THE   ANNALS   OF   PHARMACOTHERAPY


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“Clinical Trial in a Box” Helps Allergy Sufferers Identify Best Treatment

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CINCINNATI, July 2002-- A new method of prescribing allows physicians to easily find the most effective and affordable therapy for a given patient. “Single-Patient Drug Trial Methodology for Allergic Rhinitis” is appearing in the September 2002 issue of The Annals of Pharmacotherapy and is available now at http://www.theannals.com/.

The report shows that routine, evidence-based, personalized drug prescribing for a chronic disease (such as allergic rhinitis) can be conducted practically using a “clinical trial in a box” for each patient. These single-patient test kits contain two different, identical-looking pills that are taken at varying times. Results are recorded in a diary, allowing physicians to easily identify the most cost-effective, well-tolerated therapy for that person.

In this study, more than 87% of allergy patients using the test kits were found to do as well or better with an inexpensive, generic substitute medication when compared with the brand-name product. The kits themselves were well-accepted, with 98% of subjects completing the entire study, and 81% saying they would prefer to use such a kit before taking a chronic allergy medication.

The kits help avoid the need for trial-and-error prescribing, which is how doctors typically find what works best in their patients. Although drug companies conduct large studies, they usually provide averaged results from hundreds or thousands of patients. The studies are not designed to compare the benefits and risks of two alternative treatments in an individual. Single-patient test kits have the potential to help identify which patients need a newer, more expensive drug regimen, versus those who may do just as well with either a lower dose or a more-established and less-expensive medication, or with no drug therapy.

The authors believe that people with other chronic diseases, such as heartburn and arthritis, can also benefit from this approach, and that widespread prescribing of single-patient test kits could serve to improve each patient’s treatment outcome, significantly decrease costs, and positively impact public health.

The Annals of Pharmacotherapy is the leading peer-reviewed, international pharmacotherapy journal for physicians, pharmacists, and other healthcare practitioners. The Annals features articles directly related to the safe, effective, and economical use of medications and related devices in patient care. Its publisher, Harvey Whitney Books Company, and its editorial offices are headquartered at 8044 Montgomery Road, Suite 415, Cincinnati, Ohio 45236-2998, USA. The journal is available online at http://www.theannals.com/.