If you’re over the age of 50, or if you ever plan to be, this is required reading

The big five-oh

An interesting group of people are turning 50 this year…

George Clooney, Barack Obama, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Toby Keith, Michael J. Fox, Meg Ryan, and Dennis Rodman (not to mention millions more…).

As they all celebrate their half-century, I wonder if they’re aware that they’ve just passed an important medical milestone.

No matter what physical shape you’re in, once you reach age 50 you’re considered at high risk for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) — the leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 50.

In just a second I’ll tell you about the treatments you can look forward to if you ever do develop AMD.

Then, when you’re trembling in your boots, I’ll tell you how you can easily avoid them.

Tipping the scales

Injections in your eye.

That phrase alone would prompt me to do whatever it takes to prevent AMD!

Many people who develop AMD will receive eye injections of Lucentis or Avastin, the two leading treatments for this dangerous condition.

As I’ve mentioned before, Lucentis was specifically developed as an AMD medication, while Avastin is a popular cancer drug that’s used off-label to treat AMD. Studies have shown that one is about as effective as the other. But there’s one huge difference between the two: Lucentis costs $2,000 per dose, while Avastin costs only $50.

Now, if you’re George Clooney, a monthly Lucentis treatment won’t put a huge dent in your retirement savings. But if you’re unlikely to become a major movie star who makes around $100 million a year, you’ll probably be inclined to go with the budget-friendly choice.

But not so fast…

Despite the huge cost difference, the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs recently suspended Avastin use for veterans because the drug has been linked to serious eye infections that led to blindness in some patients.

And then there’s the very bizarre detail from earlier this year…

Lobbyists for Genentech — the division of Roche that makes Avastin — went to Washington, D.C., to inform congressmen about a Genentech-funded study. Results showed that Avastin users had an 11 percent higher risk of dying during treatment compared to Lucentis users.

Yes, you read that right. Genentech execs actually went out of their way to publicize the negative study results.

Sound crazy? Yes, crazy like a Pharma fox. Because Genentech also happens to be the maker of Lucentis.

Ah! Diabolical, isn’t it? Genentech doesn’t mind if this increased risk of death is widely known because Avastin is already linked to several deadly adverse side effects in cancer patients. What they DON’T want to see is Avastin cutting into Lucentis profits. So they threw Avastin to the wolves.

Meanwhile, you might actually prefer to be chased by wolves than experience Lucentis side effects.

According to the Lucentis website, some users experience eye pain, small specks in vision, headaches, and respiratory infections. And then there’s the really serious stuff: A few patients have had detached retinas and infections inside the eye. Other risks include “eye- and non-eye-related blood clots (heart attacks, strokes, and death).”

And don’t forget — once a month, they stick it in your eye!

In this case, an ounce of prevention is worth about 300 pounds of cure. Keep reading to see how you can make sure your eye doesn’t end up a statistic…or a very expensive pin cushion.

Sources: 
“VA Halts Avastin for Eye Disease Over Infections” Ed Silverman, Pharmalot, 9/21/11, pharmalot.com