“The response to this initiative has been very poor; only 57 votes in 2 weeks. Quite depressing really!!”
“I am really not sure if the repurposing of off-patent drugs for MS is such a good idea after all. May be we should just maintain the status quo and let Big Pharma do what it does best; develop patented drugs under the current regulatory framework? This also raises ethical questions about whether or not we should be wasting precious resources on investigating off-patent drugs in MS if we don’t have the mechanism to get them through a phase 3 program and then licensed. The latter is essential for adoption.”
“I am really not sure if the repurposing of off-patent drugs for MS is such a good idea after all. May be we should just maintain the status quo and let Big Pharma do what it does best; develop patented drugs under the current regulatory framework? This also raises ethical questions about whether or not we should be wasting precious resources on investigating off-patent drugs in MS if we don’t have the mechanism to get them through a phase 3 program and then licensed. The latter is essential for adoption.”
“I will leave the poll open to see if we can garner any further support!”
Previous post on the BPA:
29 Nov 2012;
With the current level of risk associated with drug development and the level of regulatory red-tape it seems unlikely. Even Big Pharma themselves are having second thoughts about the current paradigm and trying new things …
I think that without a sugar daddy with the means of a Bill Gates or Warren Buffet the costs involved in an initiative like this would be simply too great. Charities like the MS Society don't have the money to take things into phase III.Not sure what the answer is. The current system is broken but I can't see any alternatives.
Maybe MSers are tired of participating in pointless polls that don't have a measurable impact on their disease. These polls are a waste of time and lead nowhere. I used to eagerly participate but can't be bothered anymore.
At the end of the day I have a brain disease. For you guys it's your job – you can shut the office door at the end of the day and forget about the disease. As someone with a disease, I don't think it's my role to re-engineer the drugs industry. What I want from the blog is hope. I want to hear what's going on the research world which might help me in the future. You receive grants from MS societies and I'd like to find out what the funding might deliver. How has 2012 gone for Team G? Has it been a successful year. Is anything you are working on likely to help me in 5, 7 or 10 years time? If not, why is the research taking place? I see two areas where Team G may deliver something that may benefit myself and others – Charcot project and neuro-protection trials. But I'm sick of the defeatism e.g. Even if we identify a drug which protects nerves, no-one will fund the trials so it will never reach the pharmacy shelves! If this is so, why not just run trials for the pharma companies?
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I have to agree with the above. These useless polls are becoming seriously annoying.Poor approach to populism….Can we do a poll whether we want polls on this website?Or can we just jump to the conclusion that a 57 responders capture rate (out of thousands of visitors) is simply ridiculous and you should stop polling around?
Couple of questions :If Charcot project is a success at an early stage, why not get 100 neuros to help with the phase 3 trials. They could oversee 10 patients = 1000 patients. This would spread effort and cost. If the anti-viral is effective why can't it then be adopted s a treatment? If a drug eg. Epilepsy drug demonstrates effective in trials for neuro-protection why do we need a pharma company if it is off patent? Can't believe the system is set up to limit drugs for MS patients especially if a drug is cheap, safe and effective. GPs prescribe LDN and there has been no trials!
I don't mind the polls but for this one I don't understand what the Big Pharma Alternative is. I need to read more closely….
This is the big disconnect between MSers and neurologists. Giovannoni's tone implies that MSers deserve what they get because they fail to participate in his redundant poll, but we're not being complacent, we just want something tangible.Things in the world of MS treatments look really bleak. 2012 has been a year where we're realizing that there's more about this disease we can't get to grips with than otherwise. The structures in place designed to trial drugs is massively corrupt and broken. CCSVIers and No-Drugs campaigners like Dr. Dre have hijacked the debate because there's no real arguments against them.We end this year on a real sour note. There is nothing that seems promising in the 2013 MS schedule, just like there hasn't been for the last few years.Giovannoni, these polls aren't doing you any favors. MouseDoc, your pantomime theatrics are not cute anymore. This disease is a serious ailment and we're losing the battle. Save the fun and games and let's get back to real science. This disease is kicking my ass and nobody is taking it seriously enough.
I,m behinfd you. Oh n lo your are not. Oh Yes he isTHANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT…NOT.
Strange, I went on Shift.ms today and there's an interview with Prof Siddharthan Chandran who seems really cautious on his research into myelin repair. He seems confident it will happen, but it may be decades away from being useful to MSers, especially those living with the disease right now.Everyone seems to have lost their spark. It's not good. Maybe the polls are not the way to go. They rub people up the wrong way. 2012 has been a difficult year for most of us, filled with more disappointments than joy. Let's pray for better.
I don't mind answering the polls and I know that DrG has used the result from some of them dealing with the authorities. As for the BPA it's good to see that at least someone is trying to do something so if I can help out I'm all in. At least there's something I can do. I'm not a scientist so there's very little I can do to support the MS research except for donating my brain… And last but not least..please remember don't shoot the messenger!! MS sucks big time but these people are really trying to make a difference and that counts in my book.Merry x-mas to you all//Sara
I agree with everything Sara says.I'm really greatful for any attempt to speed things up and get past deadends .And I enjoy the light-hearted stuff from MD. You need all the laughs you can get.
Sorry Sarah but I actually disagree with you.Polls are like clinical trial (it's a serious part of social sciences). A poll has to be run independently and a sample has to be carefully engineered to be representative.These polls are actual quite expensive to run…Web polls like on this blog are just a waste of time as they don't prove or disprove a hypothesis to start with.Then one has to pay attention to how polls are placed: First, bloggers (such as G) warm up the audience with several posts on a subject reflecting their own subjective views. Then a poll shows up just to confirm the columnist own views! (as He being the authority, He stirs public opinion in his direction subconsciously via His writings). Those 2 reasons independently make polls useless.Again, cheap populism at best. (and few useless slides for unsophisticated conference audience…)
I'll always fight for you Prof G, but even I am getting fed up with the polls. They don't really help us and haven't made enough of an impact to justify its existence. I think MSers coming to this blog are purposely avoiding them. They don't make a difference.
Polls are a tool to collect information. Better informed researchers, better for MSers.
Bah humbug. Thank you sprooge
Polls…at least prof g can now write in html. Thus polls are educatoon in more ways than one way
I am sure without the polls we would not have got our neuroprotection trial. No trial no future drug
this is one of the worst sites in UK. Run by people who DO NOT CARE about anyone at all with MS other than their high salarys for passing the book.None of it makes any sense its being run by CON artists who dont do anything at all than just talk utter rubbish. ALL TALK AND NO ACTIONS. Through to the core are all time wasters putting so much on here thats wrong knows many people DO NOT TRUST Prof G or mouse dr and its clear both do not have many friends either . They would rather post on here and do nothing they should be doing.Money raised is also nothing aswell when they both show off what they are doing.
easy now. Not a fan of polls neither but this comment is just pointless. No one is obliging you to read or participate. Feel free to avoid it
Dear Anonymous (Friday, December 21, 2012 9:00:00 PM)We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Team G
I normaly put these posts into spam but as it. Christmas i havedonated your post to evefyone. If you feel this way just go somewhere else your opinion is as valued as what ever.Why waste your time trying to bust our balls put your efort into something useful. Evety time that prof g posts on certain issues the lunacy appears you do yourself no favours and puts every bodies backs up. Just go away I am tired of this nonsense..