This is to the conspiracy buffs, and believers of the all-purpose, magical, all-natural, miracle cancer cure. There are some things you should know about the pharmaceutical industry. I do not mean this in a condescending manner, but as an inside view.
- First, for the "natural" cure : 50% of all conventional medecine on the market is of natural origin (including taxol, the most widely used chemo agent). Many research groups test natural extracts on cancer cell lines, including at NIH. We have been doing this for other group ourselves. So far, nothing threw anybody on their backsides. The pharmas do the same, because you CAN patent a natural extract. If you do not believe me, go check some patents.
- Second, a pharma makes money selling pills, not doing research. Research costs money.
- Third, the best money makers for pharmas are chronic conditions. Antidepressors, anti-hypertension, diabetes type 2, LDL control, asthma and arthritis in particular, are very big.
2006-12-23
05:53:42
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6 answers
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asked by
Anonymous
in
Health
➔ Diseases & Conditions
➔ Cancer
All these conditions are aggravated by bad food habits and lack of exercise. So basically, pharmas are making money out of people's lazyness. I know it feels bad to be told that we are part of the problem, but here it is.
2006-12-23
05:57:02 ·
update #1
For those who wonder, I do have moderate asthma , and my best friend was recently diagnosed with cancer. And I did NOT say that lifestyle CAUSES these conditions, but that it AGGRAVATES them. Asthma has been shown to become a much worse problem in obese people, because body fat is actually a gland that produces pro-inflammatory hormones (this was observed in my institute).
A lot of the people having these conditions, especially type 2 diabetes (NOT type 1) could have avoided them, or have a later onset, with a better lifestyle. I personnaly know an obese 10-years-old boy with type 2 diabetes, for god's sake ! It's time we do something.
People dont want to make an effort ! If you do not believe me, please go to the diet & fitness section, and count the number of questions involving people asking for a no-effort way to lose weight.
2006-12-24
01:44:07 ·
update #2
A precision on what can be patented, and what cannot. I said you can patent a natural EXTRACT, meaning the method of extraction. It sometimes may make all the difference between what is efficient and what is not.
You can also patent a TREATMENT, meaning what is given, in what dosage, how, and for what.
But there's a hitch : you have to prove it is efficient, as in any other publication !
And vitamins are ALREADY part of the "conventional" treatment of some cancers ! Vitamin D is given in leukemia because it is PROVEN to promote cell differentiation !
2006-12-24
02:29:34 ·
update #3