With a federally funded study having reveled last week that both cancer drug bevacizumab (brand name Avastin) and ranibizumab (brand name Lucentis) are equally effective in treating age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the debate over the use of the two drugs - both of which are manufactured by Roche Holding AG - has now moved into clinical practice!

In the opinion of the doctors, despite the fact that the new data - which underscores the equal effectiveness of the cheaper drug Avastin and the more expensive Lucentis - gives them enough confidence to use Avastin for treating blindness, more time is still required to ascertain potential risks, if any.

Nonetheless, doctors are already projecting that an increasing number of AMD patients will pick the affordable Avastin rather than the notably pricier Lucentis.

With reference to the greater preference that most patients will give Avastin, Dr. Paul Sternberg of the Vanderbilt Eye Institute in Nashville, said that his conversations with the patients are an indication in that direction.

Sternberg - who does not intend changing treatment for existing Lucentis patients - noted: "Before I would say there are two drugs available, but one (Lucentis) is FDA-approved (for this use). Now I will say there are two drugs that are available ... and say the effectiveness is comparable and the cost is certainly different, but there is still some question about safety"!