According to media headlines, a recent study apparently found that cancers are mainly caused by “bad luck.” But are the headlines accurate? And if so, do we just cross our fingers and hope for the best? Continue reading "Not Just Bad Luck"
Monthly Archives: January 2015
The Drug Discovery Process
It takes talent, dedication, lots of time, and a sizable investment to bring a safe and effective drug to market. The Drug Discovery Process YouTube video, compliments of PhRMAPress, introduces the long and arduous drug process from the identification of a compound in the lab, though clinical trials and the FDA approval process. It may sound simple, but this process may take up to 1,000 people, 12-15 years and up to 1.3 to 1.6 billion dollars to put a new drug in the hands of the patient.
Consider this process when following the progress of hepatitis B drugs on the Hepatitis B Foundation Drug Watch page. Compounds could remain in various stages for years. Note that the “preclinical” phase represents the drugs that are still in the lab and not yet ready for human clinical trials.
The Hepatitis B Foundation also maintains a webpage with the latest hepatitis B related clinical trials. Contact information is provided for each trial for those wishing to volunteer to participate. Volunteers must meet the criteria for participation in a trial.
The future looks bright for a functional cure for hepatitis B. It may take a few more years to get the drug into the hands of the patient, but each step of the process is crucial in order to produce a drug that is both effective and safe.
HBV Journal Review – January 2015
HBF is pleased to connect our blog readers to Christine Kukka’s monthly HBV Journal Review that she writes for the HBV Advocate. The journal presents the
latest in hepatitis B research, treatment, and prevention from recent academic and medical journals. This month, the following topics are explored:
- Having Hepatitis B and a Family Member with Cancer Raises Cancer Risk Dramatically
- VA Tests Only 21.8% of Its Patients for Hepatitis B, Missing Many at Risk of Infection
- Research Shows Importance of HBV Screening Before Chemotherapy Begins
- Younger Age and Low HBsAgLevels Benefit Patients Who Stop Antivirals
- Doctors Debate Benefits of Interferon vs. Antiviral Treatment
- New Study Finds Fibroscan Accuracy on Par with Liver Biopsies
- Mild Kidney Problems and Bone Loss Linked to Antivirals
- Hepatitis B Vaccine Effectiveness Challenged
Continue reading "HBV Journal Review – January 2015"