Posted by dave40252 on February 2, 2002, at 12:14:51
In reply to Re: Reason For Release of New Drugs, posted by OldSchool on January 31, 2002, at 19:19:29
What a crock! I have been prescribed seven different ADs in the last couuple of years. MSome are effective for me - some are not. Trouble is that all those that have been effective have had unacceptable side effects too - I am currently on Celexa and it is the best for me so far in terms of effectivness and side effect profile. Still I have sexual side effects from it - bad ewnough that i often wan to tstop taking it. If i could get something that works as well without the side effects i would be one happy camper. I bet there are a lot of others like me. Saying that they shouldnt bother with this because it is "good enough" is silly. Yes they should work on novel approaches. But why shouldnt thet also make something we already have better?
> > The development of the new Celexa is meant to be an improvement in its effectiveness - it's meant to have fewer side-effects. Most of the side-effects experienced comes from the ineffective isomer of Celexa. Take that away & you'll still get the same response as you did to the old Celexa but without as many troubling side-effects.
> >
> > There are teams of earnest young scientists working together to come up with new ADs but drugs can only be chemically engineered & carefully tailored for each specific need as more is learned about how our body's many functions interact. That's why one class is called "Selective" serotonin reuptake inhibitors. There's many sites throughout the body where serotonin has its effects, these try to target slective sites. If drugs could be even more tailored to just fit the ones that need to be targeted - result is more effective meds with fewer side-effects.
> >
> > Drug engineering is really only in its infancy. We're only at the "leeches & blood-letting" stage, so to speak, but at this point in time, it's the best we've got. Would it be more cruel to hold back simply because we haven't progressed enough? Or to provide treatment such as we have now?
> >
> > (Not to say I don't think pharmaceutical firms don't push their products forcefully on the market - but that's another story.)
>
> A "new and improved" Celexa is silly. Celexa already has a reputation as being one of the antidepressants with the fewest side effects. In fact thats one of the reasons Celexa was originally marketed. Its marketed as the "SSRI with the favorable side effect profile." We dont need a new and improved Celexa.
>
> The amount of money spent on developing this new and improved Celexa could have been spent on something else...something better than a new SSRI. The real reason this new and improved Celexa is being developed is one reason. Money. $$$$$$ Its so the company that sells Celexa can continue to make a big profit on it. Thats all. Seems like someone on here mentioned that the current Celexa patent is about to run out. Thus the financial incentive to develop this "new and improved" Celexa. Give me a break.
>
> SSRIs are big money and drug companies love them because these drugs are very safe. Nobody seems to want to develop better drugs or drugs oriented for treatment resistant depressives. Just plug along doing the same old crap. SSRIs and serotonin drugs. Yawn. SSRIs do not work for 20% to 30% of those who take them.
>
> I also do not believe this new Celexa will be more effective than the original Celexa. It probably has a better side effect profile, but more effective? I SERIOUSLY doubt it!
>
> I have one word to describe this "new and improved" Celexa. Bullshit.
>
> Old School
poster:dave40252
thread:91928
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020131/msgs/92607.html