Urologist Castrates Media over Reporting of PIVOT Prostate Cancer Trial
Dr Benjamin J. Davies, an academic urologist at the University of Pittsburgh today castrated the media over their coverage of the Prostate Cancer Intervention versus Observation Trial (PIVOT).
In an article titled “Prostate Cancer: Lessons from PIVOT lost in media hype” published in the News and Views section of Nature Reviews Urology, Dr Davies states, “we must be careful to ensure the less-newsworthy facts and limitations of high-profile trials, such as PIVOT, are not lost in the media hype.”
Davies goes on to say,
Part of the PPACA signed into law by President Obama on March 23, 2010 was the Biologics Price Competition & Innovation Act (BPCI).
There is “No data,” Sartor told the ASCO 2012 audience. As a result he recommended the use of less toxic therapies first and that patients be involved in the decision making. Not quite the guidance the audience perhaps hoped for.
Men with advanced prostate cancer want to know “if I take this drug, will I live longer?” Unfortunately, for abiraterone acetate (Zytiga®) in the pre-chemotherapy setting i.e for asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic men, doctors will only be able to say, “maybe” and tell the patient there is a strong trend towards an overall survival (OS) advantage.
This morning I am heading off to the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago from June 1 to 5, 2012.
It’s almost time to pack the comfortable shoes for the #blisterwalk (thank you 