"Experts excited
by brain 'wonder-drug'," read the headline on the BBC website this
morning.
"MRC scientists discover two repurposed drugs that arrest neurodegeneration in mice" was the slightly more realistic description from the UK Medical Research Council.
I was excited when I
first heard about this potential breakthrough for both Alzheimer's and
Parkinson's from the Radio 4 Today programme at around 7 this morning. I rushed into the bedroom holding the radio so that Clara could
listen too before I left for work. Part of the reason for the headlines is that
one of the drugs, trazodone, is already licensed for use in humans."MRC scientists discover two repurposed drugs that arrest neurodegeneration in mice" was the slightly more realistic description from the UK Medical Research Council.
On reflection I decided to be cautious about such news. There are clinical trials to be done, the drugs may only have limited effect in humans, work only in special cases or not at all. Medical science is riddled with false starts.
Nevertheless, the more of these headlines I read the greater the chance that one of them will truly fulfil its promise. And then I certainly will be excited.
