Why can everyone who needs Gleevec (STI571) get it?
Gleevec is available for prescription sale in Argentina, Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Columbia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Israel, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Malta, Mexico, Nicaragua, Palestine, Peru, Romania, Russia, South Korea, Switzerland, Syria, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela. Other countries have different approval processes. In other countries, Gleevec (STI571) is in clinical trials and is not approved for prescription purchase. In these countries Gleevec (STI571) is only available at designated Trial Centers and patients must meet the entry criteria of one of the trial protocols to be accepted into a trial and get the drug. Clinical trials are designed to answer specific questions about the safety and efficacy (effectiveness) of a new drug. Due to safety and logistical considerations, drug trials limit the number of patients enrolled. The initial success of Gleevec (STI571), in CML patients, has spawned an unprecedented expansion of th
