Dr. Dieterich,
I am on a drug trial where rescue drugs are permitted. My hgb has dropped to 9.6. I have been given a dosage reduction of my ribavirin instead of raising my hgb with the appropriate rescue drug (I'm in Canada so I'm thinking it's Eprex here). I have also been narrowly escaping an interferon reduction on a weekly basis due to trial requirements.
I am at Week 17 and have was UND by week 6.
Of course, I want no dosage reductions.
My question is ... both within a trial context and in a regular treatment context, when rescue drugs are permitted / available, when would a dosage reduction be preferable over a rescue drug and vice versa?
Thank you for your time!
Trish