AdverseEvents, https://www.adverseevents.com, just released a comparative safety report on Multiple Sclerosis medications. The drugs included in this report included: Avonex, Rebif, Betaseron, Extavia, Copaxone, Tecfidera, Aubagio and Tysabri. The data sets used for this report was obtained from the United States Food & Drug Administration Adverse Reporting System (FAERS) database. The FAERS is a centralized database that is used for post-marketing drug safety reporting.
In general, newer medications had superior safety profiles when compared to older medications. Tecfidera had the best safety profile with the lowest percentage of cases in the four reported categories: “Life-threatening,” “Hospitalization,” “Disability,” and “Death. The report did verify that Tecfidera patients have significant flushing and gastrointestinal issues. It is worth nothing that newer drugs have a shorter history of use and the results may not include problems associated with long-term use.
Particular medications had increased numbers of specific side effects. Gilenya had the worst score for vision disorders, cardiac signs and symptoms, and skin cancers. Aubagio had the highest number of reports for diarrhea. Copaxone had the lowest number of reports for fatigue with Tysabri having the highest. Obviously injection site reactions were not a problem for the oral medications.
The report listed all the drugs from worst to best: Rebif (55), Avonex (54), Betaseron (53), Copaxone (46), Extavia (45), Tysabri (43), Aubagio (39), Gilenya (39), Tecfidera (33). The number is parenthesis represents the score AdverseEvents' proprietary algorithm calculated.
The full report can be obtained here:
http://info.adverseevents.com/specia...ple-sclerosis?
**** Please remember these numbers do not imply that you would do better or worse on any medication. You may individually respond to and tolerate any medication the best. Medication decisions should be made in conjunction with your neurologist. This is not medical advice. ****
In general, newer medications had superior safety profiles when compared to older medications. Tecfidera had the best safety profile with the lowest percentage of cases in the four reported categories: “Life-threatening,” “Hospitalization,” “Disability,” and “Death. The report did verify that Tecfidera patients have significant flushing and gastrointestinal issues. It is worth nothing that newer drugs have a shorter history of use and the results may not include problems associated with long-term use.
Particular medications had increased numbers of specific side effects. Gilenya had the worst score for vision disorders, cardiac signs and symptoms, and skin cancers. Aubagio had the highest number of reports for diarrhea. Copaxone had the lowest number of reports for fatigue with Tysabri having the highest. Obviously injection site reactions were not a problem for the oral medications.
The report listed all the drugs from worst to best: Rebif (55), Avonex (54), Betaseron (53), Copaxone (46), Extavia (45), Tysabri (43), Aubagio (39), Gilenya (39), Tecfidera (33). The number is parenthesis represents the score AdverseEvents' proprietary algorithm calculated.
The full report can be obtained here:
http://info.adverseevents.com/specia...ple-sclerosis?
**** Please remember these numbers do not imply that you would do better or worse on any medication. You may individually respond to and tolerate any medication the best. Medication decisions should be made in conjunction with your neurologist. This is not medical advice. ****
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