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Drugs in the News - April 16, 2009 - Prescrire Internation Evaluation of Febuxostat (Uloric)

Attached is the Prescrire International evaluation of the new xanthine oxidase inhibitor febuxostat.

Prescrire International is the English language version of Prescrire a French drug newsletter that has been published for the past 30 years. Prescrire is highly regarded for its independence.

There have been two head-to-head trials of febuxostat versus allopurinol published. In these trials based on a composite endpoint of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke, and non-fatal cardiac arrest, the incidence was 4 to 5 times higher with febuxostat than with allopurinol.

Treatment withdrawals in these trials due to hepatic abnormalities were 2.8% versus 0.4% with febuxostat and allopurinol respectively.

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