Comments on: A Possible Cancer Cure! http://www.themannings.org/soapbox/2007/01/18/a-possible-cancer-cure/ Pragmatic Libertarianism Thu, 04 Dec 2008 02:13:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Reach Upward http://www.themannings.org/soapbox/2007/01/18/a-possible-cancer-cure/#comment-2523 Reach Upward Thu, 18 Jan 2007 19:45:05 +0000 http://www.themannings.org/soapbox/2007/01/18/a-possible-cancer-cure/#comment-2523 If this is truly promising, some doctors will likely start prescribing it for cancer patients, even though it's not approved for that purpose. This kind of thing happens regularly with drugs that are found to be useful for other purposes. The drawback to this scenario is that the new use (or new use in combination with other drugs) without initial clinical testing can produce unanticipated undesirable effects down the road. Remember Phen-Phen? Still, my father-in-law, who is currently struggling with lung cancer, would gladly take the drug without waiting for clinical tests. I mean, what does he have to lose? If this is truly promising, some doctors will likely start prescribing it for cancer patients, even though it’s not approved for that purpose. This kind of thing happens regularly with drugs that are found to be useful for other purposes.

The drawback to this scenario is that the new use (or new use in combination with other drugs) without initial clinical testing can produce unanticipated undesirable effects down the road. Remember Phen-Phen?

Still, my father-in-law, who is currently struggling with lung cancer, would gladly take the drug without waiting for clinical tests. I mean, what does he have to lose?

]]> By: Dignin http://www.themannings.org/soapbox/2007/01/18/a-possible-cancer-cure/#comment-2522 Dignin Thu, 18 Jan 2007 19:10:46 +0000 http://www.themannings.org/soapbox/2007/01/18/a-possible-cancer-cure/#comment-2522 Thank goodness someone out there is trying to explore avenues that do not include getting filthy rich at the end. Since my dad had cancer and had to drastically alter his diet and activities I have worried that life will come to that for me also but amen to Jeremy's hopes that this develops without being systematically terminated by the FDA because it is not one of "their" (Pharmaceutical Companies) drugs. Thank goodness someone out there is trying to explore avenues that do not include getting filthy rich at the end. Since my dad had cancer and had to drastically alter his diet and activities I have worried that life will come to that for me also but amen to Jeremy’s hopes that this develops without being systematically terminated by the FDA because it is not one of “their” (Pharmaceutical Companies) drugs.

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