Good news about new macular degeneration drugs
Ranibizumab (Lucentis) and bevacizumab (Avastin) have become the drugs most commonly used to treat the wet form of macular degeneration. Both drugs are administered with injections into the eye. Wet macular degeneration is the form of the disease that is most likely to lead to severe vision loss; "wet" in this case refers to bleeding from the tiny blood vessels in the retina.
A study of Medicare claims for treatment of macular degeneration for 2005 and 2006, the years the drugs came into use, shows neither Lucentis (which is FDA-approved for this use) nor Avastin (a cancer drug that is being used "off-label" for macular degeneration) were associated with any greater risk for death or heart attack over a one-year period compared with the treatments they replaced, which included photodynamic therapy and a drug called pegaptanib (Macugen). Differences in strokes and bleeding events didn't reach statistical significance.
To continue reading this article, you must log in.
Subscribe to Harvard Health Online for immediate access to health news and information from Harvard Medical School.
- Research health conditions
- Check your symptoms
- Prepare for a doctor's visit or test
- Find the best treatments and procedures for you
- Explore options for better nutrition and exercise
I'd like to receive access to Harvard Health Online for only $4.99 a month.
Sign Me UpAlready a member? Login ».
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
