Search

A fifth vaccine against Covid-19, NVX-CoV2373 Nuvavoxid® (Novavax), a protein-based adjuvanted vaccine, was recently marketed in Europe. The main clinical trial before marketing concluded to a 'vaccine efficacy' of 89.7% without talking about other validated efficacy parameters. We further analysed the data of this clinical trial using the different validated methods of risk expression: absolute risks (AR), AR reduction (ARR) and number needed to treat (NNT). ARR and NNT values were 1.22% and 82, respectively, for an RR value of 0.10. Description of these parameters allowed defining some interesting characteristics of NVX-CoV2373 efficacy according to age, race, variant and coexisting illness. Finally, we ask that the results of clinical trials be systematically presented, using not only RR but also including AR, ARR and NNT., (© 2022 Société Française de Pharmacologie et de Thérapeutique. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: There is no consensus on when and how to discontinue cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEI). Predictors of non-persistency of antidementia drugs have been poorly investigated, mostly during short-term periods and using administrative data., Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence and predictors of ChEI switch and discontinuation among subjects with ascertained Alzheimer's disease (AD)., Methods: A total of 557 community-dwelling, mild-to-moderate AD subjects initiating ChEIs in 29 European clinic centres were assessed twice-yearly for 2 years. Antidementia drug exposure was recorded through a physician-administered structured questionnaire to document any change in drug therapy (start and stop dates, reasons). Discontinuation was defined as >35 days without any antidementia drug. Switch was defined as a change for any antidementia drug strategy within 35 days after ChEI cessation. Two separate time-dependent multivariate Cox survival analyses were conducted to identify predictors of discontinuation and switch., Results: The incidences of discontinuation and switch were 9.65 and 12.47/100 person-years, respectively. Behavioural disturbances, low body mass index, falls, decline in Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score, and AD-related hospitalization predicted discontinuation. MMSE score, decline in activities of daily living score, aberrant motor behaviour, shorter AD duration and higher nurse resource use predicted a switch. An ineffective ChEI dose and clinic specialty predicted both outcomes. Sensitivity analyses using a 60-day cut-off provided stable results., Conclusion: Several predictors were identified: adverse drug events and their predisposing factors, perceived loss of efficacy or disease progression on cognitive or functional scales, behavioural disturbances, hospitalization and professional practices. The latter implies a need for harmonization in AD drug prescription practice.

To study the coverage by French newspapers of doping in sports, we performed a systematic review of articles appearing between January and March 2003 on the following French websites: L'Equipe, Le Monde, Le Figaro, Libération, La Dépêche du Midi and Agence France-Presse (AFP). We recorded a total of 58 articles about doping. Among them, 48 (83%) were collected from the AFP news. L'Equipe, a French sports newspaper, published seven articles (12%). Most of the recorded data reported results of worldwide antidoping control (71%). No information about new drugs was found. The analysis of the selected articles pointed out the following: (i) the seriousness of observations related to doping since, during this 3-month period, we noted two deaths of athletes; (ii) the risks associated with the use of dietary supplements, particularly products including amphetamine derivatives; (iii) the interest in judicial investigation as an information source about doping in sports (investigation of suspicious deaths of Italian football players); and (iv) identification of the sports involved in doping (cycling, but also athletics, football, rugby). Systematic analysis of newspaper reports can be considered as a relevant method for monitoring the pharmacovigilance and pharmacoepidemiology of doping in sports.