Question 269 of 433
How do you decide whether a repurposed drug is worth taking?
The short answer
I ask four questions, in order. Most candidates fail the second.
1. Do I already have the condition, or the risk, the drug was proven to treat? If yes, take it for that reason and count any longevity benefit as a bonus.
2. Has it prevented real outcomes, such as heart attacks, dementia, or death, in people without that condition, in a randomized trial?
3. Is it safe over twenty or thirty years in an otherwise healthy person?
4. Can it be monitored, and is there a plan to stop?
When a drug passes only the first test, I prescribe it for the disease. When it passes all four, I would prescribe it for longevity. As of this writing, very few do.
“This book is for education. It is not medical advice, and reading it does not make you my patient or create a doctor-patient relationship.” From the book’s medical disclaimer. Full disclaimer
CLINICAL DECISION FRAMEWORK — Indication, outcomes, safety, and monitoring; no grade for the checklist itself.Evidence grade (draft mapping)JClinical judgment / author synthesisPart 19, Q269 · Part sources
From Longevity Unmasked by Afshine Ash Emrani, MD, FACC. Medical disclaimer. This book is for education. It is not medical advice, and reading it does not make you my patient or create a doctor-patient relationship. Nothing here is meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Medicine is personal: a test, drug, supplement, or exercise plan that helps one person can harm another. Do not start, stop, or change any medication or treatment because of something you read in these pages. Talk with a licensed clinician who knows your history first. If you think you are having a medical emergency, call 911. The author disclaims responsibility for any loss or harm arising from use of the information in this book.