I HAVE nothing against miracles, but whenever there’s a big buzz about a new drug, it’s a fair bet it’ll be down to the usual suspects: vested interests, early research, and uncritical journalists.
Take Herceptin (trastuzumab). In October 2005, The New England Journal of Medicine sparked a huge reaction when it published studies which showed that adding Herceptin to standard cancer therapy reduced the recurrence rate of certain breast cancers. Herceptin was an “astonishingly effective…wonder drug”, enthused the media, while doctors talked of “revolutionary”, “stunning”, “jaw-dropping” findings. In the NEJM, Jo Anne Zujewski of the US National Cancer…
