KEY CONCEPTS
BiDil, a drug that combats congestive heart failure by dilating the arteries and veins, was approved in 2005 as a treatment for African-Americans only. There is no firm evidence that BiDil works better for African-Americans than for whites.
BiDil is a combination of two generic pills that are available at one-sixth the cost of the patented drug.
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Although BiDil may delay hospitalization and death for heart failure patients, the race-specific approval of the drug sets an unwise precedent.
—The Editors
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