plausible deniability: Rare Reaction to New Drug During Trial

March 17, 2006

Rare Reaction to New Drug During Trial

Newsfilter: The trial of a new drug to treat rheumatoid arthritis and leukaemia goes horribly wrong. 6 normally healthy volunteers have a freak reaction to the drug resulting in multiple organ failure. All 6 men are in intensive care. 4 are seriously ill while 2 remain in a critical condition. An eyewitness, fortunate to have taken only a placebo recalls the nightmare as the men around him begin to fall ill. (Direct link to comments)

This event is a tragedy, it's terrible that it happened and pushes to show that more innovation is needed when it comes to drug development. It's an argument for better models for research - it's even potentially an argument for more intensive animal testing.

I'm a little incensed by the comments made on the article from metafilter though. I suppose it's the nature of the internet, but a bunch of the commenters are arguing without any basis in fact. Some comments are half-truths out of context, others are just plain wrong. There are numerous checks and balances that a drug must go through before even reaching the stage of a Phase 1 clinical trial. It's so stringent nowadays, that it's been said that Aspirin - one of the most widely used and reasonably safe medications out there - would never make it through the process. It was more than likely an allergic reaction to something in the manufacture of the drug.

Perhaps I'm just taking this too personally and I'm being a little too defensive about my industry.

Posted at 5:42 AM
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Rare Reaction to New Drug During Trial