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Ignoring the Industry
Replies
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@kgeyser Wisdom from the person with over 21,000 posts. What you said makes a lot of sense.0
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garystrickland357 wrote: »I’ve been around MFP now for a while (not as long as some) and have successfully lost over 75 pounds. Now I’m adjusting to maintenance. Here’s what I want to debate - how you feel about people here having to not only overcome personal dysfunction concerning weight loss but also all the bad information out there about the “best way” to lose weight.
To explain - I know I came here because I needed a tool to help me lose weight. I was unsuccessful losing weight intuitively. My wife of 35 years has always been able to manage her weight. I always struggled. Once I started seriously using MFP my journey became manageable. I have a realistic calorie budget and I track calories to stay within that budget. Simple - but not easy.
I think what makes it hard for so many though is we here at MFP often have to convince folks to ignore all the *kitten* they read and hear. The weight loss industry is worth $66 Billion dollars according to a quick Google search. I also did a quick Google search using the key words “how to lose weight”. I assume that many folks that decide one day they want to regain control of their life might do the same. The first two pages of links all contained fundamentally flawed information (in my opinion). Almost none of the sites explained the need for a calorie deficit in order to lose weight. Almost all had something to sell.
So this is the situation I see here over and over. Folks come here because they want to lose weight. I believe they are sincere. The issue however is that most have a dysfunctional relationship with food or they wouldn’t be here. They also have a head full of bad information from what they have read or what they have been told. They have a lot to “unlearn.” Some folks here listen, change their thinking and succeed in reaching their goals. Others refuse to unlearn what they think to be true - they argue with the very people they asked to help them - because they can’t let go of the bad information put out there by the weight loss industry.
What do you think?
There is certainly a business interest in the weight loss industry for making losing weight seem as complicated as possible. It's an "unsolvable" problem, that only their specific weight loss solution can help you conquer. Marketing is all about creating an anxiety and then exploiting that anxiety. A lot of weight loss solutions do that.
There's also the fundamental issue that many people want to lose weight, but many people do not want to work hard for it. CICO does require patience as it is not an overnight solution, and it does take work and dedication to maintain properly. Even though this the healthy and sustainable way to do it, a lot of people are looking for "lose weight quick and easy" solutions that they feel will make them lose the weight they want to lose quickly and without much work. This allows a lot of companies to market to that demographic with questionable offerings.
I live outside of the US, and when I was in New York over Thanksgiving, I was taken aback by the constant stream of quack weight loss solutions that were being advertised on the radio. Every other ad seemed to be the radio DJs talking about how so and so doctor helped them lose 40 pounds in 40 days or they went to this center and got in shape without exercise or all these other "shortcut" offerings where people pay a lot of money to try to cheat the system when it comes to weight loss and getting in shape.
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The weight loss industry you correctly say. Well, some people need the structure, the no-brainer aspect of a meal plan or even food delivered daily. It's not the Weight Maintenance Industry. Amidst all the information and misinformation some people a lucid enough to realise any weight loss is CICO and lifelong.
One question I had at some point was How do people learn about MFP?.
And why does the idea of eating anything you like within your budget resonate with some people and not others?1 -
The weight loss industry you correctly say. Well, some people need the structure, the no-brainer aspect of a meal plan or even good delivered daily. It's not the Weight Maintenance Industry. Amidst all the information and misinformation some people a lucid enough to realise any weight loss is CICO and lifelong.
One question I had at some point was How do people learn about MFP?.
And why does the idea of eating anything you like within your budget resonate with some people and not others?
Weirdly enough, I learned about MFP when it was mentioned in an article on Buzzfeed. I'd never heard of it, so I looked it up. At the time I was counting calories with another app and MFP had better features, so I switched.
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Cassandraw3 wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »Cassandraw3 wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »Cassandraw3 wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »Cassandraw3 wrote: »garystrickland357 wrote: »I’ve been around MFP now for a while (not as long as some) and have successfully lost over 75 pounds. Now I’m adjusting to maintenance. Here’s what I want to debate - how you feel about people here having to not only overcome personal dysfunction concerning weight loss but also all the bad information out there about the “best way” to lose weight.
