Stop looking

I think that the reason that they don't look for cures for diseases is because drug companys pay to slow things down so they can continue making profits.

[Hidden]

I can assure you my experience of the Pharmasecutical Industry presents no evidence to this end whatsoever. I have only seen groups of talented dedicated people absolutely determined to find solutions for patients. I am rather glad they make money as their investment into research for me is the most significant of all.

[shasha]

hear hear -i find that comment a bit sad actually

[hilarypeta]

I think there is a vested interest among all health solutions -money does talk.. There are always dedicated scientists until their ideas are bought.-difficult for them to get by the powers that be. I've seen it myself through academics I know in other fields. I also saw working in a drs surgery once how some drs are given holidays etc for prescribing certain drugs from different companies- there are some who are weaker than others when bribes are thrown at them by company reps.

[Victor]

I think the answer to the question of "are the large medical industry corporations responsible for slow advancement in PD treatment and a cure" is that they land somewhere between saints and sinners. They do not per se have a responsibility to cure PD. There are companies, corporations and universities working on a cure but, at this time there is no big incentives to spend vast resources on this disease.

The reasons that there has not been more done to combat the disease are many. The most significant reason I see is ignorance and a lack of understanding by all. I am one of those people that did not understand the disease before I got the disease. I say it as an "old folks" disease. I say it as "treatable with medications and surgery." I perceived it as a mild inconvenience to those afflicted. I put my support and contributions toward the more "sexy" or "popular" diseases like breast cancer and MS.

Given the choice, I would rather get PD in my 50's than get MS in my twenties. I think that we as a world community we could do a lot more to come up with solutions to our health problems. I could be more open about my disease so that the public would understand it better. I could set aside my religious intolerance for medical advancement studies. I could push my government representatives to help coordinate the efforts of companies working for a cure. I could encourage the medical community to at least start a database of patients and their symptoms. I could encourage employers to support healthcare benefits for everyone. I will encourage the people making decisions for the large corporations to do more.

Sorry, I have probably offended someone with my rants. I don’t mean to offend anyone but, I am though with standing by and not speaking out and not doing something. Here is my contribution to the cause (IPDSG.org)

Victor

[soup]

How can drug companies make profits if they don't have something to sell? I can sympathise with your frustration and impatience but I would rather not see any more mistakes like thalidamide released onto the market.

[Hidden]

The company that holds the patent is good for 20yrs =. $$$$$$$

[JonStamford]

Can I direct you to 2 articles on the main Parkinson's Movement website that discuss this in some detail:

parkinsonsmovement.com/2011...

parkinsonsmovement.com/2011...

One is written by one of the Parkinson's Movement ambassadors while the other is written by a pharmaceutical industry insider. Both provide food for thought.

[WayneP]

I was told by a very good family friend years ago who just happened to be a very well respected doctor that there is no money in curing people of illness. If you wipe out cancer, look at all the people in not just the drug industry, but colleges and doctors and nurses and the list grows that are displaced just from wiping out cancer. Now if you think of all the people that they are saying are going to get PD over the next 30 years, it financially makes no since to create a drug to cure it because you can make more money with long term drug treatment. I love Michael J. Fox to death but this is a concept that the activist can't come to terms with. His heart won't let him, I am one!!!!

My sister passed of lung cancer, worst thing I witnessed in my life. Took her to all her appointments, 10 months and she was gone. She was a smoker, more women will die in 2011 from lung cancer than breast cancer yet more money by far goes to breast cancer research because (a) most feel smokers did it to themselves so if you just don't smoke you don't get lung cancer and (b) breast cancer is a dare I say sexier cause.

As much as it might be unpopular to say, money and the making of money is what the drug companies are all about. By keeping people sick keeps the bottom line rising. But it does not do one thing, reduce my faith.

[Hidden in reply to WayneP]

I just participated in a clinical trial that use Gene Therapy . I went to Boston Mass General in Sept of this year to have this done . This is the second time I had to get holes drilled in my head because this was a double blind placebo the first when I went in 2009 not knowing if I received it . Then I was told in June of 2011 I didn't. So now I have to wait 6 months to see . I did this because I didn't want. DBS

[Hidden]

Thanks this was a good input of information and opinions

[Joealt]

People tend to be more cynical when they are in the middle of a bad experience. Unfortunately I subscribe to the theory that profits are the motivation behind both progress as well as foot dragging. I would prefer to hope that there is an army of scientists working for The Cure.

[Hidden]

To all those amazing people who work tirelessly, passionately, authentically and morally of which there are doubtless 1000's .... In the Pharmasecutical world ... Please keep motivated and inspired. As a patient I personally need your efforts, energy and support. I trust that you do the right thing and place my faith in the belief your responsible behaviour. Is this naieve? Misplaced? I couldn't comment. What I do know is being supportive is something I subscribe to, speculation and assumption I don't.