Thu Sep 22, 2005 11:15 am   Reply with quote      

Apparently, number of new cancer drugs are coming to the market, but is the discovery of new drug so important? Isn't cancer prevention more important like eating well and exercising?

Thu Sep 22, 2005 11:20 am   Reply with quote      

Prevention needs to be emphasized more than it is today. That's for sure.

Thu Sep 22, 2005 2:30 pm   Reply with quote      

Obviously cancer prevention is important, but a cure is too. Eating well and exercising won't necessarily protect you from getting cancer.

Aaron

Thu Sep 22, 2005 8:34 pm   Reply with quote      

I suppose that there is a lot more we can do to prevent cancer. Also I am a little concerned that there is too much emphasis on the development of drugs. Many drugs are so similar, and they don't seem to be able to make significant improvement in treatment. With all the money spent, I feel like we can do better. I feel like there is misallocation of capital.

Thu Sep 22, 2005 8:41 pm   Reply with quote      

Hmmm... I don't know the sums of cash involved but I assume they are vast, and so maybe you're right. I do think it's right that there's a two-pronged approach to tackle the problem, though, because afterall you can still get cancer no matter how well educated you are about the steps you can take to minimise your chances of getting it.

Aaron

Thu Sep 22, 2005 8:46 pm   Reply with quote      

Diet is important. Exercising is important. I also think that certain products need to be regulated. Consideration to the environment is critical. There are a lot of things that contribute to today's cancer epidemic.

Thu Sep 22, 2005 8:49 pm   Reply with quote      

Sure, those things are important. But a good diet and plenty of exercise won't protect you entirely... in fact, far from it.

Also, unfortunately certain environmental issues are out of our control.

Aaron

Thu Sep 22, 2005 9:00 pm   Reply with quote      

Slightly-off-topic:

I was just listening to Philip K. Dick's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?", and that was basically the view he presented in the novel.

Thu Sep 22, 2005 9:03 pm   Reply with quote      

You could argue that they are within our control because we elect governments, but we only elect governments for the countries in which we live... and the enivronmental implications brought on by other countries further afield can still effect us all.

Aaron