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I agree with most of what you say. BUT, I think that the profits are exorbitant and I certainly cant agree that we have doctors who are "well experienced". Most doctors don't seem to have a clue as to the side effects of PD drugs. At least that has been my experience. Bob Chapman Parkinson's Disease Foundation wrote: > In the United States, drug companies are allowed to make money - just like > any other for-profit company. It is from these profits that they support > research into newer/better drugs. Without these profits, the millions of > dollars each drug company spends each year on SINGLE compounds would mean > these newer drugs would never become available. And why complain about > drugs that "just" mask the symptoms? These drugs are vastly important until > a cure can be found. I remember more than 20 years ago, when I first > startedin this field, how many patients in an audience would be so > profoundly disabled by their symptoms. Now, you rarely see patients in > wheelchairs - except for those who have dealt with PD for 15-20-30 years! > Medications that can mask symptoms are something patients of most other > neurologic disorders pray for every day! Yes, we have some problems with > the medications - what drug that is strong enough to provide benefit does > not also have the capacity to cause side effects? But we also have doctors > who are well-experienced in the uses of these drugs. > > Research must continue in both arenas - clinical to mask the symptoms, and > basic to find the cause and therefore a cure for the disorder. > > Jeanne Lee-Rosner > PDF-Chicago >