To explain - I know I came here because I needed a tool to help me lose weight. I was unsuccessful losing weight intuitively. My wife of 35 years has always been able to manage her weight. I always struggled. Once I started seriously using MFP my journey became manageable. I have a realistic calorie budget and I track calories to stay within that budget. Simple - but not easy.
I think what makes it hard for so many though is we here at MFP often have to convince folks to ignore all the *kitten* they read and hear. The weight loss industry is worth $66 Billion dollars according to a quick Google search. I also did a quick Google search using the key words “how to lose weight”. I assume that many folks that decide one day they want to regain control of their life might do the same. The first two pages of links all contained fundamentally flawed information (in my opinion). Almost none of the sites explained the need for a calorie deficit in order to lose weight. Almost all had something to sell.
So this is the situation I see here over and over. Folks come here because they want to lose weight. I believe they are sincere. The issue however is that most have a dysfunctional relationship with food or they wouldn’t be here. They also have a head full of bad information from what they have read or what they have been told. They have a lot to “unlearn.” Some folks here listen, change their thinking and succeed in reaching their goals. Others refuse to unlearn what they think to be true - they argue with the very people they asked to help them - because they can’t let go of the bad information put out there by the weight loss industry.
What do you think?
I think that is true of a lot of things in life. Anything in the media is not looking to help people; it is about making a profit. Big Business makes the commercials and ads. They do not make money telling people to eat let. Current society wants a quick fix and instant gratification and companies see that. Some people are open minded enough to listen to multiple sides of a story and make an educated decision. Some people are smart enough to know to back hearsay with science and facts. Others will only listen to what they want to hear and take that and run. Big Pharma doesn't making money fixing people, they make money treating symptoms.
If drug companies only make money from treating symptoms, how do you account for the fact that there are cures out there and available for sale? I've been "fixed" by drugs, I know people who have been "fixed" by drugs. Not everything is treating symptoms.
There are exceptions to the rule, but a majority of medications do not treat the root cause. They treat the symptoms to mask the real issue. And sometimes lead to other issues requiring more medications. While I do believe, in some cases, medications are necessary, oftentimes doctors are too willing and quick to prescribe drugs to fix issues which would better be fixed by lifestyle changes.
For medications that treat symptoms, do you think there are cures for those conditions that are somehow being suppressed?
In some instances, we treat the symptoms because that is what we currently know how to do. There is no cure currently available (unless you believe that drug companies have discovered cures and are hiding them for some conditions while releasing them for others).
When it comes to drugs for conditions that could be treated by lifestyle changes, doctors are often doing what they can to manage the health of people who *refuse* to make lifestyle changes. To think otherwise, we'd have to decide that people are genuinely unaware of how their lifestyle interacts with things like high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and risk for certain cancers. People taking these drugs often have had the chance to make lifestyle changes and *didn't*, for whatever reason. Doctors can't force people to lose weight, they're doing the best they can to help people who are on a certain path. If someone is overweight for years and then develops conditions that are related for that, a doctor is ethically *obligated* to be quick to prescribe drugs to help them. To withhold the drugs to manage the symptoms would be a violation of their oath.
Clearly I have hit a nerve with you, which that was not my intention. I am by no means a doctor. I can only speak from experience involving my parents and other relatives. Poor eating habits run in my family. While I do agree that some people ignore the advice from doctors, I do feel like the generic response to patients to "lose weight for your health" is not nearly enough. Those patients are not provided the proper resources to do so, nor are they educated enough on the issue. The quick fix is take this medication for your heart/diabetes/cholesterol/whatever else.
As far as cures for conditions being suppressed, I really hope that is not the case, but I cannot say for sure.
You didn't hit a nerve, I'm debating (this is the debate area).
What resources do you think your family members needed to lose weight?
Even if they had the resources made available, doctors are ethically obligated to provide a "fix" while people are attempting to adjust their lifestyle. Letting conditions like type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure persist untreated while people are trying to lose weight wouldn't be compatible with the best interests of the patients. Given that we know how hard it is even for highly motivated people to lose weight and keep it off, what would you have doctors do in this situation?
First step would be being referred to a nutritionist.
