Anavex Life Sciences Corp (AVXL)

[falconer66a]

Why Only an Anavex "Placebo" Effect?

Haven't there been a multitude of previous peer-reviewed studies showing continued deterioration in the placebo arm of Alzheimer’s patients in Phase 3 Alzheimer's trials?

Brilliant observation!

So many have so often posted messages here claiming that if there were some symptomatic improvements in the Alzheimer's patients in the Phase1/Phase2 Australian study, they could only have been typical "placebo effects," where the patients were prompted by the pills they were taking (Anavex 2-73) into thinking that they would really improve their thinking abilities. As provided by placebo theory, it has been stated that they actually did improve, not because the drug was actually helpful, but only because of "good thoughts of hope."

Of course, the placebo effect is well known and understood. It's why Phase 3 trials are double-blinded. Half get a visually identical no-drug-ingredients pill, compared to the other half getting the real pill. "Double-blind" because neither patients nor medical personnel know (during the trial) who's getting the sham pill and who's getting the real deal.

During the trial, only the FDA computers (matching pill serial numbers) know who's getting what.

All well and good. I now challenge Anavex critics and skeptics to find Phase 3 data from any of the many, many previous Alzheimer's drug trials that show, to any degree, the supposed "placebo effect" in the Anavex Australian trial.

If the phenomenal symptom stabilization or improvement data from the Australian study were caused solely by a placebo effect, why have no other ultimately failed Alzheimer's drug tests shown equivalent placebo effects?

If Anavex 2-73 really doesn't improve the health status of Alzheimer's patients, if the supposed improvements presented in the company's slides are only placebo effects, tell, please, what then is it about Anavex 2-73 that uniquely evokes the remarkable "placebo" outcomes? Why haven't any of the many other Alzheimer's drugs done this in their failed Phase 3 clinical trials? Why and how only with Anavex?

Or, perhaps, the drug really does have a mechanism of action that restores neuron and nerve functions; that the drug is real.