More About Elan's Old AN1792

Sorry to all those who feel upset about the old news I innocently reprinted in my previous blog. I had no idea it was such a sore subject.

Back when I worked for the Alzheimer's Association Elan's anti-amyloid drug trials were very exciting to me and everyone else in the industry. In fact, I gave talks about it and believed we were certainly on the way to victory in the fight against Alzheimer's Disease. I still do, in fact, and understand that Elan Pharmaceuticals is still one of the leaders in the pack.

I wrote about those old drug trials being halted in the context of this article about turmeric way back then because I wanted to let the people in my caregiving groups know that even though what seemed like the "great white hope" of coming drug therapy at that time was temporarily delayed, other avenues for helping themselves and their patients might be already available for those willing to do more than pop a few pills.

Of course, the research on alternatives to drug therapy is far from complete, the money to fund this research is hard to come by (there's not enough profit in it), and there are multiple factors that need to be explored. Drug therapy, to be perfectly honest, might be the most likely solution for the millions of people this disease is already affecting. But I believe, and many other people do as well, that healthier approaches to family living -- staving off isolation, feelings of worthlessness, and depression among other things -- as well as healthier eating and other habits could have a far greater impact on preventing and reversing the early stage impact of this disease than anything else.

That's part of my focus in this blog and in all the work I do. I certainly meant no harm to Elan or anyone else.