BiDil, which treats heart failure in African-Americans and is now under clinical trials, would become the first medication marketed for a specific racial group.
Scientists have argued that black people have a 2.5 times higher incidence of heart disease than white people – but the issue of whether patients should undergo race-specific treatment is controversial.
Criticism has included the claim that black patients could be prescribed BiDil solely on the basis of skin colour and that the drug will lead to racial profiling in medicine.
The Association for Black Cardiologists backs BiDil.
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