Precisely what I have been writing all over for the past three years, to news papers and in recent times several widely followed podcasts on covid and medicines. It all started three years ago, when based on chemical structures and my only perspective as an organic chemist ( long retired, industry, non drugs, PhD) I proposed that not just anti histamines, but over a thousand drugs in use today could be anti viral (additionally). I requested researchers to check atleast in vitro performance for a few dozens of them. Then came the thought, with the knowledge of a few established examples, that many common drugs could have multiple indication potentials, for sets of diseases that don’t seem immediately related even. Diseases could be sharing common pathways and drugs could be sharing atleast part metabolisms and where these two cross, the multiple potential emerges. I began emphasising in my comments that this is the only way that cheap, affordable, effective, safe, easily accessible medicines can be made available to half the world that is deprived on these counts. This half the world cannot be left to the mercy of big Pharma. When I heard stories of Ivermectin and Fenbendazole curing even terminal cancers, I felt thoroughly vindicated. In recent times, in my comments, I have been raising calls for an international research programme “ Ivermectin for the World” that would unlock the huge hidden multi potential of this golden drug for almost pittance of a cost to half the world deprived of good, affordable medicines. Mr. Rees, since you are widely followed, connected and resources, please work to raise this programme. I have no means or position for this job, being just one among the 7 plus billions of this world. Thank you.
Thanks for the insightful comment :)! The way back is to put physicians and other healthcare professionals back in charge. Honest one’s, not those seduced by the pharmaceutical industry - that needs re-education in medical schools and other seats of learning in applied science and engineering
You are right about running situations like this pandemic, who should be handling it. But your podcast ( title) is about a long term, population scale issue. Finding safer, cheap and effective drugs for expensive, long term, life crippling diseases like cancer, some autoimmune ones. This is where the doctors, including specialists are in the tight grip of big Pharma. They cannot get beyond expensive, patented and often ineffective drugs and care. They must get to know that options like Ivermectin and Fenbendazole exist. They must read, explore dedicated social media more for such knowledge. Yes, the opportunity to know are much better today than 30 years ago. First how to spread rapidly among the world medical community whatever small scale breakthroughs that are happening. In the large city of Bangalore that I live, dotted with a dozen odd world class hospitals, even a few dedicated to cancer, served by over 100 well trained oncologists, I wonder how many know about this option of ivermectin and fenbendazole. Second, how to expand this exploration and research, from the present level of only sighting the tip of the iceberg, to pulling out the whole iceberg ? Such is the potential of existing drugs towards repurposing. This has to be the job of governments through public funded medical universities and institutes, though large private initiatives are possible. Like the Gates Foundation. Incidentally when I personally wrote to him two years ago a couple of times about exploring many common drugs as anti virals, there was no response, not even a courtesy acknowledgment to my mail. While massive expansion of repurposing research is an immediate priority, drug repurposing science ( chemistry, biology, etc ) must be introduced as a major subject, even upto one year, in basic medical degrees, slowly expanding into post graduation and a speciality. How to get medical education boards in the countries interested in such a priority ? I cannot guess further beyond, but for this century, it has to be existing and repurposed drugs that will hold the fort for the world population. I want to see this option flower in my life time ( I am 78, in good health so far, would give myself another 15 years). Thanks. In the last line in my earlier message, I wanted to mention that I am one among the 7 plus million ‘inconsequential’ beings in the world. Regards.
Most of the type of work on repurposed that I have talked about here is mostly relevant to the less affluent countries like the Global South. There, the doctors are relatively free and are not constrained to establish such options based on sound clinical judgements. Many of these countries, like India, are also well equipped to carry out the huge research that would be needed. Internationally connected people like you must bring together such countries and some renowned medical schools in the West for this activity. We know a great, immeasurable potential exists in repurposed medicines, but they need to be explored and established first, for the world’s poor to benefit.
Precisely what I have been writing all over for the past three years, to news papers and in recent times several widely followed podcasts on covid and medicines. It all started three years ago, when based on chemical structures and my only perspective as an organic chemist ( long retired, industry, non drugs, PhD) I proposed that not just anti histamines, but over a thousand drugs in use today could be anti viral (additionally). I requested researchers to check atleast in vitro performance for a few dozens of them. Then came the thought, with the knowledge of a few established examples, that many common drugs could have multiple indication potentials, for sets of diseases that don’t seem immediately related even. Diseases could be sharing common pathways and drugs could be sharing atleast part metabolisms and where these two cross, the multiple potential emerges. I began emphasising in my comments that this is the only way that cheap, affordable, effective, safe, easily accessible medicines can be made available to half the world that is deprived on these counts. This half the world cannot be left to the mercy of big Pharma. When I heard stories of Ivermectin and Fenbendazole curing even terminal cancers, I felt thoroughly vindicated. In recent times, in my comments, I have been raising calls for an international research programme “ Ivermectin for the World” that would unlock the huge hidden multi potential of this golden drug for almost pittance of a cost to half the world deprived of good, affordable medicines. Mr. Rees, since you are widely followed, connected and resources, please work to raise this programme. I have no means or position for this job, being just one among the 7 plus billions of this world. Thank you.
Thanks for the insightful comment :)! The way back is to put physicians and other healthcare professionals back in charge. Honest one’s, not those seduced by the pharmaceutical industry - that needs re-education in medical schools and other seats of learning in applied science and engineering
You are right about running situations like this pandemic, who should be handling it. But your podcast ( title) is about a long term, population scale issue. Finding safer, cheap and effective drugs for expensive, long term, life crippling diseases like cancer, some autoimmune ones. This is where the doctors, including specialists are in the tight grip of big Pharma. They cannot get beyond expensive, patented and often ineffective drugs and care. They must get to know that options like Ivermectin and Fenbendazole exist. They must read, explore dedicated social media more for such knowledge. Yes, the opportunity to know are much better today than 30 years ago. First how to spread rapidly among the world medical community whatever small scale breakthroughs that are happening. In the large city of Bangalore that I live, dotted with a dozen odd world class hospitals, even a few dedicated to cancer, served by over 100 well trained oncologists, I wonder how many know about this option of ivermectin and fenbendazole. Second, how to expand this exploration and research, from the present level of only sighting the tip of the iceberg, to pulling out the whole iceberg ? Such is the potential of existing drugs towards repurposing. This has to be the job of governments through public funded medical universities and institutes, though large private initiatives are possible. Like the Gates Foundation. Incidentally when I personally wrote to him two years ago a couple of times about exploring many common drugs as anti virals, there was no response, not even a courtesy acknowledgment to my mail. While massive expansion of repurposing research is an immediate priority, drug repurposing science ( chemistry, biology, etc ) must be introduced as a major subject, even upto one year, in basic medical degrees, slowly expanding into post graduation and a speciality. How to get medical education boards in the countries interested in such a priority ? I cannot guess further beyond, but for this century, it has to be existing and repurposed drugs that will hold the fort for the world population. I want to see this option flower in my life time ( I am 78, in good health so far, would give myself another 15 years). Thanks. In the last line in my earlier message, I wanted to mention that I am one among the 7 plus million ‘inconsequential’ beings in the world. Regards.
Most of the type of work on repurposed that I have talked about here is mostly relevant to the less affluent countries like the Global South. There, the doctors are relatively free and are not constrained to establish such options based on sound clinical judgements. Many of these countries, like India, are also well equipped to carry out the huge research that would be needed. Internationally connected people like you must bring together such countries and some renowned medical schools in the West for this activity. We know a great, immeasurable potential exists in repurposed medicines, but they need to be explored and established first, for the world’s poor to benefit.