Over the weekend, a group of physicians came forward and reported that a potential treatment for high blood pressure had failed clinical testing and would not be allowed on the market.
“It is important that the FDA has the opportunity to review – completely – clinical trial information,” commented Megan McBride, an attorney with the Levin, Papantonio law firm who practices in the areas of personal injury and bad drug litigation. “This treatment was previously heralded but, after additional and thorough analysis, it has now been found to be useless.”
Renal denervation was the subject of the study. It was a surgical procedure for individuals suffering from high blood pressure that could not be successfully controlled or lowered by medication. The procedure involved the insertion of a tube into the renal arteries and then charging them with radio-frequency energy to kill the local nerve endings.
According to the New York Times, almost 7 million people suffer from high blood pressure that cannot be successfully treated with medication or is resistant to treatment. This uncontrolled high blood pressure puts individuals at heightened risk of heart attack and stroke.
“You have to perhaps congratulate the Food and Drug Administration that they were not as eager to approve this procedure based on the little evidence there was, as opposed to the Europeans and Australians, Dr. Franz Messerli told the Times.
Joshua is a writer and researcher with Ring of Fire. You can follow him on Twitter @Joshual33.
