Posted by SLS on March 15, 2014, at 13:44:11
In reply to Re: NIMH funding - a new paradigm. » SLS, posted by Phillipa on March 14, 2014, at 22:16:55
> Scott so what are your thoughts on this? Phillipa
My initial reaction was one of resistance to the idea. However, I think it makes a great deal of sense. The pharmaceutical companies are fully capable of funding their own research into producing effective drugs. I think that there could be more oversight of their studies, though. The proposed change will affect only those studies that are to be funded by the NIH. The requirement that the design of an investigation of a drug includes the elucidation of its mechanisms of action and the pathology that produces the disorder being studied is important if we are to advance our understanding of mental illness.
When I was a research patient at the NIH clinical center, they had me try idazoxan, an experimental compound known to act somewhat like Remeron. It was a NE alpha-2 antagonist. Part of the deal was that, in order to receive this medication, I had to submit myself to a weekly battery of blood and urine tests. I also agreed to have cerebrospinal fluid collected via lumbar puncture (spinal-tap). However, the most salient observations were made during PET scans of how my brain reacted to idazoxan. Of course, they wanted clinical data to see if it would work for me. It actually made me worse. This study would be eligible for funding under the new criteria. They used idazoxan as a probe into the workings of the brain. A simple clinical trial focused on symptomatology only would not be eligible.
- ScottSome see things as they are and ask why.
I dream of things that never were and ask why not.- George Bernard Shaw
poster:SLS
thread:1062519
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20140307/msgs/1062550.html