Desperate Families Embrace Unapproved Alzheimer Drug

Desperate Families Embrace Unapproved Alzheimer Drug

By GINA KOLATA

Charles Baron watched for eight years as his wife, Betty, once lively and vibrant, a leader in her St. Louis community, slipped away, lost to the ravages of Alzheimer's disease. He tried everything to slow her decline — prescription drugs, nutritional supplements, diet, exercise.
"We tried everything that the doctors have been kind enough to say is not going to harm us," Mr. Baron said. But his efforts were of little avail. At 79, Mrs. Baron was on a steady downhill course. She still lived at home, but Mr. Baron relied on full-time help to care for her.
Then, in early April, Mr. Baron was listening to the radio and heard a news report about an Alzheimer's drug, memantine. The drug blocks a brain chemical, glutamate, which has been implicated in nerve cell death. A new study found that it seemed to have a modest effect in alleviating the symptoms of advanced Alzheimer's disease.
It is not a cure; it does not reverse the disease. And, for now, it is not sold in this country. Forest Laboratories, which has licensed it, has applied to the Food and Drug Administration to market it and does not expect to hear anything until fall.
Knowing the ravages of Alzheimer disease. Would you if a loved one were stricken use an unproven drug or wait for FDA approval. I would go to any port in a storm. What is there to lose after all IMO the disease is a living death.
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/15/health/15ALZH.html?ex=1055649600&en=deb8d2e5a419ec88&ei=5059&partner=AOL