Few US Studies Compare One Drug to Another: Report

Then what are they comparing?

Comparing medical treatments to find the best and the cheapest may be a pillar of U.S. healthcare reform efforts, but very little such research is being done, according to a report published on Tuesday.

Most of the so-called comparative effectiveness research is done at academic institutions or by other noncommercial enterprises, and less than 20% examines the safety of treatments, researchers reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

"Most of the comparative effectiveness studies we reviewed simply tested whether medication 'x' is better than medication 'y,' rather than addressing fundamental questions such as: How can we use this medication more effectively? When is this medication better than surgery? Which among two effective approaches is the safest?" said Dr. Danny McCormick of Harvard Medical School in Boston, who led the study.

It's still better to be fit than sick for drugs.