Just because it´s new doesn´t mean it´s best

En el blog de Kevin, M.D. , podemos leer un post realmente interesante acerca de cómo deciden los médicos prescribir un nuevo fármaco a sus pacientes:

"Scenario: How do you decide whether to prescribe a new drug?

The simple answer to this question is, 'Of course I would not use a more expensive medicine to replace an effective one with no side effects.' But in fact such substitutions do occur, and frequently. The drug companies count on it."

Podéis leer un artículo titulado Just because....... , o cómo se puede defender a los pacientes, en este mundo imperfecto, según las recomendaciones del American Council for Continuing Medical Education:

* Remember that doctors, not industry, have the responsibility to make decisions in the best interests of patients.
* Consider information from the drug industry as advertising with inherent bias.
* Use the least expensive therapeutically equivalent drug.
* Be wary of industry gifts. Follow accepted national guidelines.
* Read the literature with critical judgment. Look at the disclosures of the authors. Read the best journals.
* Utilize practice guidelines issued by major national specialty societies.
* When possible, obtain information from sources that offer CME.

Using the above criteria, I suspect the answer to our question remains the same as the one common sense originally dictated – don’t switch.