I am not faulting the doctors for the patients not losing weight. There is a lot of misinformation out there and doctors will not always know what the patient is aware of.
I have a friend who works in a clinic, whose father is a doctor. She saw a nutritionist and worked with her and lost some weight. My friend furthermore tells me that the nutritionist didn't just give her a meal plan but worked with her to help her develop good eating habits including planning her own meals.
My friend recently told me recently that "her body refuses to lose weight."
She is the only one in her family who is obese (ie she can't even blame it on family habits).
There is only so much that can be done if the person who needs to change doesn't want to.8 -
janejellyroll wrote: »The weight loss industry you correctly say. Well, some people need the structure, the no-brainer aspect of a meal plan or even good delivered daily. It's not the Weight Maintenance Industry. Amidst all the information and misinformation some people a lucid enough to realise any weight loss is CICO and lifelong.
One question I had at some point was How do people learn about MFP?.
And why does the idea of eating anything you like within your budget resonate with some people and not others?
Weirdly enough, I learned about MFP when it was mentioned in an article on Buzzfeed. I'd never heard of it, so I looked it up. At the time I was counting calories with another app and MFP had better features, so I switched.
me too!3 -
The weight loss industry (of which MFP is a part) benefits from and thrives upon failure. Repeat customers (and those who are never able to succeed in the first place) are good for business. It's to the weight loss industry's advantage that myths and woo get encouraged and propagated.9
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This is going to sound stupid but I got the idea to count calories from the hunger games book (the last one I think?) where they are in that underground bunker and there was a mention of how the food is rationed out based on how many calories each person needs based on their height,weight, their planned activities for the day etc. I was like "hmmm now there's an idea, just eat as much as you need and that's it" so I looked up counting calories and I ended up here.
Sorry this is in response to some of the discussion a few posts up, I forgot to quote.8 -
The weight loss industry you correctly say. Well, some people need the structure, the no-brainer aspect of a meal plan or even food delivered daily. It's not the Weight Maintenance Industry. Amidst all the information and misinformation some people a lucid enough to realise any weight loss is CICO and lifelong.
One question I had at some point was How do people learn about MFP?.
And why does the idea of eating anything you like within your budget resonate with some people and not others?
I learned about MFP from a wellness adviser (might not be the correct title) employed by the health insurance provider at my job. I was given her contact information at a wellness screening event (BP, fasting blood sugar, lipid panel, height and weight) at work. She suggested MFP, and I started tracking with my very next meal, because my numbers from the screening all had me headed toward chronic conditions with, at best, multiple daily medications, and I didn't want that. I checked in with her (weekly at first, I believe, then monthly) for about six months, and she told me toward the end she was using me (without my name, obviously) as her "poster child" example of how well MFP can work if you just stick with the tracking faithfully.4 -
janejellyroll wrote: »The weight loss industry you correctly say. Well, some people need the structure, the no-brainer aspect of a meal plan or even good delivered daily. It's not the Weight Maintenance Industry. Amidst all the information and misinformation some people a lucid enough to realise any weight loss is CICO and lifelong.
One question I had at some point was How do people learn about MFP?.
And why does the idea of eating anything you like within your budget resonate with some people and not others?
Weirdly enough, I learned about MFP when it was mentioned in an article on Buzzfeed. I'd never heard of it, so I looked it up. At the time I was counting calories with another app and MFP had better features, so I switched.
Adding my anecdote here, as it seems to overlap with many of the things cited.
I was using another app when I was serious about managing my weight. And not doing anything when I wasn't.
I had the idea that if I could go out and ride 50 miles on my bike and outwork everyone in spin class, it was good enough.
However, my lab results told me a different story on Valentines Day this year. Fasting BG of 180mg/dL and an A1C of 7.3% and a weight that was between 265 and 270 pounds on a 5'11" guy, not to mention triglycerides that were way too high (don't remember right now) and I knew I could no longer outrun or outwork or fool the lab.
I did go on metformin, but only 500mg / day to see what it would do.
I may work out a little more now, but really not much more.
I was also sent to a Joslin Diabetes Center where my coach gave me some guidelines. Nothing I really didn't know. I just didn't take it seriously.
