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Battle over eye medicine gives drugmaker a dose of reality

Nature Medicine volume 14, page 108 (2008)Cite this article

The drug Avastin has made headlines in recent years for its ability to treat colon and lung cancers. But when the South San Francisco–based biotechnology company Genentech, which developed Avastin, revealed plans in October 2007 to place certain limitations on the distribution of the drug, it was eye doctors who cried foul.

On 20 December, after enduring criticism from retinal specialists, the company amended its decision to restrict sales of the medication. Genetech announced that it would not block doctors' access to the drug. Still, the ordeal has left lingering concerns about the availability of Avastin, and has raised larger questions about drug pricing.

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    Erika Check Hayden

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Hayden, E. Battle over eye medicine gives drugmaker a dose of reality. Nat Med 14, 108 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm0208-108

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