-Driven
Monday at #ADA2021, an infectious disease epidemiologist, a journalist, and a researcher shared perspectives on communication of risk in the era of COVID-19: http://ow.ly/ROfR30rMeE7 @AstleyCM @garyschwitzer @berthahidalgo @ADA_DiabetesPro
Shoutouts to @susan_bewley @drkevinknopf @MichaelBaum11 in this call for more than fawning coverage from press releases for these kinds of stories.
Also, linked history inside goes back 5 years just on Grail apparently trying to become Holy Grail. https://twitter.com/garyschwitzer/status/1408849696416841731
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