Kickas.org Forums Treatments, Drugs and Alternatives AS Pharmacy How incredilous is that?

Was reading about LDN on the internet. This clearly upset me. Because of these selfish pharma cos, people like us keep suffering, looking for better 'alternatives'.

"However, because naltrexone has been a generic drug for more than a decade, pharmaceutical companies aren't interested in funding clinical trials for a drug they can't patent. Clinical trials, such as the trials of LDN in fibromyalgia and Gulf War Syndrome Dr. Jarred Younger is conducting at Stanford University, are being funded by grants and private donors. Dr. Zagon relies on small grants and private donations for his ongoing research on LDN in MS and cancer. In the meantime, most patients who could benefit from LDN don't know it exists. And without glossy ads in medical journals from pharmaceutical companies, most doctors remain uninformed."

Well count me in the group of uninformed.

I keep hearing about it but sort of lumped it in with all the other acronyms like NSD and LSD?

On a side-note, don't let anyone suggest that ideas like this are "conspiracy theories". Two very close friends of mine worked as representatives for pharmaceutical companies and they would visit doctors in their offices to promote the latest products. Drs are offered "incentives" (ie kick-backs) to the tune of twenty-five or fifty cents for every prescription they fill for selected products. Some of these doctors derive a significant portion of their income this way, believe it or not.

My friends would take note of who the real scumbag doctors were and "unofficially" make sure no one they knew went to see those doctors.

Even more to the point, for those left with any lingering doubts about the true nature of these huge corporations...do a little digging through the history books and check out what they were doing during WWII. Spooky stuff indeed.

Chris

It seems that the pharmaceutical industry drives patient treatment, I was seeing a chronic pain doc. before I figured out that I had AS and he used Prolotherapy on me which is little heard of because it is nonsurgical and nonpharmacological, so no way for anyone to make big money. Capitalism is not always the best system.

Hi,

I know it exists, thanks to a few members here. I have read similar statements, if not the same statement, about Low Dose Naltrexone. It's heartbreaking because...

"LDN may well be the most important therapeutic breakthrough in over fifty years. It provides a new method of medical treatment by mobilizing the natural defenses of one's own immune system." — David Gluck, MD

I never actually gave it my full effort to ask my doctors about it, because they don't know what it is. I figure if they don't know what it is, I shouldn't bother, because I will probably be denied anyways and put on something I don't want, just for asking about LDN.

A doctor who knows more about alternatives, is probably better to have in my opinion. At least there would be more options available.

Take care,
James.

yup. It effin sucks. Also, because thee med is so inexpensive (in low dose, at least) that the companies couldn't afford it anyway . . . trials cost millions, and LDN costs $45/month at most, so they couldn't make their money back ANYWAY. It really stinks.

i've read about prolotherapy. did you find good success with it? or, not really?

sue

Unfortunately at the time we didn't know that I had AS and we were trying anything so it didn't help me, but for tendon or ligament damage it works great from what i understand. I would certainly have it before cortisone. Art

I probably have a dumb question, but I have to ask. How does naltrexone work? Naltrexone is an opiod blocker. So I am very confused on how it works.

Hi Patty,
I don't know either. Try this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_dose_naltrexone and see if it makes sense to you lol.

I think it somehow corrects the immune system by blocking a certain number of endorphines going to the brain?

Take care,
James.

I'm just wondering -- because typically, I don't think it's that hard to get gov't grants for these kinds of clinical studies... and it makes me really wonder why they wouldn't fund it - it's probably a significantly less costly alternative to what most of us are using... and with healthcare reform coming, the gov't is going to be looking for the most bang for their bucks (most effective medicine/most favorable safety profile/at the best price)....stay tuned?