CNN.com – FDA approves third pill for impotence
There are now 3 pills to help boomers get erections, but no malaria vaccine. Malaria is a lifelong problem for millions, and a killer of millions more. Unfortunately, the millions our drug companies are interested in are dollars, not people.
I understand that developing a malaria vaccine isn’t cheap, and it’s hard to do. If it was easy, it would have already been done. Some people are working on this: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have given $168 million to help with malaria prevention, treatments and vaccines.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not advocating government controls (yet), but this stuff is why I’m not nice to drug reps anymore. It’s not the reps’ fault, but as I have no ability to influence the companies directly, I’ll not be manipulated into supporting them with their ‘me too’ drugs.
I fool with mine too much too sometimes, but I really like the design you’re using now.
Thanks!
What about things like Malarone, quinine, &c? Is malaria a disease that could be prevented by a vaccine?
It is definitely a disease that should be high up in the target list, but then, it affects so few of us…..
Walter Reed Army Institute of Research has been spending lots of money and time on malaria. It would have been even cheaper to allow the use of DDT in areas with heavy mosquito infestations. DDT is most effective when it is “painted” on walls as it then penetrates the nooks/crannies where the female mosquitoes like to hide when breeding. There is no danger to the inhabitants. But no, the enviros would wet their pants if this was allowed. So millions of people die and tens of millions are incapacitated so the enviro fanatics can sleep well. In addition to DDT, simple use of netting around beds had a dramatic impact on malaria infections.
Even if there were a vaccine, the problems in Africa are not always a lack of medicines but rather corrupt or non-existent governmental agencies capable of distribution. Look at the SA president moron who still claims that HIV is not a precursor to AIDS and still prevents the use of antiviral cocktails to pregnant women when it has been proven that these can reduce the chance of the HIV transmission to the baby.
Mike, I agree it’s ‘few of us’ if you count Bloggers; huge chunks of Africa and Asia would count as rather more than us. Yes, there are treatments, but lifetime prevention would be a godsend.
Paul, I am aware that bothe the Army and Navy are working on vaccines, and they are to be commended. Your point about DDT is well-taken, and if we had malaria here we’d still be using it, but since it happens to ‘others, elsewhere’ we’ll ban it based on junk science.
I disagree that it might be futile to develop such a vaccine because people make bad decisions. However, smallpox was eradicated by vaccine, giving me some hope.
You are so right. Malaria is so remote from what mainly preoccupies the minds of the pharmaceutical industry and there is not much money to be made from making a vaccine.
I hate to be pessimistic, but even if Big Pharma decides to spend a big chunk of its budget in making such a vaccine, the chances of succeeding are quite small. All the vaccines we have are against viruses, which the malarial organism is not.
Prevention and the easy availability of anti-malarial drugs would appear to be the better option at this time.
Lifestyle drugs are the rage of the moment and Big Pharma knows that too well. Besides, people are thankful, and who can argue against that when
a lot of us are able to stretch our pleasurable years
and make us feel younger in the process?
DDT,
You?re dating yourself. Anyone else willing to admit they used to chase the DDT fogger as it moved through the neighborhood?
They did that in Ft. Walton Beach, FL in the ’50s, I assume they did it elsewhere, at least in the South.
And I think to myself, “My mother let me DO that???” “What was she thinking???”
Well, I guess I’m no worse for the wear, except that tic thing and the psychedelic light shifts whenever I hear a Perry Como sing ?Catch a falling star.?
Although I don’t know of anyone working the vaccine angle, seems like I read that Pfizer was conducting phase 3 clinicals on a combo of Zithromax/chloroquine for malaria. The article (newpaper I think) said that the initial trials showed 3X the success rates of chloroquine alone.
I can’t imagine why Pfizer’s doing this OTHER than altruistic reasons (or good pr), since 1) the drug goes off patent soon, and 2) even if it didn’t the vast majority of patients that need it couldn’t pay and the company would end up donating it like they continue to do with the worldwide trachoma program.
More companies should work on developing new vaccines, yes, but this kind of research to improve outcomes should be encouraged too.