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FDA approves cancer drugs with no evidence of longer life or better quality of life, study says

By Dr Deepu

 A new study published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings “says the FDA has been approving cancer drugs that may have no scientific correlation to actually living longer or maintaining quality of life.” According to the study, the FDA’s use of surrogate measures often do not reflect an increase in overall survival or quality of life. The study found that “among 25 drugs approved under the accelerated approval program between 2009 and 2014, 14 – or 56% – did not have supporting evidence that they lengthened life or maintained quality of life,” while 37% of drugs approved under traditional approval “were similarly lacking.”