I did ask what app she recommended and it was MFP, so I now use it. It does work with MapMyRide on my bike and Wahoo RunFit for the indoor bikes for Cycle and Les Mills Sprint classes.
I'm now keeping my weight at 215-220#. Kind of in a break and just hope to keep it there for a while and then after the holidays, get serious about the last 20# to get below 200.
But my A1C was 5.1 at my last MD visit 3 months ago and my fast BG readings in the AM typically range between 85 and 105 depending on what I ate the day before and if I exercised.
I take my data to my MD when I visit. He tells me he wishes all his patients took these sorts of things seriously.
The MD can only give you advice and medications. The person has to do the work. The MD isn't there to weigh out your food. Neither is the nutritionist or diabetes coach.
You have to want to do it.
Also, if you don't know the answer, you have to be willing to ask questions. You have to be willing to learn.
Perhaps the most important trait is willing to be honest with yourself.
You see, I was lying to myself. I was telling myself it didn't matter than I was 265+ pounds as long as I could still work out. That's a lie I wanted to believe.
It wasn't a food industry, or big pharma, or any other boogie man out there. It was my willingness to fool myself.
Now don't get me wrong, the food industry is in the business of selling food. They make it convenient and tasty.
Ditto for big pharma. Who wants to go sweat for an hour when you can pop a pill and all will be right with the world. Seems to be the same for the "Little Blue Pill" people. Don't worry about why you are having problems down there, just take one of these and you'll be ready when the moment is right.
Never mind that such failures may mean you have a medical issue that needs attention.
I've said it before and gotten the Woos for it, but people are generally lazy. We look for the easy button.
I'm not saying I'm different. I was lazy about stepping on the scale and watching what I ate.
After a late night service call, I'd stop at the C-store and get a pint of chocolate milk and little chocolate donuts. Never mind that I was consuming 800 calories in my car during the drive home. I could have made other choices, like putting some fruit in my bag and a lower calorie drink or even water.
But it was "easy" to stop at the C-store and get 800 calories for $4.
Or at the fast food drive through. It was easy to just order a meal combo. It was work to think, grilled chicken and apple slices instead of a burger and fries.
Or to think ahead and pack a lunch.
I don't blame the various vendors of easy. It's my fault for choosing them.
Blaming others doesn't solve the problem of being honest with ones-self.
Therefore, for me anyway, the best path is to own it.
The only control I have is over myself and my choices.10 -
I don't go to twitter looking for health advice. A person with 121K followers has a pinned tweet from Dec 1 saying "Have started a new diet today: cutting sugar, dairy & gluten. Not to lose weight, but to alleviate anxiety & depression. (Writing this down and posting publicly because it's more likely I will stick to it that way)... wish me luck!" There is no "woo" button on twitter. I gently suggested she come here and gave her my username. It's little, but it's not all. Yesterday at church a fellow asked me "How are you doing with your diet?" He knows and cares, so I explained that I had gained some but was once again trying to lose. We talked a little while. I mentioned a church lady who'd lost 50 lb, and I took credit for it. Her husband is one of my mfp friends. The fellow speaking with me then mentioned that 'several' of the church ladies were losing weight recently. I took credit for all of them. I explained, "The skinny young women cannot convince the matronly ladies that weight loss is possible, but the fat old man can!" He agreed.
I don't know if Ms. 121K will see my post, but I think she might and if she retweets there's 121K potential new friends for me. One at a time, that's all we can do.5 -
I saw my nurse practitioner this morning and she commented on the 21 pounds I'd lost since my last visit, asking if it was on purpose (lolz at that
). When I answered yes, she asked what I was doing and I said calorie counting with MFP. Turns out that's what she recommends to her patients. She said most people claim they are barely eating anything and usually come back amazed at how much they were actually consuming if they take her advice. No surprise there.
I wound up here looking for a (free) alternative to WW online, which I'd used in the past with so-so success. That was many years ago. Honestly, I don't remember if someone suggested it to me or if I just stumbled in. The second, I think.
