Alzheimer's: Breakthrough Vaccine on the Horizon

[Vexerz]

A lot of those treatments for dementia have been shown to improve cognitive performance in normal people as well, so I can't complain too much.

Namenda and Aricept: 2 of the most widely used drugs to treat Dementia and Alzheimer's. Your statement is only partly true. Only a low percentage benefit (about 10-20% I believe of severe late stage cases) benefit from them. --> most recent study http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/04/11/alzheimer.drug.ineffective/index.html
I pass these meds out all the time to patients. It barely makes a noticeable improvement from my own experience, but I have also seen some rare cases where a patient was taken off the drug treatment (due to family unable to afford it) and cognitive and level of consciousness took a nosedive.
For the majority of patients, these drugs only mask the symptoms and come with some nasty side effects. We got a long way to go imo from finding any kind of breakthrough.
I hope I'm wrong because its one of the worst diseases to get because how it emotionally affects family and loved ones.

 

[siralexu]

good news im certanly going to take it just to be on the safe side hope it gets passed onto my kids

 

[hasoos]

I don't see this as big news. They have never been able to show that the buildup of plaques is what causes the problem. All this does is get rid of plaques. It isn't a cure until it actually cures a disease. Nobody has shown that the plaques are directly related to the disease, all they have shown is that the plaques are present in people who have the disease. They have never shown that getting rid of the plaques will cure it. It is pure speculation.

 

[Ryan711]

It amazes me how stupid people really are (anyone who thinks that pharmaceutical companies are purposefully witholding the cure for cancer/aids etc YES - am talking to you guys).

You didn't even have to finish the whole sentence to figure that one out. A person who doesn't know the difference between lose and loose probably isn't an authority on biology or medicine.

 

[mr_zen256]

Great to see such progress is being made with Alzheimers treatment. Unfortunately, this treatment is still not treating the "underlying cause" as it is mentioned in the article. The drug supposedly clears the amyloid plaques but wouldn't it be more prudent to research why these plaques form in the first place? Once you know why these plaques are forming, then you have the possibility of implementing preventative medicines? That would be what I would consider getting to the underlying cause. I guess the drug companies wouldn't get a large enough cut if they started coming up with actual "cures" though.

 

[E7130]

There will never be a cure to this or any other major disease as "there is no money in curing people," treatment is where pharmaceutical companies make money along with the hospitals and doctors. Some would say that the doctors/researchers working on these drugs would have a moral code not to withhold cures, but the truth is everyone has a price and when you work for a large company, you do as your told as they have to make shareholders profits.

It's still great they've gotten closer, but I won't hold out for any cure to Alzheimer, cancer, AIDS and etc.

 

[mr_zen256]

There will never be a cure to this or any other major disease as "there is no money in curing people," treatment is where pharmaceutical companies make money along with the hospitals and doctors. Some would say that the doctors/researchers working on these drugs would have a moral code not to withhold cures, but the truth is everyone has a price and when you work for a large company, you do as your told as they have to make shareholders profits.

It's still great they've gotten closer, but I won't hold out for any cure to Alzheimer, cancer, AIDS and etc.

Considering the kickbacks and incentives doctors get from pushing certain drugs.. Yep, some (not necessarily all) doctors are most certainly in the pockets of big pharma.

 

[rat]

Considering the kickbacks and incentives doctors get from pushing certain drugs.. Yep, some (not necessarily all) doctors are most certainly in the pockets of big pharma.

Especially those who work for nonprofits... Shame not a single one can stand up and say "THERE IS A CURE! THEY'RE ALL TRYING TO BAMBOOZLE YOU!"

There's a point where conspiracy theories require more suspension of disbelief for them to be even remotely considerable. You're well past it.

When you're willing to hold onto such a theory well past the point of ignoring that all it takes for your statement to be true is for ONE DOCTOR to stand up and confirm it. Just one. Only one. Why hasn't that happened yet?

I'd love to hear you explain why. I'm sure it'll be as hilarious as every other claim made so far.

 

[mr_zen256]

Especially those who work for nonprofits... Shame not a single one can stand up and say "THERE IS A CURE! THEY'RE ALL TRYING TO BAMBOOZLE YOU!"

There's a point where conspiracy theories require more suspension of disbelief for them to be even remotely considerable. You're well past it.

When you're willing to hold onto such a theory well past the point of ignoring that all it takes for your statement to be true is for ONE DOCTOR to stand up and confirm it. Just one. Only one. Why hasn't that happened yet?

I'd love to hear you explain why. I'm sure it'll be as hilarious as every other claim made so far.

