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Some 800 Medicines For
Diseases Of Aging Under Study, Survey Finds
Aug. 26,
2003 - A new survey by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers
of America (PhRMA) found that drug companies are testing more than 800
potential medicines for diseases of aging, including 123 for heart
disease and stroke, 395 for cancer and 309 for such debilitating
diseases as Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and osteoporosis. All of the
medicines are either in human clinical trials or awaiting approval by
the Food and Drug Administration.
"The
medicines in development offer hope of continuing and accelerating the
remarkable improvements in the lives of seniors achieved over the past
few decades," PhRMA President Alan F. Holmer said. He cited a study by
Duke University researchers that found that chronic disability among
the elderly was falling and that fewer seniors are going into nursing
homes.
Alzheimer’s disease offers one example of the importance of stepped-up
pharmaceutical research, Holmer said, noting that an estimated 14
million Americans will have Alzheimer’s disease by the middle of the
21st century unless a cure or prevention is found.
Pharmaceutical companies are working on 18 potential treatments for
Alzheimer’s disease, he added.
Eighteen
of the medicines in development target depression, which affects one
out of every five seniors, and 34 are aimed at diabetes, which costs
the U.S. about $132 billion a year in direct medical expenses, lost
productivity and disability. Seventeen of the medicines are for
osteoporosis, a major health threat for an estimated 44 million
Americans, and 15 target Parkinson’s disease – 60,000 new cases of
which are diagnosed each year. Other medicines in development target
bladder and kidney diseases, eye disorders, gastrointestinal
disorders, osteoarthritis, pain, prostate disease, respiratory and
lung diseases, rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions of aging.
"The
promise of research underscores the need for prescription drug
insurance coverage crafted in a way that gives seniors access to the
medicines of today and provides incentives for companies to discover
and develop the medicines of tomorrow," Holmer said.
The
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA)
represents the country’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and
biotechnology companies, which are devoted to inventing medicines that
allow patients to live longer, healthier and more productive lives.
The industry invested an estimated $32 billion in 2002 in discovering
and developing new medicines. PhRMA companies are leading the way in
the search for new cures.
PhRMA
Internet Address:
http://www.phrma.org |
