Article Source: msnbc.com
from:msnbc.comDiseased pets, especially dogs, are better predictors of the efficacy of new cancer drugs in people than mice, doctors say
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Who is going to pay for all this experimental cancer treatment that is supposed to be good for humanity? I love my pets, don`t get me wrong, and have spent a ton of money on their various health problems over the years....one is nearing the $15K mark even. However, cancer and serious organ failure is something altogether different than say knee or hip problems or even the autoimmune disorders that crop up but are treatable. Too, cancer generally happens in the older dogs who are nearing the end of their natural life span to start with. I had one that developed bone cancer and at her age (9) it just did not make sense to even contemplate amputation. She was a giant breed dog who had bad arthritis. With four good legs she had difficulty getting up and down by that age. No way could she do it with three. And even then would it have made sense to spend tens of thousands on her for a few months or even a year? I go back to the original question....who's going to be paying for all this?
I should note that I feel the same way about we humans (myself included). We are charged tens of thousands, hundreds even, for cancer treatment to get a few more months yet in most cases we are nothing more than on-going experimentation for the researchers. So why are we paying for it rather than being paid to be the guinea pigs? For the "good of humanity" should not bankrupt us.
There are plenty of cancer survivors that might disagree with you that have survived for years. All scientific and medical research combined take about 2% of the federal budget. It's not going to bankrupt anything.
Kelcy it states in the article this is paid for by grants, same as almost all university research...medical or otherwise.
Using the canines as a model, many breakthroughs in cancer research will have direct correlation to the MOA of cancer in humans. This helps researchers define new targets and develop new therapies at a fraction of the cost using human trial participants.
People are paid to be "guinea pigs" as you call it, trial participants are compensated. Once a product hits market, then the patient pays or it is reimbursed through insurance. Which brings up an interesting point, how much would someone be willing to pay to extend their life a few weeks, months? And should a third party pay even if the cost effectiveness has not been demonstrated? Furthermore, who defines the rules and sets the values? As you can see, there is no single answer, magic-bullet system that will cater to the needs of everyone.
If we could make our politicians half as good as my pet, our country would be twice as good. And I doubt I would take any of my leaders for treatment. But I would take my dog!!!! Woof
This isn't a new idea. Colorado State University's vet school and Duke University's med school have been collaborating, sharing information and doing research on cancer treatments for years. It is an excellent idea, just not a new one by any means.
Makes sense to me. If even a single dog in a drug trial has a longer survival time, or, if really lucky, is cured, it is wonderful for the dog and its owner. But increase the survival time of a lab mouse or rat and what have you really done? If I were offered the chance to put a sick pet of mine in a drug trial of any kind, I would take that chance, as long as it was understood that if the animal began suffering it would be put down. At least the death of the pet would have some meaning, and that would be some comfort.
This makes sense, already many of the same drugs used for human conditions are used for dogs. Treatment for diabetes, stomach issues (pepcid), pain, and yes even cancer.