What would you do for a cure?

[rhad]

I would give alot of money just as others have said, but the truth is, medicine is not out to "cure" anyone of a disease, only to treat them. Unless the "cure" your talking about consists of taking a drug for the rest of your life, I don't think it will happen. "Cures" just don't make any money for the pharmaceutical companies. That's what their objective is, only to make a profit.

rhad

[irish eyes]

Rhad

I agree with your implication about conflict of interest. I'm wary of anyone who touts a product as a `cure’. Drug companies don’t look for causes and it could appear that they are all sustaining `disease' and forcing us into `servitude'.

The UK hasn't got same level of private insurance as the US - you have probably heard of the NHS. It’s current government policy to empower people to take charge of their own health & well being and to focus on the major health risk factors such as smoking, overeating, etc. Getting people to see these as lifestyle factors rather than ailments needing a `cure’ are certainly making a difference in some regions. However, I find it amusing that there seem to be more warnings about the dangers of using nutritional supplements than pharmacy drugs. The problems I encountered trying to obtain castor oil (to lubricate the eyelids) was bordering on the comic.

I have always preferred to be in control of my health, making every effort to modify my lifestyle to improve the condition of my eyes. Even if it hasn't made any discernible difference, I don't intend to stray away from this regimen but I would welcome something that might help me manage things a little better.

The verb to cure comes from Latin cura meaning care, concern or attention. Today, cures are easy to claim but more difficult to confirm.

[Tess]

Hi, everyone. I am new to this site but I would pay whatever it took to get relief from my sore, uncomfortable and light sensitive eyes,

tess

[smthcorona]

I would pay $20,000, possibly more if I did not have to live with severe dry eye. It affects all aspects of my life. I have frequently thought to myself that I would give up years of my life if they could be dry eye free!

[Emmsy555]

I'd plunk down my life savings to be cured - while at 25 this isn't a huge sum of $ (under $20 grand), it's all I have and I can't work due to constant pain. I'd gladly borrow/ take out a loan for nearly any amount to not be broken anymore. I can't put a price on my health, but hopefully a drug company/dr. will be able to someday, and then I'll find a way to pay for it somehow.

[dryeye4ever]

the 5k i have , I would give anything but my dry eye looks less serious then others. It can heal with time. I dont even have the motivation to eat anymore, dry eye is simply life screwing

[Jade]

I agree with rhad. A lot of things may have been cured if it weren't for big pharma.

[jads]

Really interesting question! At its worst there wasn't much I wouldn't have done to relieve the problem!

Re big pharma, if you look at the way the system is geared, the emphasis is on maximising profit while not really curing anyone. Sad but true.

Where drug companies are concerned, there is no money in cures, only symptom relievers. You can't patent natural treatments so the system is not set up to support such solutions. The majority of doctors don't know much outside of what is marketed to them by drug companies. And the government only hears what the lobbyists for big pharma are telling them and so it goes....

There's been an elephant in the room for a long, long time: lifestyle, good nutrition and hormone balance. All three of things, the pharmaceutical industry has very little control over, so while the elephant gets bigger and bigger, the industry is busy looking the other way.

[spmcc]

Re big pharma, if you look at the way the system is geared, the emphasis is on maximising profit while not really curing anyone. Sad but true.

Where drug companies are concerned, there is no money in cures, only symptom relievers. You can't patent natural treatments so the system is not set up to support such solutions. The majority of doctors don't know much outside what is marketed to them by drug companies. The government only hears what the lobbyists for big pharma are telling them and so it goes....

I also found this article from Newsweek May 14, 2010 interesting: http://www.thedailybeast.com/newswee...ing-cures.html

[hankm9]

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[blinky]

Every single penny I have, life savings, everything.

[mattt]

everything I have. Doesnt matter.