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Cheap, Safe, Patentless Cancer Drug Discovered
PyroMosh writes "The New Scientist is reporting that researchers working at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada have discovered that an existing drug called dichloroacetate (DCA) is effective in killing cancer cells, while leaving the host's healthy cells unharmed. DCA has already been used for years to treat metabolic disorders, and is known to be fairly safe. Sounds like great news, is it too good to be true? Why is the mainstream news media failing to report on this potential breakthrough? The University of Alberta and the Alberta Cancer Board have set up a site with more info, where you can also donate to support future clinical trials."
I'm a student at the University of Alberta. The student newspaper is called "The Gateway" and at the end of the winter term there is a joke issue called "The Getaway." In THIS YEAR'S December joke issue the cover story way "U of A Scientists Cure Cancer." Five issues later they broke the real story here: http://www.gateway.ualberta.ca/index.php?iid=247. No one believed the real story...
The questionable veracity of the story would certainly not scare the 24 hour news cycle away. The subject matter is certainly important enough to everyone. But does it scare you? No, a non-poisonous cure for cancer doesn't keep you glued to TV in fear to watch the 55 minutes of speculation, filler, and opinion to follow, and is therefore not news.
The news day has to be really slow to get more than a passing mention of good news on any major media network.
Then again, I think you ought to know I'm feeling very depressed.
Yeah, just in the same way that you can't patent a spoon, which is why nobody makes spoons.
"Destroy science and religion. Science would re-emerge exactly the same; but not religion." - Penn Jillette, paraphrased
There should be some sort of government program to support drugs like this that benefit everyone. hell, yeah! why didn't anybody mention THAT before! the "free medical drugs for everybody"-programme! i guess the funding for this should be safe, as soon as the "free oil for the industrial magnates" and the "free democracy for the folks with turbans"-campaigns are finished. uh, wait. how about a "free brains for the naive"-masterplan?
The long winter evenings must simply fly by.
Of course not. There is no spoon.
Except now that it's been publicly disclosed, you can't patent this way either. This is what's wrong with researchers. They think they're bettering mankind, but so often end up hurting it because they can't get reality through their head. Now because they disclosed what this drug can do, it will likely be a long time before it ever is approved for this use, if it's ever approved at all.
I see the glass as full with a FoS of 2.
That will cut into their profit margin(less funding/donations) and they are not concerned about symbolic papers.
Actually they are not concerned about cancer,only money.
in which I made $50K for 80 hour weeks + overnight in hospital calls and every third weekend on call.
Oh, so you worked for EA while you attended medical school?
tinfoilmedia
I think it is because doctors can only kill one at a time....
Whew! You mentioned channeling and for a minute I thought you meant this guy!
Tiller's Rule: Never use a word in written form that you've only heard and never read. You will end up looking foolish.