[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Myriad's Alzheimer's drug wasn't effective for patients with moderate forms of the disease, so the company is targeting patients who have just been diagnosed. Scientists are also using the latest in brain imaging and genetic technology to develop tests to find people like Williams who have above-average chances of coming down the disease.

In the long run that's certainly where you want to have been working - to prevent or at least delay the onset of the serious stages of the disease.

At least two other companies [Neurochem Inc. and Elan Pharmaceuticals] are hot on Myriad's tail . . . "If everything goes well, we could have approval in 2008," said Neurochem spokeswoman Lise Hebert. Myriad hopes to have approval in 2008 as well.

"I want somebody to win this," said Dr. Bill Thies, scientific director of the nonprofit Alzheimer's Association. "I don't particularly care if it's Myriad or one of its competitors."

My own mother died of it a couple of years ago. We need someone to succeed in this. Even if it means that an "evil pharmaceutical" makes a lot of profit. </sarcasm>

Don't talk to me about how expensive a drug is; Alzheimer's Disease shows you what happens when the cost is infinite - when you can't get an effective medicine at any price.

[CDHart]

BTTT - good post. I'm a bookkeeper at a skilled nursing facility. We have a secure unit (AKA locked) for our Alzheimer's people. It's tragic to watch them go downhill.

Carolyn

[neverdem]

I can't imagine a more gruesome diagnosis. Please, God have mercy.

[wideminded]

Don't talk to me about how expensive a drug is; Alzheimer's Disease shows you what happens when the cost is infinite - when you can't get an effective medicine at any price.

Maybe you should check out this article. There are companies that would charge so much that only one patient could afford a drug, as long as this maximized profits. BTW, I helped an elderly acquaintance get a previous alzheimers drug, memantine. Unfortunately I did not observe any benefit.