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I feel like I've been reading this exact same article for the last 15 years.. I find it very difficulty to parse what is real and what is vaporware in the medic
by timenotwasted 11mo ago
I feel like I've been reading this exact same article for the last 15 years.. I find it very difficulty to parse what is real and what is vaporware in the medical breakthroughs community.
- lloydatkinson 11mo ago- HIV/AIDs - Cancer - Tooth regrowth It feels like it won’t ever be done for some reason
- foxandmouse 11mo ago+ Male birth control + Alzheimer’s cure + Hair regrowth
- paulpauper 11mo agoCancer immunotherapy . Only works in a handful of cases
- scottlamb 11mo ago+ weight loss pills ...they were persistent vaporware or scams, then suddenly they were real and everywhere. Hopefully that happens for the others too?
- fallat 11mo agoHave we solved anything? /s
- palmotea 11mo ago> + weight loss pills They've had those for decades. It's called meth.
- doubled112 11mo agoCoffee and cigarettes for a safer but less effective solution.
- nkmnz 11mo agoCigarettes are no way safer than small doses of amphetamines. Check where the name "Ritalin" came from!
- ajoseps 11mo agoi thought the first two have had huge improvements in the last decade?
- ashleyn 11mo agoHIV prevention has been reduced to a twice a year shot given mainly to MSM. It's pretty damn close to the original goal of a vaccine.
- trenchpilgrim 11mo agoHIV has become a manageable disease in my lifetime. The main issue today is access to medication as I understand it.
- toomuchtodo 11mo agoThe first widespread cure for HIV could be in children - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44765981 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44765981 - August 2025 One-and-done HIV protection in infants - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44736988 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44736988 - July 2025 (First author of the paper even commented here at the time: "labanimalster - First author here. We solved a 30-year problem in gene therapy by leveraging neonatal immune tolerance. A single AAV vector injection encoding HIV antibodies achieved 89% success in newborns vs 33% in 2-year-olds, with protection lasting through adolescence. This could transform HIV prevention in regions where maintaining regular medical care is challenging. Happy to answer questions about the science or implications.") US FDA approves Gilead's twice-yearly injection [lenacapavir] for HIV prevention - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44312729 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44312729 - June 2025
- agumonkey 11mo agoit might be slow exponential thing, 60 years of low to medium improvements in cancer, and hopefully suddenly a few big cracks to turn it into a chronic liveable condition (or maybe cure it). there are more articles about advanced tumors being shrunk to nothing than before (based on my personal monitoring)
- tootie 11mo agoWhile a cure remains elusive, HIV treatment is now extremely effective. Antiretroviral shots can keep people symptom free indefinitely. Cancer treatment varies by type of cancer but many have dramatically improved outcomes.
- toyg 11mo ago- hair regrowth
- f4uCL9dNSnQm 11mo agoI find it interesting that we are closer to regrowing teeth than hair. At least there was human clinical test for TRG-035. Is it just cause hair transplant is "good enough" stopgap solution?
- toyg 11mo agoI think it's more that fixing teeth is largely about replicating a specific material with one-off procedures, whereas fixing hair is all about controlling a complex never-ending process that is linked to all sorts of factors. Also, everyone has teeth issues, whereas hair issues are mostly limited to a subsection of the population (older males, and not even all of them).
- sumedh 11mo ago> subsection of the population (older males, and not even all of them) Those men will pay lot of money to get back their hair though. If I not mistaken it was Bill Gates who said more money is spent in hair regrowth research compared to vaccine to prevent diseases like malaria which kills thousand of people.
- EvanAnderson 11mo agoTooth regrowth is something I was really hoping for. I abused one of my molars. After years of efforts (repeated fillings, a crown) to stave off losing the tooth it finally had to come out last month. Now I'm waiting for the bone graft to "take" before getting an implant. I was hoping I'd waited long enough for tooth regrowth to become "a thing" but I have not. (Should have taken better care of it when I was younger and not ignored the massive hole that was growing in it. Chalk it up to a bad dental experience as a child and 25+ years of avoiding dentists as a result...)
