This Article  • Full text  • PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Related letters  • Similar articles in this journal  Topic Collections  • Drug Therapy, Other  • Medical Ethics  • Macular Degeneration  • Drug Therapy  • Alert me on articles by topic

Samuel Packer, MD; Lee M. Jampol, MD

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

The articles by Miller¹ and Narayanan and Kupperman² in the July 2006 issue of the Archives discussed some of the ethically complex issues that relate to randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and off-label use of drugs. We would like to heighten the readers' awareness of a few of the ethical concerns that are critical to understanding the depth of the conundrums that face those involved in clinical practice and research.

At present, ranibizumab and bevacizumab are readily available. What is missing from both articles is a discussion of money, ie, the cost differential between ranibizumab and bevacizumab. Physicians must be economic advocates for their patients and society.³ The nuanced control of physician behavior by pharmaceutical representatives to either encourage or discourage the off-label use of a medication follows economic decisions made to benefit the corporate bottom line. The pharmaceutical industry should not determine whether . . . [Full Text of this Article]

AUTHOR INFORMATION

RELATED LETTERS

An Ethical View of the Ranibizumab and Bevacizumab Controversy—Reply
Joan W. Miller
Arch Ophthalmol. 2008;126(2):286-287.
EXTRACT | FULL TEXT  

An Ethical View of the Ranibizumab and Bevacizumab Controversy—Reply
Raja Narayanan and Baruch D. Kuppermann
Arch Ophthalmol. 2008;126(2):287.
EXTRACT | FULL TEXT