As @tbright1965 mentioned, we humans in general are always looking for the easy button. We have cars to drive, machines to wash our dishes, and computers to calculate for us due in part to this propensity. Unfortunately, there's no such substitute for losing and maintaining weight.5 -
If this is morphing into a "how I found MFP" thread...
Was digging my grave (had drainage issues and needed to dig our my weeping tile) and just decided I was working too hard to not see it so bought a cheap Garmin watch. Set it up on Garmin Connect and they had this linky thing to some funny website to track what I ate vs what my activity was. After a couple of weeks I click on it and now am down 120-130 lbs.
Honestly, being able to put numbers to the whole thing help me tremendously.4 -
The companies that promote a quick fix weight loss program are counting on repeat business. Consumers of product = ongoing revenue stream.
Right up there with "the secret" to [whatever], fitness tactics are neither magic or secret.
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janejellyroll wrote: »Cassandraw3 wrote: »garystrickland357 wrote: »I’ve been around MFP now for a while (not as long as some) and have successfully lost over 75 pounds. Now I’m adjusting to maintenance. Here’s what I want to debate - how you feel about people here having to not only overcome personal dysfunction concerning weight loss but also all the bad information out there about the “best way” to lose weight.
To explain - I know I came here because I needed a tool to help me lose weight. I was unsuccessful losing weight intuitively. My wife of 35 years has always been able to manage her weight. I always struggled. Once I started seriously using MFP my journey became manageable. I have a realistic calorie budget and I track calories to stay within that budget. Simple - but not easy.
I think what makes it hard for so many though is we here at MFP often have to convince folks to ignore all the *kitten* they read and hear. The weight loss industry is worth $66 Billion dollars according to a quick Google search. I also did a quick Google search using the key words “how to lose weight”. I assume that many folks that decide one day they want to regain control of their life might do the same. The first two pages of links all contained fundamentally flawed information (in my opinion). Almost none of the sites explained the need for a calorie deficit in order to lose weight. Almost all had something to sell.
So this is the situation I see here over and over. Folks come here because they want to lose weight. I believe they are sincere. The issue however is that most have a dysfunctional relationship with food or they wouldn’t be here. They also have a head full of bad information from what they have read or what they have been told. They have a lot to “unlearn.” Some folks here listen, change their thinking and succeed in reaching their goals. Others refuse to unlearn what they think to be true - they argue with the very people they asked to help them - because they can’t let go of the bad information put out there by the weight loss industry.
What do you think?
I think that is true of a lot of things in life. Anything in the media is not looking to help people; it is about making a profit. Big Business makes the commercials and ads. They do not make money telling people to eat let. Current society wants a quick fix and instant gratification and companies see that. Some people are open minded enough to listen to multiple sides of a story and make an educated decision. Some people are smart enough to know to back hearsay with science and facts. Others will only listen to what they want to hear and take that and run. Big Pharma doesn't making money fixing people, they make money treating symptoms.
If drug companies only make money from treating symptoms, how do you account for the fact that there are cures out there and available for sale? I've been "fixed" by drugs, I know people who have been "fixed" by drugs. Not everything is treating symptoms.
FYI,
Goldman Sachs asks in biotech research report: 'Is curing patients a sustainable business model?'
Goldman Sachs analysts attempted to address a touchy subject for biotech companies, especially those involved in the pioneering "gene therapy" treatment: cures could be bad for business in the long run.
"Is curing patients a sustainable business model?" analysts ask in an April 10 report entitled "The Genome Revolution."
"The potential to deliver 'one shot cures' is one of the most attractive aspects of gene therapy, genetically-engineered cell therapy and gene editing. However, such treatments offer a very different outlook with regard to recurring revenue versus chronic therapies," analyst Salveen Richter wrote in the note to clients Tuesday. "While this proposition carries tremendous value for patients and society, it could represent a challenge for genome medicine developers looking for sustained cash flow."
Richter cited Gilead Sciences' treatments for hepatitis C, which achieved cure rates of more than 90 percent. The company's U.S. sales for these hepatitis C treatments peaked at $12.5 billion in 2015, but have been falling ever since. Goldman estimates the U.S. sales for these treatments will be less than $4 billion this year, according to a table in the report.
