Drug Companies Accused In Eye Disease Row

By Nick Ravenscroft, Sky News Reporter

The British Medical Journal has accused drugs companies which make and market a medicine for a common eye disease of undermining trials of another, cheaper drug so as to maximise profits.

The NHS could save more than £100m a year if doctors were allowed to prescribe Avastin for a common eye condition, says the BMJ.

The drug's current licence allows it to be used for certain cancers, but not age-related macular degeneration.

The condition sees older people slowly lose their central vision until they have only some peripheral vision.

Some 700,000 people in the UK are affected.

But whereas Avastin costs less than £65 per dose, Lucentis, the drug which is licenced for the eye disease, costs £742 per dose.

The BMJ suggests drugs manufacturers have tried to "derail" clinical trials into the cheaper drug's use for age-related macular degeneration.

The companies involved have strenuously denied doing anything wrong.

Novartis, which markets Lucentis in Europe, told Sky News it is taking the allegations seriously. The company said it was committed to research and development into serious eye disease.

It added that it routinely discusses clinical trials with medical professionals to ensure standards are high.

The BMJ is urging the UK medical authorities to approve Avastin for macular degeneration which it says is safe, effective and cheaper.

But the General Medical Council says although it sympathises with doctors, European law does not allow them to prescribe medicines on the basis of cost.

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