Diabetes cure?

November 12, 2004 1:25 AM

On the path to a diabetes cure? (NYT reg req; BugMeNot; elsewhere)
posted by Gyan (14 comments total)

or use this link...

For future reference: this link for NYT articles
posted by mhh5 at 1:42 AM on November 12, 2004

Great read, thank you.
posted by Mick at 4:54 AM on November 12, 2004

fascinating! thanks Gyan.

i wish medicine and politics weren't so entwined.
posted by mrplab at 5:08 AM on November 12, 2004

*crosses fingers* Please, please, please let them get the money for the research.
posted by FunkyHelix at 6:49 AM on November 12, 2004

[conspiracytheoryfilter]
Re: the pharmas not funding/conducting human-phase research, what's the chance that it is due to their possibly losing long-term cash-cow of treatments..etc?[/CFT]
posted by Gyan at 7:35 AM on November 12, 2004

I would love to see a cure, and I would love to stop lining Pfizer's pockets every month.
posted by Foosnark at 9:05 AM on November 12, 2004

Thank you, Gyan. This issue is significant to my family since both my father and my husband have been diagnosed with diabetes. I sincerely hope that Dr. Faustman succeeds and that her method becomes implemented quickly. The current methods of treatment leave much to be desired, as any diabetic and his or her family can affirm.
posted by Lynsey at 9:35 AM on November 12, 2004

I'm diabetic (Type 2) and this article has me both hopeful and sad.

While having drugs to cope with the disease is great, they also make drug companies a lot of money. Makes you wonder where their true priorities lay.

Thanks for pointing out the article, Gyan.
posted by deborah at 10:36 AM on November 12, 2004

This treatment seems to me like it would be helpful only with Type 1 (congenital) diabetes. Type 2 (adult-onset) is not caused by a lack of insulin production capacity, but to reduced overall sensitivity to insulin, such that more is continually required until the parnceas's production limit is reached.
posted by kindall at 1:05 PM on November 12, 2004

Even better than a cure: avoiding diabetes in the first place.
posted by soyjoy at 1:59 PM on November 12, 2004

Again, the kind of diabetes this cure is for is not the kind you can avoid.
posted by kindall at 2:00 PM on November 12, 2004

And that link doesn't work.
posted by kindall at 2:01 PM on November 12, 2004

Sorry, that linked worked yesterday. Here's the same story.
posted by soyjoy at 2:04 PM on November 12, 2004

Thanks for the interesting link. Every glimmer of hope is wonderful.

Having seen first hand the devastating affect of diabetes has made of my father's health, I hope that they get all the funding they can. This research won't help him as he has Type 2, but hopefully it will cure all those who have Type 1 and give them a better future. In the last 2 years my poor old dad has spent at least 18 months of that in hospital and various long stints before that due to various conditions ALL caused by diabetes.

People just don't realise how bad things can get and I'm seriously thinking of doing something to raise public awareness and generate cold hard cash for diabetic charities (although I dare say I won't be able to raise the $11 million mark but every little bit helps!).

Those guys and girls on MeFi that have diabetes, take my advice and look after yourself extremely well :D
posted by floanna at 4:33 PM on November 12, 2004