Lodotra can´t adapt as well to different dosages as prednisone. It is a drug predominantly for a fixed dosage level and not easy to be tapered. E.g. half mg steps are impossible. Treatment goal is remission and afterwards maintenance with minimum of medication. The first step should be the tapering of glucocorticoids.
Depending on the dose, the price of Lodotra varies between four to sixteen times the price of prednisone.
I think it inappropriate, if the chief investigator of the pivotal study, F. Buttgereit, is a member of the EULAR Committee for recommendations on glucocorticoids in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis at the same time. Study at: http://bit.ly/9KkkcA. EULAR recommendations see: http://bit.ly/aJvZX0.
But perhaps there are even patients, who might benefit from Lodotra; it would be detrimental, however, if only the manufacturer would be profiting.
(Text originally in German. Calculations on German basis – Rote Liste 2010.)
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