- dijit 11mo agoIn the same boat as you, maybe less years behind you than I’d like to believe. Just in case you need someone to, y’know, empathise with you. I have a lot of people in my life who don’t understand why I don’t just go to the dentist
- EvanAnderson 11mo agoThe anxiety about having actual problems with my tooth eventually overrode the anxiety about going to the dentist and I started going regularly (after a pause of 26 years). I'm pleased that I found a good dentist and I've been able to overcome my anxiety. I recognize that I'm lucky in this regard. I was also lucky in that, aside from this one problem tooth, my oral care regimen in my 26 years of not having regular dental care were sufficient to prevent any further issues. I expected to come out of that first checkup with massive problems (even though I'd never had any pain or issues) and I was pleasantly surprised. All in all I think I'm very lucky. I tried to take care of my teeth on my own, and largely succeeded, but I do wish I'd taken care of this one problem tooth before it was too late.
- flyinglizard 11mo agoI was reading your comment just as I was sat in the dentist office paying for my partner’s kid long due treatment. She was afraid of dentists and neglected treatment for too long but I took her to the same superb (and expensive) dentist I use for my own kids and she was happy and had everything done. Your comment reminded me why I do it. Thank you.
- stefs 11mo agoHIV/Aids have made huge progress and so did cancer. Also "cancer" isn't a single disease, they're quite different.
- alphager 11mo agoCancers have had extremely effective new treatments developed for in the last ten years. Depending on the type of cancer, we now have cures or treatments that stave off death for years. My wife has a rare type of cancer with not much research thrown at it, and even her type of cancer went from a median time of survival measured in months to several years.
- throwaway2037 11mo agoI am confused by this comment about HIV/AIDS. Is it cynical? Are you confused why we have not "cured" HIV? I grew up during the AIDS Crisis. It was awful. People were dropping like flies. Today, you can be "technically" HIV positive, but test negative, give birth to HIV-negative children, and have unprotected sex (and not infect your partner). As far as I am concerned, the battle has been won. It is a miracle in my eyes.
- Taek 11mo agoHIV meds have a slew unpleasant but tolerable (certainly far superior to HIV itself) side effects, imo the battle isn't "won" until the treatment is entirely inconsequential. That said, the progress has indeed been miraculous. A great example of the capabilities modern medicine.
- inglor_cz 11mo agoCompared to the 1980s, HIV is a chronic manageable disease that does not even reduce your quality of life. Plenty of cancers have become manageable with the advent of immunological treatments. Tooth regrowth seems to be the most complicated of those three, which isn't even surprising, given that it is basically organ regeneration.
- richwater 11mo agoWait until you read that the scientific evidence for flossing doesn't really confirm the promised benefits.
- simonswords82 11mo agoWhere? Source please?
- muratsu 11mo agoWait what? Please share
- loosescrews 11mo agoAny chance you would be willing to summarize the research or provide information on some relevant studies? I've always been skeptical about flossing and would like to learn more.
- abdullahkhalids 11mo agoThe wikipedia article [1] suggests that there is no strong evidence for flossing being a good thing. However, that might just be because experts have not updated the article. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_floss#Efficacy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_floss#Efficacy
- lakhim 11mo agoenjoy https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD012018.pub2/full https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD...
- derbOac 11mo agoMeta-analysis suggests flossing doesn't affect tooth decay. But it does seem to prevent gum disease.
- Defletter 11mo agotbf, it does require a technique otherwise you risk just pushing plaque underneath your gums
- EvanAnderson 11mo agoSame feeling here. Dental seems particularly fraught (though maybe I just pay more attention to it out of interest). I know the cycle time between press releases/hype and actual application can be the better part of a decade, so I assume that's coloring my perception too. re: dental in particular - It seems like enamel regeneration and stem-cell-based tooth replacement have both been in the news year-after-year without applications actually coming to market.
