Amidst the rancorous arguments over the healthcare reform package that was passed yesterday, we seem to have lost a rather significant item for those suffering from a disease whose therapies are still in labs somewhere.
The legislation included 12-year patent protection for new biotech drugs. This seems like excellent news for those with ALS -- a disease with no existing effective treatment. The added protection should encourage more investment in biotechs, and we urgently need more investment so that promising science can be developed into effective treatments.
"If ALS were a terrorist group taking thousands of lives each year, this country would throw people and technology and money at it until we had won". It's like a terrorist in our midst, going strong. (Marilyn Adams, USAToday, June 30, 2004)
ReplyDeletehttp://alsspreadtheword.blogspot.com/2008/01/bioshield-of-shame.html