The Downside to Canadian Health Care

 Health Care  2 Responses »
Dec 302011
 

Can it really be called a downside?

According to Joseph M. Connors, MD, Clinical Professor and Director of the BC Cancer Agency’s Centre for Lymphoid Cancer, Vancouver, British Columbia, in an article in the ASCO Post, the downside to Canadian health care is

We [the Canadian health care system] don’t get to give patients treatments unless they have proven benefit, so we have an entire system devoted to examining what evidence justifies which treatments…….

……….I [Dr. Conners] cannot give a drug without evidence-based proof that the drug has efficacy and works better than the less-costly alternatives in the particular disease I’m treating. So the drawback to a centralized system is that it constrains innovative behavior, is resistant to change, and is slow to introduce new approaches. The system waits for adequate evidence before moving ahead…….

Well, I’m not so sure I’d categorize that as a downside, and neither do I believe it constrains innovation.

Just because something is new, and may have shown efficacy in a petri dish, or even in a stage 1 trial, doesn’t necessarily mean it will be effective when given to humans. And let’s not forget about potential side effects of rushing treatments to market. You only have to look at drugs such as Thalidomide, and more recently Avastin, to recognize the flaw in that thinking.

And besides, isn’t that what clinical trials are for? Something else Canadians and Europeans have far greater access to than those in the US, that is unless you

have adequate coverage or can pay out of pocket

But then again, why would you invest in a costly clinical trial, with an uncertain outcome, if off label use is making you money?

I don’t know about everyone else, but if that’s the only downside to Canadian health care, I’m willing to take my chances!

Some interesting advancements in lymphoma research

 My MCL, Treatments  No Responses »
Dec 262011
 

I don’t usually post about all the latest advancements in lymphoma research, mostly because I don’t keep up with it so much anymore (it seem’s I got a little burned out doing so much of it early on), but also because there just hasn’t been anything I considered to be of note.

This year though, seems to be different. I’ve started doing a little more reading and investigating of some of the latest happenings in lymphoma/leukemia research, and while there still isn’t much I’m encouraged about (anything that is truly interesting is still in early development or clinical trials), there were three reports I thought worth mentioning.

The first one was a phase 3 trial, showing that Maintenance Rituximab to be no better than Rituximab administered upon disease progression. While this may not seem so earth shattering to some, I think any research proving less is better, i.e. reducing the number and frequency of treatments, can only be beneficial, and lead to a better quality of life. (You might want to show this one to your hematologist, in case they haven’t seen it yet.)

A second study, just finishing stage 2 trials, suggests Obinutuzumab is better than Rituxan.

One of my biggest complaints about a lot of research conducted by the pharmaceutical industry is instead of trying to develop any new breakthrough drugs, they focus their attention more on already existing, effective and of course profitable drugs, so when their patents run out they can still retain their profitability.

Obinutuzumab, a glycoengineered, humanized anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, is designed with exactly that in mind. It’s designed to replace Rituxan, a chimeric (mouse and human) anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, and already proven to be very efficacious.

Still, anything that has the potential to be better than Rituxan, already considered a wonder drug, has to be encouraging.

The final study, and one that hits much closer to home, are from the results of a Phase 2 study showing great promise for a lymphoma vaccine. I could elaborate some on this article, but I think the link provided does a better job of explaining the results than I could ever do.

Yes, I know it’s only through Stage 2 trials, and the completion of a Phase 3 trial could be quite a few years down the road, I’m still encouraged by the results. I’ve always thought the application of a vaccine to treat cancer had the greatest promise for producing a cure with the least amount of adverse side effects.

Happy reading!

Every year it’s the same

 My MCL  2 Responses »
Dec 202011
 

Every time winter rolls around, I get into these funks. I have little or no energy.  All I want to do is either stay in bed, or just lay around doing nothing. Every ache and pain is magnified, and it’s all I can do to muster up enough energy to drag myself out of bed and do something.

Even the thought of blogging about politics, health care issues or the problems of others can’t get me excited.

And every year I wonder whether this time is different. I wonder whether it’s my MCL that is making me feel more run down, rather than the time of year.