- matthewfcarlson 11mo agoEveryone knows that teeth are luxury bones in the US. The market just isn't there for fancy treatments. The ultra-wealthy just get their teeth replaced with perfect veneers anyway.
- iamacyborg 11mo ago> The ultra-wealthy just get their teeth replaced with perfect veneers anyway. Na, that’s the working class turkey teeth crowd.
- thaumasiotes 11mo ago> stem-cell-based tooth replacement Really? This sounds more like someone's plan to get grants to research stem cells than someone's plan to repair (or replace) teeth. We already have a natural ability to grow new teeth that replace existing ones. Everybody does it... once. Where's the research into getting it to happen again?
- gus_massa 11mo agoTheet formation is a very early procces, even before the baby is born. > Primary (baby) teeth start to form between the sixth and eighth week of prenatal development, and permanent teeth begin to form in the twentieth week. So it's probably too late for you.
- cluckindan 11mo ago
- elicash 11mo agoWhile I 100% agree with what you wrote, I'd just add that it does seem in my own dental visits over my lifetime that there have been real advancements, too. But yes, I agree, hard for non-expert to parse.
- 0_____0 11mo agoSeeing SLA 3D printers at my dentist's office was pretty cool. Apparently they use them for a variety of fixturing and jigs, and have a workflow that includes a handheld scanning unit that SLAMs to generate a solid model of the patient's teeth.
- limaoscarjuliet 11mo agoI have 4 crowns, 2 done using moulds, 2 using the 3d scanner. Same doc, same office. The moulded ones were ok with some adjustments, but the 3d scanned ones were perfect since day 1. I'm happy with the progress in dentistry.
- throwaway2037 11mo ago> there have been real advancements Can you share some specifics?
- socalgal2 11mo agoI'm surprised how many low-hanging fruit issues are still not solved. So many dentists use cold or tap water for their rinse sprayer despite the fact that many people have temperature sensitivity issues with their teeth. Having lukewarm water would be trivial but I've yet to go to an American dentist that does it.
- CGMthrowaway 11mo agoA similar approach was reported in 2019,[1] but that produced thinner coatings, and the recovery of the architecture of inner layers of enamel was only partial. [1]https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aaw9569 https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aaw9569
- paulpauper 11mo agoyup here is one from 2007 https://www.technologyreview.com/2007/02/22/272845/regrowing-teeth/ https://www.technologyreview.com/2007/02/22/272845/regrowing... As it turns out, this is really hard to do. There are a lot required of teeth: they have to be extremely durable to resist repeated strain of chewing ,stay in the gums, not be rejected by body, etc. It's little surprise progress has been so slow.
- PaulKeeble 11mo agoJust 7% of studies that do a preliminary study on humans actually get through phase 3 and get approved for use. This is before even the preliminary point, its a tooth (or even a tooth analogue) in a petri dish. No idea if the material will be safe in a human mouth yet. There is a lot of hyping of results in medicine papers in general but its not really their fault. The entire academic world is being forced to publish or die as governments look to measure results from the science they instead get what is measured and everyone has to embellish the importance of what they found and always find positive results.
- palmotea 11mo ago> The entire academic world is being forced to publish or die as governments look to measure results from the science they instead get what is measured and everyone has to embellish the importance of what they found and always find positive results. It sounds like they're running it like a business.
- dlcarrier 11mo agoOver time, any large business trends to increase in bloat and inefficiency, and focusing on inappropriate metrics is a big part of that. This eventually leads to competitors taking over and those business failing, which usually results in people losing their jobs. When governments get equally incapable, and competitors take over, it tends to be a lot more violent.
- palmotea 11mo ago> This eventually leads to competitors taking over and those business failing It's important to note that "eventually" usually takes so long that it might as well be forever.
- autoexec 11mo ago> This eventually leads to competitors taking over and those business failing If only that fairytale were true. In the real world bloated inefficient companies bribe government, install themselves into government agencies directly (regulatory capture), and hire lobbyists to write laws which protect them from pesky upstarts through unchecked anti-competitive practices and anti-consumer regulation allowing them to stay wealthy and in power forever while killing off innovation and progress.
