CMTP mentioned in New York Times article on the impact of the ALLHAT study
The New York Times quoted Dr. Sean Tunis of the Center for Medical Technology Policy (CMTP) on the lack of impact of a ground breaking study on Hypertension. The study found that lower cost substitutes for hypertension drugs were as effective, yet the article points out that there has been very little shift to these drugs.
In December 2002, the surprising results of one of the largest federal government organized clinical trials were published. The findings showed that lower cost generic treatments for hypertension were as or more effective than more costly name-brand drugs. The name brand pills could cost as much as 20 times that of the generic ones.
Yet, today, as the New York Times article points out, fewer patients have been switched to the lower cost medicines than expected. Dr. Tunis, along with other prominent physicians, including the study's chairman, are asked about the reasons the findings were not put to more universal use.