Were you directing that statement about holding on to a theory at me? Because I never once said anyone was withholding a cure. It's true I believe that big pharma doesn't research cures though. More power to the non-profits because they are the only ones in it for the greater good, not motivated by monetary gain and most likely the ones that will eventually find a cure for any given condition. More funding would certainly help, but non-profit is an ugly word to would-be investors.

Only 3% of the pharmaceutical industry’s research and development budget goes to diseases in the developing world, even though developing countries bear 90% of the world’s disease burden.

Considering you completely ignored the fact I said "Some doctors" and I wasn't even referring to scientists/docs developing drugs that they were contracted to design, I dont think there is much point in me elaborating on the multitude of reasons how big pharmas business model and allopathic medicine at large is a corrupt and broken system as it seems you will quite happily blindly follow all their "good intentions" with unwavering faith. Good for you! *thumbs up*

I'm all for good science and yes there are some fantastic breakthroughs that have saved countless lives in the process, but until they do actually start truly addressing so many existing conditions at their root cause, we will always be treating symptoms and not curing diseases. Seems like common sense to me.

 

[Tirilwen]

There are elements of truth to both arguments here. The industry is clearly driven by economic forces, and they obviously play a large part in where the efforts go. But the fact is for many diseases and disorders we still do not know the root cause, like for Parkinson's. For those we can only treat the symptoms until we get some groundbreaking research results. Even for diseases which we know the causes of, sometimes they're just very complicated (think genetic/environmental/socioeconomic) or difficult technically (HIV) to tackle.

 

[phide]

Only 3% of the pharmaceutical industry’s research and development budget goes to diseases in the developing world, even though developing countries bear 90% of the world’s disease burden.

Seems like good business sense to me: Don't develop products for those who could not afford them anyway.

 

[MrGuvernment]

Tin foil hat at the ready!

hardly.

DAMN THE GASOLINE COMPANIES FOR KEEPING THE PERPETUAL MACHINE ENGINE PLANS UNDER LOCK AND KEY! THEY'RE KEEPING US FROM ADOPTING FREE ENERGY!

Or, you know, with the internet, anyone who claims to have invented anything better could simply post his shit online and have anyone with the technical know how to build the components and make it happen.

Idiotic conspiracy theories about how there's no cure because it's more profitable to treat... are just another type of drivel that doesn't fly in today's age.
.

So why isnt their wide spread solar panels, wind farms and so on??? that's right, cause it all comes down to money and corporations

It isnt a rant, facts shows pharmacies don't like things being cured and it is all about the bottom line for them, it cost these companies pennies to make most of the mass produced drugs and yet people are unable to afford them.

the tin foil hat is people thinking these companies give 2 craps about you and your health. Sure, post it all over the internet and as i said, some company will come, buy the tech and then shelve it or charge a fortune for it.


I never said their "isn't" a cure, i said it likely wouldn't see the light of day or at least made in mass amounts and affordable cost for those who need it, to be more specific.

 

[MrGuvernment]

Bingo Some people spend way too much time with conspiracy theories about business.

it isnt a conspiracy, again, if no profit is to be made, you likely wont see it in mass market and afforable.

It amazes me how stupid people really are (anyone who thinks that pharmaceutical companies are purposefully witholding the cure for cancer/aids etc YES - am talking to you guys).

It is amazing how stupid people really are to think big corps care about you at all as a person and your health and hope you live a long an happy life.

Obviously there are exceptions and companies that do care and do everything they can, but again, if these companies care about so much as you seem to think, why do so many people in your own country die a year of the simplest illnesses that most middle class and up people do not die of?

Once aids is cured, something new will appear, for sure, there will always be money, but the companies want that money now, not in 50 years, there will always be new diseases, it scares me what may be out there waiting.

 

[mr_zen256]

Ok, ask yourself this.. When was the last time you saw a bona fide "Cure" come out of big pharma?

Where have all of the major health breakthroughs come from this century? Individuals and health institutions! Penicillin for example, one of the greatest medical discoveries of our time practically single handedly spawned the modern pharmaceutical industry as it stands today (who is still profiting quite nicely off this discovery I might add!).

Not to mention all of the ailments that holistic treatments can address but are quite commonly dismissed as quackery and hogwash. I wont go into depth about how messed up it is to deny a treatment that works merely because it doesn't fit into your socio-ideological views.. And I want to avoid warlock accusations.

 

[rat]

Not to mention all of the ailments that holistic treatments can address but are quite commonly dismissed as quackery and hogwash. I wont go into depth about how messed up it is to deny a treatment that works merely because it doesn't fit into your socio-ideological views.. And I want to avoid warlock accusations.