- kangs 11mo agoor, solid state batteries, graphene, fusion, quantum computers, agi =)
- curiouscats 11mo agoEnamelon Toothpaste from the 1990s: https://www.ebay.com/itm/127083185095 https://www.ebay.com/itm/127083185095 "proven to strengthen tooth enamel" I remember researching the stock and deciding not to buy. Patents from the 1990s https://patents.justia.com/assignee/enamelon-inc https://patents.justia.com/assignee/enamelon-inc It seems the company is still around https://www.enamelon.com https://www.enamelon.com
- omlet 11mo agoDid you tried :D ?
- throwaway2037 11mo agoWhat about "Sensodyne Pronamel"? There is usually someone in the comments raving about its effects.
- robinson7d 11mo agoI think usually they rave about Novamin, which, at least in Canada, isn’t in the Pronamel line IIRC but in other Sensodyne branded toothpastes. _EDIT: “repair and protect”_
- opello 11mo agoThis was a good comment thread on which brands or markets had what with regard to hydroxyapatite: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36564190 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36564190
- mikaraento 11mo agoI can be that someone this time. The ”repair and protect” version has helped my low-level toothache.
- archon810 11mo agoI've actually been occasionally using Enamelon because it was recommended by my dentist for sensitivity and I think it actually works. I'm going to try Boka as recommended above though, it seems like a more updated and modern solution.
- kjkjadksj 11mo agoIt is probably tough getting investment because this is ultimately cosmetic and not something covered by most dental insurance. Existing repair is probably good enough and I’d expect cheaper too.
- caycep 11mo agoI would say, maybe look at medical studies from the opposite end, epidemiological studies look at factors that reduce mortality/morbidity. Granted, it's less flashy, basically vaccines, alcohol/tobacco reduction, increase in active lifestyle, statins/ace inhibitors, monoclonals/oncology fanciness. although someone who actually is an MPH can probably correct me. on the neuroscience side, off the top of my head, the most impactful things have been better anticoagulants and preventive care for stroke, monoclonal abs for autoimmune diseases like MS/myasthenia, , certain stereotactic brain surgeries, and such. But considering what ails most people, the overall population effect probably is minuscule compared to say better crash safety in automobiles.
- mdtancsa 11mo agoexact same reaction. I remember hearing about "regrowing teeth through sound waves"... in 2006. https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/dentist-engineer-team-up-to-regrow-teeth-1.590190 https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/dentist-engineer-team-up-to-... Can't say I have heard it offered anywhere yet....
- baxtr 11mo agoThis might be the dental equivalent of the "Groundbreaking New Battery Tech" type of article.
- wnevets 11mo ago> I feel like I've been reading this exact same article for the last 15 years. I was about to comment the same thing, I feel like I've been seeing this talked about since the 90s
- hattmall 11mo agoART with HVGIC has basically solved dental caries since the 80s. But you aren't likely to get it in the US or most western nations because there is a massive industry around drilling and filling with resins and then solving the multitude of problems that such a destructive process creates. Crowns, root canal, periodontal disease etc. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0300571223002154 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S03005...
- ikekkdcjkfke 11mo agoAlso the aspect of shooting in neuro toxins close to the brain when doing these procedures
- potamic 11mo agoIsn't ART also destructive? Just that it's done with hand instruments instead of a drill
- bilsbie 11mo agoI think 30-40 years at this point. Same thing with regrowing teeth.
- thefounder 11mo ago>> I feel like I've been reading this exact same article for the last 15 years.. You must be new
- randomtoast 11mo agoA better approach is to monitor FDA updates. When an FDA trial shows positive results for a new treatment and approval for public use appears imminent, that would qualify as news in that regard.
- karmakaze 11mo agoI was expecting to see something along this storyline[0] which seems believable though not palatable. [0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44922571 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44922571