How the DNA sequence of a rare bird can give us hope

Submitted by Dr. Brian Durie on Thu, 03/08/2018 - 13:30

Budget cuts to programs aimed at protecting people from toxic exposure, investigating climate change, and accelerating scientific discoveries continue to raise concerns. Fortunately, there are also some amazing scientific developments on the horizon that should make us all hopeful. But first, the bad news, because it’s important to keep on top of issues that impact our lives.

What Myeloma Patients Should Put in Their Grocery Baskets in 2018

Submitted by Dr. Brian Durie on Fri, 02/23/2018 - 04:07

Food is very much in the news this week. Friend and colleague Prof. Heinz Ludwig (International Myeloma Working Group and IMF Board of Directors member), called my attention to two food news reports: a review linking a higher fish intake to a lower risk of cancer, and a meta-analysis of five studies showing a consistent connection between higher fish consumption and a lower likelihood of myeloma. The latter analysis captured data from North America, Europe, and Asia demonstrating a similar trend, which lends credibility to the findings.

As Federally Funded Medical Research Decreases in the US, Chinese Biotech Surges 500 Percent

Submitted by Dr. Brian Durie on Fri, 02/16/2018 - 05:35

A recent publication by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) emphasized the traditional key role of US investment in cancer research. However, they also noted both a 75-percent drop in the number of fully-funded National Institutes of Health (NIH) studies presented at the ASCO Annual Meetings from 2008 to 2017, and a serious drop in the number of new NIH proposals funded—from 27 percent in 2001 to just 12 percent in 2015.

Drug price disruption: Will the new Amazon deal have an impact?

Submitted by Dr. Brian Durie on Thu, 02/01/2018 - 23:01

A recent analysis by reporter Erin Mershon in STAT  offers five reasons why it is so very difficult to make drugs more affordable, despite President Trump’s repeated vow to lower prices. The five factors are:

What are the prospects for early diagnosis, CRISPR gene-editing, and CAR T-cell therapies in myeloma?

Submitted by Dr. Brian Durie on Fri, 01/26/2018 - 22:00

What does the new cancer research mean for patients? IMF Chairman Dr. Brian G.M. Durie sees a fresh take on MGUS, the curative potential of cloning, and questions on the value of early diagnosis.

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