I diluted your comment to the power of 200C Strength, about as powerful as it gets... and still found it to be completely ineffective.

You could even say your comment was less effective than placebo.

When I go to the bar, I get my beer poured to a concentration of 1 drop to 1000 parts water. You know, the REALLY strong stuff. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMGIbOGu8q0

Face it. If your foundation crumbles with the slightest bit of logic... applying religious fervor in defending what you have faith in doesn't make your argument stronger.

 

[veterator]

As with all corporate dealings. When money is involved, profit or non-profit, I have to question the motives of the overall corporation. If it was about providing care at affordable prices.......they wouldn't be making the kind of profits they do. And if a substantial amount of their profit is based on selling drugs for treatment of certain ailments......curing said ailments would put the money train out of commission. If it was something epidemic, the government might even take over the patent and cut their profits to a small fraction of what they could have charged.

I mean really......we see examples of corporations nearly weekly doing things that if an individual were to do it they'd be in jail, but they continue to operate in ways contrary to large swaths of the population's well being......because there's money to be made by doing so.

So.....I find it hard to believe a corporation would potentially put themselves out of business by developing a cure for their disease they specialize in....especially when they make obscene profits. They already put out pills, medical treatments, etc that cause harm to if not kill people and a lot of the time you only hear about them when someone wants to sue them for it.

 

[mr_zen256]

I diluted your comment to the power of 200C Strength, about as powerful as it gets... and still found it to be completely ineffective.

You could even say your comment was less effective than placebo.

When I go to the bar, I get my beer poured to a concentration of 1 drop to 1000 parts water. You know, the REALLY strong stuff. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMGIbOGu8q0

Face it. If your foundation crumbles with the slightest bit of logic... applying religious fervor in defending what you have faith in doesn't make your argument stronger.

I take it you're talking about homoeopathy? Holistic medicine is not just one modality such as homoeopathy.. Cover up techrat, your ignorance is showing. And yes, no natural therapy would ever replace modern medical surgery for trauma victims. It's not even a question of that. When chronic illness comes into play, there are options.

Plus, there have been advancements in holistic treatments that are science-based and backed by double-blind clinical trials and that's just scratching the surface.

But, I digress, yes there are many quack jobs in the holistic medical industry but the same can most certainly be said for allopathic medicine also. I'm not saying one is better than the other because both have valuable things to be gained in terms of current treatment options available to us. I dont think the logic in my thinking has failed in any of the comments I have made and your weak analogy to homeopathic medicine, which I think was an attempt at being clever, fell way short.

 

[HOCP4ME]

I take it you're talking about homoeopathy? Holistic medicine is not just one modality such as homoeopathy.. Cover up techrat, your ignorance is showing. And yes, no natural therapy would ever replace modern medical surgery for trauma victims. It's not even a question of that. When chronic illness comes into play, there are options.

Plus, there have been advancements in holistic treatments that are science-based and backed by double-blind clinical trials and that's just scratching the surface.

But, I digress, yes there are many quack jobs in the holistic medical industry but the same can most certainly be said for allopathic medicine also. I'm not saying one is better than the other because both have valuable things to be gained in terms of current treatment options available to us. I dont think the logic in my thinking has failed in any of the comments I have made and your weak analogy to homeopathic medicine, which I think was an attempt at being clever, fell way short.

The alternative treatments that work, quickly become mainstream.

If a treatment isn't popular it's either really expensive or it doesn't work. Just like in a free market, you can't get a better deal than everyone else. If you could, everyone would be doing it.

 

[mr_zen256]

The alternative treatments that work, quickly become mainstream.

If a treatment isn't popular it's either really expensive or it doesn't work. Just like in a free market, you can't get a better deal than everyone else. If you could, everyone would be doing it.

True. Most of the forms of treatments that work are very expensive and are often not covered by insurance therefore not an option for many people. Plus, I concede to the fact it is a veritable mine field out there when attempting to find a reliable and valid holistic practitioner. And yes, there are certain treatments once considered to be alternative medicines that are making their way into mainstream usage. And before I get accused of having some hidden agenda for expressing my opinion on this matter, I want to clarify that allopathic medicine still does and always will play an important and integral role in our health.

The fact is, in many cases of "certain" conditions, holistic is often a better way to go (not referring to homoeopathy, I don't know much about it aside from the basic principles). I dont expect many people to agree with this and that is fine, we are all entitled to our opinions as much as we are entitled to seek what we believe is best for our health.