Answered Conundrum Next Conundrum
Medical treatment dilemma: tested, proven treatment or experimental treatment?
You have a life-threatening medical condition and you are faced with two treatment choices: You can give yourself four shots per day, subcutaneously, in your belly, for 6-7 months. OR You can try an experimental drug, in pill form, one pill taken once a day for 5-6 months. The first protocol is a known quantity - the treatment has been used with good results for years with a lot of supporting data and few side effects. Because the second choice is experimental, there may be some side effects, some known and some unknown, and there will need to be weekly testing at your doctor's to test on efficacy. Which would you choose, and why?
Interesting Question?
Yes (2)
No (0)
- In Health and Fitness |
- |
- Report |
-
Share
RSS
Best Answer Chosen by Asker
Marked as Best!
October 24, 2009 11:45 PM
(0)
(0)
Permalink |
Report
The experimental treatment, assuming that it isn't a complete shot in the dark. I might change my opinion, granted, if I was actually faced with the situation in real life, but reading the description of the proven situation made me cringe and I still feel sick, a bit. I can't stand needles. Even the thought of getting a small shot in my arm is terrible. I couldn't do it four times a day in my stomach.
| Asker's Rating: |
• Thanks for your answer. I agree with you. I also have a horrible fear of needles. However, when faced with this in real life, I had no choice but to go with the injections - turns out I was horribly allergic to the pills (hives, everywhere!).
Helpful Answer?
(0)
(0)
Permalink |
Report
Reply
Other Answers (3)
October 23, 2009 09:50 AM
(0)
(0)
Permalink |
Report
I'd be a guinea pig, for a new treatment that might help me and many others, sure....
It's hard to imagine being a guinea pig but so many are! I'm not sure how many but think of all the new drugs on the market, think of how many trials are undertaken to achieve a viable and safe medicine....
Ethically, its not a new issue - do we allow experimental drugs to be purchased by terminally ill patients? Yes.
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/355/5/437
Helpful Answer?
It's hard to imagine being a guinea pig but so many are! I'm not sure how many but think of all the new drugs on the market, think of how many trials are undertaken to achieve a viable and safe medicine....
Ethically, its not a new issue - do we allow experimental drugs to be purchased by terminally ill patients? Yes.
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/355/5/437
(0)
(0)
Permalink |
Report
Reply
Answer this Question
View All Health and Fitness QuestionsAsk a Conundrum
Please visit these retailers to purchase Conundrum or find the wine at these fine restaurants:
-
1321 Main St
-
1115 Main St
-
699 St Helena Hwy
-
1991 St Helena Hwy
- Twitter currently unavailable