"GILD is a case in point, where the success of its hepatitis C franchise has gradually exhausted the available pool of treatable patients," the analyst wrote. "In the case of infectious diseases such as hepatitis C, curing existing patients also decreases the number of carriers able to transmit the virus to new patients, thus the incident pool also declines … Where an incident pool remains stable (eg, in cancer) the potential for a cure poses less risk to the sustainability of a franchise."
The analyst didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
The report suggested three potential solutions for biotech firms:
"Solution 1: Address large markets: Hemophilia is a $9-10bn WW market (hemophilia A,
, growing at ~6-7% annually."
"Solution 2: Address disorders with high incidence: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) affects the cells (neurons) in the spinal cord, impacting the ability to walk, eat, or breathe."
"Solution 3: Constant innovation and portfolio expansion: There are hundreds of inherited retinal diseases (genetics forms of blindness) … Pace of innovation will also play a role as future programs can offset the declining revenue trajectory of prior assets."2 -
Saw a bakery with the name "Lovin' from the Oven."
We use terms like "comfort foods."
Breaking that emotional connection to food is probably the hardest part.
It is engrained from childhood.
Marketing plays on this too.
Seeing food only as neutral fuel for life doesn't help sell Junk food. 1 -
Obesity and the morbid variety have at times a physical AND a psychological reason behind the weight problem. To handle both at the same time is a mammoth - even impossible - task and according to the individual's situation a very specific support team and long term plan is needed.0
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NorthCascades wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »Cassandraw3 wrote: »garystrickland357 wrote: »I’ve been around MFP now for a while (not as long as some) and have successfully lost over 75 pounds. Now I’m adjusting to maintenance. Here’s what I want to debate - how you feel about people here having to not only overcome personal dysfunction concerning weight loss but also all the bad information out there about the “best way” to lose weight.
To explain - I know I came here because I needed a tool to help me lose weight. I was unsuccessful losing weight intuitively. My wife of 35 years has always been able to manage her weight. I always struggled. Once I started seriously using MFP my journey became manageable. I have a realistic calorie budget and I track calories to stay within that budget. Simple - but not easy.
I think what makes it hard for so many though is we here at MFP often have to convince folks to ignore all the *kitten* they read and hear. The weight loss industry is worth $66 Billion dollars according to a quick Google search. I also did a quick Google search using the key words “how to lose weight”. I assume that many folks that decide one day they want to regain control of their life might do the same. The first two pages of links all contained fundamentally flawed information (in my opinion). Almost none of the sites explained the need for a calorie deficit in order to lose weight. Almost all had something to sell.
So this is the situation I see here over and over. Folks come here because they want to lose weight. I believe they are sincere. The issue however is that most have a dysfunctional relationship with food or they wouldn’t be here. They also have a head full of bad information from what they have read or what they have been told. They have a lot to “unlearn.” Some folks here listen, change their thinking and succeed in reaching their goals. Others refuse to unlearn what they think to be true - they argue with the very people they asked to help them - because they can’t let go of the bad information put out there by the weight loss industry.
What do you think?
I think that is true of a lot of things in life. Anything in the media is not looking to help people; it is about making a profit. Big Business makes the commercials and ads. They do not make money telling people to eat let. Current society wants a quick fix and instant gratification and companies see that. Some people are open minded enough to listen to multiple sides of a story and make an educated decision. Some people are smart enough to know to back hearsay with science and facts. Others will only listen to what they want to hear and take that and run. Big Pharma doesn't making money fixing people, they make money treating symptoms.
If drug companies only make money from treating symptoms, how do you account for the fact that there are cures out there and available for sale? I've been "fixed" by drugs, I know people who have been "fixed" by drugs. Not everything is treating symptoms.
FYI,
Goldman Sachs asks in biotech research report: 'Is curing patients a sustainable business model?'
Goldman Sachs analysts attempted to address a touchy subject for biotech companies, especially those involved in the pioneering "gene therapy" treatment: cures could be bad for business in the long run.
"Is curing patients a sustainable business model?" analysts ask in an April 10 report entitled "The Genome Revolution."
