Avastin and Lucentis: what do patients know? A prospective questionnaire survey

OBJECTIVES To assess patients' knowledge of their drug therapy for neovascular macular degeneration and to identify which aspects of the drug they considered most important if given the option of switching to an alternative drug. DESIGN Prospective questionnaire survey. SETTING Wolverhampton, England. PARTICIPANTS A total of 126 patients attending our hospital service for intravitreal ranibizumab therapy for neovascular macular degeneration. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Using a questionnaire, patients were asked questions pertaining to aspects of drug therapy in neovascular macular degeneration. Fields covered included drug names, knowledge of alternative drugs, cost of drugs and their views on switching to another drug. RESULTS Eighty (63.5%) had heard of Lucentis (ranibizumab) and 31 (24.6%) were aware of Avastin (bevacizumab). Of the latter 31 patients, 20 did not have a preference between Avastin and Lucentis. These patients felt that the factors they would consider important for them to consider switching were effectiveness (10, 50%), specialist recommendation (8, 40%), safety (2, 10%) and cost (0). CONCLUSIONS Introducing a cheaper, off-label alternative in the therapy of macular degeneration in the presence of a licensed option has been extensively debated. Many patients have no knowledge of this controversial issue but it is likely that efficacy and recommendation by clinicians are more important than cost to patients who may consider switching to the off-label Avastin.