Challenging the placebo/ naivie assumptions

[downdog]

I listened to to the Vertex webex and was extremly impressed with how their results may change the treatment time to 3 months. Congrats, If this is so and proven out in the next phase two, it would be a marked imporvement from any other treat combination.
Now here is my questions,if this is so is it really necessary to compare it to placebo given all the data all ready gathered from previous Peg/rib studies and non responders.
I sometimes feel like placebo is a forgone conclusion and that might be necessary to prove a greater than 6 month survival rate in   Lung CA pts.,
I think Schering would be wise to consider this as would Novartis and Pfizer given this powerful and assertive pipeline timeline Vertex has proposed. Am I wrong in challenging this?????

[fsplink]

Have you tried Managed RX? They sent me the meds and picked up the copay.Their phone number is 1-800-799-8765. I'm telling you they were a real life saver to me. I still use them now for other medications.

[cuteus]

try clinicaltrials.gov

[genedog]

does any one know about clinical trials? i cant afford 400 copay per month  but make to much money for free pegasys. cant win

[friscosue13]

That may have been my post.  Try contacting ***@****.

[Upbeat]

Here is a copy of a email I received from Vertex.

Enrollment in the Phase 1b Clinical trial with VX-950 is complete.  Planning for the next VX-950 study is underway and we anticipate that the study will start in the Unites States in late 2005 or early 2006.   The Vertex web site (www.vrtx.com) is the best source of current information on the status of the next study.  As the start of the next study nears, the web site will also include information about how to contact participating clinical centers to find out your eligibility to be in the study.   However, we have not selected any sites yet for this study.    

We appreciate your interest in Vertex and in VX-950, and the time you have taken to write to us.  If you are interested in other clinical trials, you can look at the websites for Centerwatch (www.centerwatch.com) and the National Institutes of Health (www.clinicaltrials.gov), which provide comprehensive clinical trial listings, including many Hepatitis C studies.  You can also follow the Vertex website (www.vrtx.com) which will have the most up-to-date news about the status of all of our investigational compounds and clinical studies.


                                                   Ron

[cuteus]

is this question related to hep c or lung ca?

it is too soon to tell how long the tx will be for hep c with the new drugs, since SVR is not proven as of yet with any length of tx with Vertex.

[Upbeat]

Someone posted there is going to be six legs to the phase 11 trials.  It may only be the peg combo that will use the placebo protocal.
                                                Ron