Will there ever be a cure?

[joelcam]

Hi,

Just interested in who actually believes there will ever be a cure for diabetes?

Given the FACT that the money is not in the medication and not the cure I personally don't believe we will see one. Yes, things have greatly improved thanks to the good work being done on research and development but at what point will someone go "Oh great, this injection cures diabetes, so we will give it to everyone and never make any money again".....The money is in the medication not the cure and that's why personally I don't see a cure coming any time soon.

From my perspective it seems all of the companies competing against each other to sell us their products are focussed on designing things that make it easier to 'manage' diabetes....to be honest I'm happy with my meter and my insulin injections for now so how about just focussing on a cure for me please? I have no doubt that things will keep getting better in terms of 'managing' diabetes and maybe soon it'll just be a pill you take once a month or something (but then you know that pill would be some expensive pill even if it cost 1p to make) so yes I think things will get better as long as there is money to be made for someone but a cure? I think not....

JC

 

[shedges]

I think there will be a cure one day. Maybe not in our lifetime, but some time. The speed of advances being made in medicine and science are incredible and the more advanced we become, the quicker the developments are realised.

Diabetes isn't an unfathomable disease, it has set boundaries, and in my opinion that makes it easier to research.

Sam.

 

[Patch]

I really don't think anyone IS looking for a cure. Research is expensive. peoiple don't seem to realis ethat the only reason any of the big companies do any research is to enable them t0o sell a product at the end of it.

A cure would shut down companies and cost people their jobs.

Don't hold your breath for a cure.

 

[joelcam]

I agree with both of you in as much as do we have the capability / funds to find a cure in the future, absolutely yes. Will it ever happen though? Absolutely not....too much money in the medication..!

 

[jonesy]

i agree that the companies that produce insulin, insulin pens, lancets etc, don't want a cure, and i'm 100% sure that they are not the people trying to find one.

however, it's the government that has to pay out the millions and millions of pounds every year for this stuff, plus hospital time/treatment,so surely they would want to pile money into researching a cure through independant scientists/companies.

a cure would save the government millions and even billions in the long term.

jonesy

 

[shedges]

Agree with Jonesy. The government/NHS would love to never have to treat a diabetic ever again. And I believe there are enough passionate researchers in universities and labs around the world that will enable a cure to be found.

It's a nailed-on Nobel prize for the person who finds it, no?

 

[phoenix]

Cure for diabetes?
No, since it isn't one entity, but several conditions sharing hyperglycaemia as a symptom but with a variety of causes.

Cure for type 1a (autoimmune), quite possible. We have far more tools now and are gradually developing a better understanding of whats going on at a genetic and cellular level.
It is certainly not true to say that there is no research being done.
There are many research projects some aimed at regeneration of the beta cells, others at stopping the autoimmune attack. There are also some projects (including one in the UK) aimed at finding a vaccine to prevent the autoimmune attack in the first place.
In the UK, DUK is part funding lots of relevant research. I started to list the projects but there were too many, all looking at little bits of the jigsaw . Kings College has a whole group of related studies as does the University of Bristol where Prof. Susan Wong aims to develop a vaccine.

(list of DUK funded research, not just type 1, there is also a lot of work on Type 2 and when I checked the medical research council funded studies I found it was, at present mostly concerned with type 2)
http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Documents/Research/Research project directory/RPD_2010.pdf

The JDFR are involved in helping fund many projects worldwide. The link is to a general explanation of the fields of research.
http://www.jdrf.org/index.cfm?page_id=113244
and there are the Faustman trials into the use of the BCG vaccine, partially funded by the diabetes 'community
http://www.faustmanlab.org/

 

[Becca]

Even if there are worthy researchers doing work on cures for type I (we periodically hear scraps of information about encouraging results in this field) the pharmaceutical companies vested interests mean that it's unlikely to make it into the open market for a long long time. Remember these are the guys who stop selling insulin to Greece because the price would be too low, and would cause them to lose money - they don't have a humanitarian remit!

