A Report by the American Academy of Ophthalmology
Ophthalmic Technology Assessment Committee Retina/Vitreous Panel:
Michael S. Ip, MD; Ingrid U. Scott, MD, MPH; Gary C. Brown, MD, MBA; Melissa M. Brown, MD, MBA; Allen C. Ho, MD; Suber S. Huang, MD; Franco M. Recchia, MD
Published in Ophthalmology, October 2008, Vol 115, 1837-1846
- Evidence-based summary of intravitreal medication for neovascular AMD
- Pegaptanib
- Ranibizumab
- Bevacizumab - Level I evidence that pegaptanib and ranibizumab are safe and effective treatments for up to 2 years
- Data suggest that visual outcomes with ranibizumab are superior to those with pegaptanib
- Barriers to ranibizumab use include
- high cost
- inability of some patients to pay for it
- availability of a lower cost alternative (bevacizumab) that has not yet been proven to be non-inferior with respect to efficacy and safety
