I heard a talk by a Nobel laureate from UW when I was in Singapore, and his point is exactly what you state.  And frankly, this is also one of the big reasons why the free market system is a terrible way to develop a health care system.  So, sports and politics collide.  But I promise, this time it has nothing to do with ethnicity.

Examples: diseases like malaria, dengue fever, and a new one (the name of which I forget) kill jillions like clockwork every year.  But most of those people are poor people in poor countries.  The free market pharmaceutical industry gave this world health crisis a collective shrug.  HIV, when it first came along, killed a few tens of thousands, mostly rich people in rich countries.  Billions were spent on developing expensive treatments.  His take home message was that a malaria vaccine was doable within 5 years or so, and for world public health would have a huge impact, but the money and interest wasn't there (that was 3-4 years ago, and I believe I read progress has since been made).  His response to my question was, "We in the research community to do not have to view ourselves as handmaidens to the pharmaceutical companies," to which the others in the hall shrugged.  They want the money and prestige of finding breakthroughs for the big ticket items.

So actually, cancer and HIV are where the money and other action are at, because they kill rich people in rich countries.  Those two just happen to have very tricky biochemistries that have defied silver bullets thus far. 

For public health, one of the big "wow" points is that the very highest paid specialization among doctors, cosmetic surgeons, provide the very least health benefit, while the very lowest paid specialization, GP, provides the very highest health benefit.  Free markets have really twisted the priorities in medicine, pharmaceuticals, and health, ass-backwards, Fors.

Last edited by Max (1/20/2011 4:55 pm)

APRTW wrote:

Deer antler velvet has been used in China for ever.  I believe they think it helps arthritis.  SO do bee stings they say.  I used to work for a guy who had bees and stung himself with them.  Said it worked.   IGF-1, like HGH and every other steroid has a medical application.  I believe IGF-1 is used in treating Lou Gehrig's disease. 

Fors the drugs are abused and used to do things they were not ment to do.  I kind of agree with Jose Canseco alittle.  I believe roids could improve life for many people if used correctly.  What makes them different them vitamins.

There are some ways that steroids are used for medicinal purposes.  My wife has asthma.  On occasions when she is having significant problems breathing (usually when her condition is exacerbated by a cold or some other illness), she will be prescribed prednisone which is a low dose steroid.

I'm sure there are others, but that's one that I know of personally.

hydrocortisone cream is based on a steroid

there are many types of steroidal inhaler for use in treatment of asthma

the medical uses of steroids is large.

I use hydrocortisone ointment in my asshole from time to time . (but my recovery time never seems to change ) (wink)

forsberg_us wrote:

don.rob11 wrote:

I use hydrocortisone ointment in my asshole from time to time.

I could have gladly lived the remainder of my life without that nugget of information.  (blooper) (blooper) (blooper) (blooper) (blooper)

My wife told me that exact same thing .