"The potential to deliver 'one shot cures' is one of the most attractive aspects of gene therapy, genetically-engineered cell therapy and gene editing. However, such treatments offer a very different outlook with regard to recurring revenue versus chronic therapies," analyst Salveen Richter wrote in the note to clients Tuesday. "While this proposition carries tremendous value for patients and society, it could represent a challenge for genome medicine developers looking for sustained cash flow."
Richter cited Gilead Sciences' treatments for hepatitis C, which achieved cure rates of more than 90 percent. The company's U.S. sales for these hepatitis C treatments peaked at $12.5 billion in 2015, but have been falling ever since. Goldman estimates the U.S. sales for these treatments will be less than $4 billion this year, according to a table in the report.
"GILD is a case in point, where the success of its hepatitis C franchise has gradually exhausted the available pool of treatable patients," the analyst wrote. "In the case of infectious diseases such as hepatitis C, curing existing patients also decreases the number of carriers able to transmit the virus to new patients, thus the incident pool also declines … Where an incident pool remains stable (eg, in cancer) the potential for a cure poses less risk to the sustainability of a franchise."
The analyst didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
The report suggested three potential solutions for biotech firms:
"Solution 1: Address large markets: Hemophilia is a $9-10bn WW market (hemophilia A,, growing at ~6-7% annually."
"Solution 2: Address disorders with high incidence: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) affects the cells (neurons) in the spinal cord, impacting the ability to walk, eat, or breathe."
"Solution 3: Constant innovation and portfolio expansion: There are hundreds of inherited retinal diseases (genetics forms of blindness) … Pace of innovation will also play a role as future programs can offset the declining revenue trajectory of prior assets."
This is one of the many problems facing the pharmaceutical/medical device industry. Along with this is the regulatory cost of bringing a drug to market. Currently estimated at ~2.7B USD.
For a real life example my wife isolated a monoclonal antibody (MCA) with a high affinity for cancer cells identified in many types of pancreatic cancer. The issue is simply the return on investment is not there, so despite there being a strong chance for a helpful product, the regulatory process proving the reward justifies the risk is too burdensome.0 -
I saw my nurse practitioner this morning and she commented on the 21 pounds I'd lost since my last visit, asking if it was on purpose (lolz at that ). When I answered yes, she asked what I was doing and I said calorie counting with MFP. Turns out that's what she recommends to her patients. She said most people claim they are barely eating anything and usually come back amazed at how much they were actually consuming if they take her advice. No surprise there.
I wound up here looking for a (free) alternative to WW online, which I'd used in the past with so-so success. That was many years ago. Honestly, I don't remember if someone suggested it to me or if I just stumbled in. The second, I think.
As @tbright1965 mentioned, we humans in general are always looking for the easy button. We have cars to drive, machines to wash our dishes, and computers to calculate for us due in part to this propensity. Unfortunately, there's no such substitute for losing and maintaining weight.
The "was your weight loss on purpose" question is VERY important for a doctor or nurse practitioner to ask. Weight loss when you're not trying to lose weight is a big red flag for many problems like cancer.4 -
mburgess458 wrote: »I saw my nurse practitioner this morning and she commented on the 21 pounds I'd lost since my last visit, asking if it was on purpose (lolz at that ). When I answered yes, she asked what I was doing and I said calorie counting with MFP. Turns out that's what she recommends to her patients. She said most people claim they are barely eating anything and usually come back amazed at how much they were actually consuming if they take her advice. No surprise there.
I wound up here looking for a (free) alternative to WW online, which I'd used in the past with so-so success. That was many years ago. Honestly, I don't remember if someone suggested it to me or if I just stumbled in. The second, I think.
As @tbright1965 mentioned, we humans in general are always looking for the easy button. We have cars to drive, machines to wash our dishes, and computers to calculate for us due in part to this propensity. Unfortunately, there's no such substitute for losing and maintaining weight.
The "was your weight loss on purpose" question is VERY important for a doctor or nurse practitioner to ask. Weight loss when you're not trying to lose weight is a big red flag for many problems like cancer.
when i do my semi-annual screening for military PT test - we have to answer the quesiton of greater than 10lbs weight loss since last paperwork and intentional or not2
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