2 ms·
Public institutions wouldn't necessarily find a druggable small molecule, but every last step up until that point is almost assuredly being funded by the public
by jszymborski 11y ago
Public institutions wouldn't necessarily find a druggable small molecule, but every last step up until that point is almost assuredly being funded by the public. That'd include verifying that diets rich in garlic or what have you have an affect on overall survival.
My point still stands, private funding is not the bottle-neck. If garlic or low glycemic index diets actually made a difference in overall survival, it would mostly likely be discovered in a publicly funded institution. A private institution would then jump on the opportunity to "discover" and develop a small molecule that is suitable for drugging and IP'ing based on the findings of the public lab.
- chii 11y agoWhat if the effects are not based on one active compound, but on a complex mix which could be rather chaotic, but an experienced practitioner could devise a treatment, but a drug company can't easily pinpoint a one size fits all formulae?
- jszymborski 11y agoIt's inconceivable that an "experience practitioner" can devise a treatment a drug company can't manufacture, but you are correct that the economics of personlised medicines aren't financially viable for drug companies. I don't think there is a simple solution for that, but I can tell you is that these economics still won't prevent the discovery of such treatments. Some initial proof of this is the fact that the scientific community has embraced the concept that cancer is extremely heterogenous and will require a unique treatment for each individual patient (which has generated the "personalised medicine" buzzword).