For the last 9 years it’s always turned out to be just this time of year making me feel more run down. But what if this time is different? What if it’s not just the shorter days and colder temperatures?

How do [will] I know?

 Posted by at 6:46 am

If I weren’t one of the unluckiest people

 Life, My MCL, Philosophy  No Responses »
Dec 122011
 

I was talking to someone I’ve known for a number of years recently, and he happened to mention he only had $45 in the bank. At first I didn’t believe him, but he was adamant. He’s married, with one kid, and earning what I believe to be a half way decent wage, and he only has $45 in the bank?? How can that be? Sure I know there are likely many in that situation, but I felt a lot better when I thought I didn’t know anyone in that position.

Couple that with just learning another friend is experiencing a reemergence of his lymphoma (he was initially diagnosed after me), and is starting treatment again today, things don’t seem to be boding well for the new year.

Of course that got me thinking. [Something I really need to stop doing.] How is it I have been so fortunate in life, where so many others have not? How have I been able to dodge so many bullets put in my path? Even a diagnosis with a very aggressive variant of lymphoma hasn’t been as devastating [yet], has it has been for many others. And I have a few other friends who have health issues that seem a lot more disconcerting than an enlarged spleen and some fatigue. And I won’t even to go into everything Edie has had to endure.

Now some may argue it’s just been a matter of good planning, and that is certainly open for debate, but considering everything going on around me and in the world, I can’t help but think, lots of people plan, and it doesn’t always work out. I think there a saying about “the best laid plans…….”

In the end, I believe it’s simply the luck of the draw, which reminds me of another saying someone once told me

I’d rather be lucky than good any day!

I think that pretty well sums things up for me!

To smartphone or not to smartphone?

 Life, Philosophy, Politics  6 Responses »
Dec 022011
 

Two years ago, when I got my DroidX, I was all excited. The thought of being able to log on to the internet where ever I was, having access to GPS, my Kindle books, a camera etc. all in one convenient, compact device, seemed like a good idea, maybe even necessary and important.

But now I’m not so sure.

When I think about it, is it really worth $30 per month ($60 if you add in my wife’s Droid), to have access to the internet everywhere, especially when you consider I’m already spending $40/month for wifi access at home? I hardly ever use it, except when I am at home, and I’m too lazy to go get my laptop to check whatever it is I feel is so necessary to check. And why do I need a Kindle or camera on the phone, neither of which is a good substitute for the real thing? The GPS may be about the only thing that is a good idea, but is it worth $30/month, considering how little I use it?

We have become slaves to technology. We’ve been brain washed into thinking we need to stay connected every hour of every day. Some of us would rather spend hours in front of our computers discussing whatever, with strangers around the country and the world, who we’ve never met [GETTING FAT!], while others sit in front of the TV [GETTING FAT!] being bombarded with reality shows and political diatribes, designed to distort and confuse reality, and hide what is actually happening in our own backyards.

We use technology as baby sitters for our kids [who are GETTING FAT], when their time would be better spent outside playing a pick up game of baseball or basketball, or simply engaging their friends in conversation face to face, instead of texting on their smartphones.

I’m sure some people may find it useful, mostly salesmen and the like, but for me, and the vast majority of other people, it’s just plain stupid, not to mention non productive and a waste of money, and I think it’s time I got rid of my smart phone.

There’s no reason why a good old fashion [cell] phone can’t suffice for most of us. I think it’s time we started communicating more face to face, like we use to, instead of hiding behind our computers and smart phones. We certainly were a lot more civil to each other when we did.

Plus I can think of a lot better uses for that $30/month ($60 if I can convince Edie of the same), like a good bottle of wine.

When I was young

 Life, Philosophy  2 Responses »
Nov 302011
 

That was the title of a song written, and performed by Eric Burdon and the Animals back in 1967, which I thought was worth sharing. I can’t really say that I remembered it, but that doesn’t change the fact the words sure seem so much more appropriate, and poignant now [that I'm older].

Enjoy, and pay particular attention to the last verse.

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