When I got diagnosed, my diabetic specialist GP (who is also a type I), said I was "really lucky" because a cure would "certainly" be found in my lifetime. I said pretty much what Joelcam said, and he accused me of being a conspiracy theorist! Even though that made me laugh and shut me up, I still think that I'm right. I'd love to believe that one day there'll be some once off injection to restart the pancreas, but in the meantime it's plough on with the daily stabs and dreams of creme eggs...

 

[catherinecherub]

Found this article, where the author gives his views on finding a cure,

http://diabetesnewshound.com/type1/diab ... difficult/

 

[noblehead]

Found this article, where the author gives his views on finding a cure,

http://diabetesnewshound.com/type1/diab ... difficult/

As ever, as we all know it all boils down to investment and stakeholders returns, certainly there is more money involved in treating the condition than finding a cure. Not sure though that easing regulatory restrictions is the way forward, although I accept it is a huge minefield, but personally I want to be sure that any drug/treatment I receive has been thoroughly researched and tested without any corners cut.

As to the OP question, yes I believe that a cure of sorts will be available, not sure if this will be in my lifetime, but fingers crossed it won't be too far away and we can finally rid this planet of this condition forever.

Nigel

 

[naillig]

I was told by my diabetes nurse, that even if there was a cure for diabetes , I would'nt, get it for a long time . As I had such good control. And anyway after all these years, how would you stop yourself doing those automatic things.

 

[joelcam]

naillig - crazy that you've been told you'd be last in line for a cure because your control is good....talk about rewarding bad behaviour. If they ever find a cure are we supposed to eat as many donuts as possible to qualify for it? Surely those that look after themselves and manage it well should be rewarded!!

 

[thewall]

Funny this discussion coming up now as I have recently been reading the following website which is a bit more US based was just trying to give an answer to that. This article and the document it links to gives more reading on this subject and while it isn't perfect or the best. It seems to me to be honest in its assessments although from my skeptical opinion it maybe a little bit optimistic but a good read none the less.

http://www.diatribe.us/issues/34/learning-curve.php

To be honest is is hard not to skeptical when all you used to hear was "the cure is 5/10 years away".

thewall

 

[LittleSue]

Don't forget the vast majority of diabetics don't have type 1. Type 2 has a different aetiology (cause/mechanism), so a cure for type 1 is unlikely to cure type 2s or reduce their need for medication etc.

 

[Pneu]

naillig - crazy that you've been told you'd be last in line for a cure because your control is good....talk about rewarding bad behaviour. If they ever find a cure are we supposed to eat as many donuts as possible to qualify for it? Surely those that look after themselves and manage it well should be rewarded!!

I have asked my consultant a number of times about a pump, he has always said that although he would happily put the case forward but that it would be a pointless exercise as my control is to good and it would be declined funding.

Although I haven't thought about eating donuts! (I don't much like sweet foods)... I have thought about ramming myself full or pasty's and going in with a few terrible HbA1c's to get the pump

 

[robertmiles]

I've found that the many announcements of cures for diabetes usually involve someone trying to be better at inventing a new definition for "cure" than he or she is at diabetes research.

Not necessarily the researcher; often it is someone trying to rewrite a research report in order to present it to the public instead.

I have found a few announcements of a possible cure that look like someone better at research than at describing it to the public, though. For example:

http://www.faustmanlab.org/

Clinical trials are planned, but it's unclear so far if any of the sites will be in the UK. Initially for type 1 only, but I've seen that some researchers think that type 2 has a sufficiently similar cause that trying it for type 2 could be useful.

 

[tigger]

I agree.

When I was diagnosed 28 years ago they said there'd be a cure in 10 years time. When my friends' brother was diagnosed 15 years later she told me they said there'd be a cure in 10 years time. Sounded like a platitutde by that point.

As people have said all the money in diabetes is in the management and much though the NHS would like to stop spending on it I don't think they have the funds to divert to a "cure" when no big business is interested as it will destroy their profits.

Such is life sadly.

 

[AlexxM]

Mod Edit post removed for offensive content.

This forum and is a supportive and informative place to help all diabetics regardless of type.

 

[Anonymous]

You will find that most type 2`s on here are doing far more than "trying" to eat right. I have to say I am beyond insulted by your post!

 

[lucylocket61]

I think AlexxM that you need to do some research and find the facts before blaming people for their Diabetes.