Black only drugs?

[Phasad1913]

This is an article about a new drug developed by two Black cardiologists that have shown promising results for Blacks who suffer disproportionatley with heart failure. I am SO excited about this since my dad is having heart trouble. However, aside from the good news, the article focuses on the fact that the drug has only been tested and shows positive results for Black people and that there seems to be some controversey about having it marketed just to and for Blacks. What do you all think about this?

Once again, I have some mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, I think about all the medical research that was done on us without out benefit and the research that Black people were excluded from and I say hey, if it works, put it out there. On the other hand, I feel a responsibility to not condone race specific exclusions regardless of the benefit. My strongest feeling, however, is the first because there is nothing stopping the continued research for medicines that work for other people.


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041108/ap_on_he_me/racial_pill

[stardusttwin]

When I first heard about this I was dubious. The fact that it was developed by two black cardiologist made my radar go down.

I think the reality is that various drugs affect different races AND sexes in different ways and eventually drugs/treatments will be prescribed on a more detailed track (based on race/sex and other specific DNA identifiers). Heck until recently most of the drugs that are dispensed were not adequately tested on women for fear of unknown reproductive affects. Women with heart trouble present with different symptoms than men. Thus it stands clear that their treatments will end up being different. I think race is definitely a factor in affects of diseases thus again the treatments should be specialized.

Its not like there are no drugs that have been tested on the mass (ie white male) market...so this breakthrough is not a bad one in my eyes.

[ladygreek]

Hey. Whatever works. I am sure there are some physiological differences between African Americans and Caucasions that maybe this drug addresses.

[CrimsonTide4]

I agree. I took all day to ponder this. My new job is in the medical field and we help patients get medicine paid for that either they cannot afford or insurance does not cover.

Anyway I remembered back to when my brother had to have surgery a few years ago and the surgery was almost cancelled because when they did his blood work, they discovered that he had a low white blood count. Turns out that Black people have a lower white blood count than White people. Did you all know this?

So I am sure there are medicines out there that need to be manufactured or what not specifically for a Black person. Let's take Tylenol as an example. What if it was shown that Black people who take Tylenol are more at risk for heart damage but it did not have a risk in Whites? I would hope that there would be an alternative for Blacks that could stop the pain but not effect their hearts.

I am all for it. There are differences between Blacks and whites as well as men and women that medicine needs to address.