Cuba launches world’s first vaccine against lung cancer

[The Vegan Marxist]

Understand that this isn't a cure, but is rather a means of slowing down the cancer's growth, in which would then turn the cancer into a chronic disease that could be attended to and managed over a much longer period.


CimaVax-EGF, the first Cuban therapeutic
vaccine to treat advanced lung cancer and the
only one registered in the world.

Cuba launches world’s first vaccine against lung cancer
September 7, 2011

HAVANA, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) — Cuban medical authorities have launched the sales of the world’s first therapeutic vaccine against lung cancer, local officials said on Tuesday.

The CimaVax-EGF vaccine, as a result of a 25-year research into diseases related to tobacco smoking, has been developed by researchers and scientists at the Center of Molecular Immunology (CIM) in Havana.

The active drug ingredient in the vaccine is based on “a protein we all have when cancer is uncontrolled.” “The epidermal growth factor is related to all cell proliferation,” said Gisela Gonzalez, head researcher of the project.

“The drug could turn the cancer into a manageable, chronic disease by generating antibodies against the proteins which triggered the uncontrolled cell proliferation,” she said.

The immunogenic vaccine is appropriate to patients with advanced lung cancer in stages of three and four, showing no positive response to other kinds of treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the expert said.

“It is not possible to prevent the disease but this vaccine improves significantly the status of the critically ill patients,” she added.

She said the CimaVax-EGF has gone through clinical studies and trials in over 1,000 patients across the island and is currently distributed free of charge in all hospitals of the Caribbean island nation.

Gonzalez also said researchers at the CIM planned to use the same principle of the CimaVax-EGF in treating other cancerous tumors such as prostate, uterus and breast cancers.

Lung cancer is regarded as one of the world’s most serious, common and deadly cancers and is most frequently found among tobacco smokers.According to the World Health Organization, the disease generally kills 5 million people a year, and the figure is expected to rise to as much as 8 million by 2030 unless smoking habits are changed.

In Cuba, like many other developing countries across the world, smoking is seen as a status symbol. Lung cancer, killing about 20,000 people a year in the Caribbean country, is considered a serious threat to public health and the leading cause of death in 12 of the country’s 15 provinces.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/he...111574.htm

[Killuminati]

I read this on FB earlier when you posted it, good shit comrade!

[Gezus]

Very nice. One step closer to finding a cure.

[Eazy-E_CPT]

It's interesting why in Cuba and not in the USA or China. Currently, the pharmaceutical industry offers a expensive and long treatment. This vaccine may change it. When corporations don't have the power then the research becomes more human.

[The Vegan Marxist]

(09-08-2011 09:04 AM)Eazy-E_CPT Wrote:  It's interesting why in Cuba and not in the USA or China. Currently, the pharmaceutical industry offers a expensive and long treatment. This vaccine may change it. When corporations don't have the power then the research becomes more human.

While it does show how Cuba's socialism is far greater than, say, China's, when we compare China with the U.S., we still get a clear idea of why even the lowest forms of socialism far exceeds that of free-market capitalism. For example, given China's enormous population base, they're able to cover 95% with healthcare insurance:

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/...32475.html

Whereas only 80-85% is able to acquire health insurance here in the U.S. And the U.S. has a much smaller population base! They wouldn't have these troubles if they at least embraced China's model, and would also solve many other problems if they embraced Cuba's model.

[Younes]

thats lulzy considering USA having a GDP that is 1.5 times bigger than China's.... imagine what that country could do if the population was properly taxed, same goes for the multinational corporations, nationalizing healthcare, school etc. etc. Country would do great...

[Crazyalaa]

(09-08-2011 09:04 AM)Eazy-E_CPT Wrote:  It's interesting why in Cuba and not in the USA or China. Currently, the pharmaceutical industry offers a expensive and long treatment. This vaccine may change it. When corporations don't have the power then the research becomes more human.

Also one of the main reasons the pharmaceutical industry isn't researching hard for a cure is that the treatments they offer like you said are expensive which means more profit and income for the big corporations. The problem with privatization is as we all know the corporations will only care about their profit. As long as the healthcare isn't nationalized and regulated by a non-corrupt government an affordable cure for AIDS and cancer will not be produced.

[Asshole]

(09-08-2011 03:53 PM)The Vegan Marxist Wrote:  

(09-08-2011 09:04 AM)Eazy-E_CPT Wrote:  It's interesting why in Cuba and not in the USA or China. Currently, the pharmaceutical industry offers a expensive and long treatment. This vaccine may change it. When corporations don't have the power then the research becomes more human.

While it does show how Cuba's socialism is far greater than, say, China's, when we compare China with the U.S., we still get a clear idea of why even the lowest forms of socialism far exceeds that of free-market capitalism. For example, given China's enormous population base, they're able to cover 95% with healthcare insurance:

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/...32475.html

Whereas only 80-85% is able to acquire health insurance here in the U.S. And the U.S. has a much smaller population base! They wouldn't have these troubles if they at least embraced China's model, and would also solve many other problems if they embraced Cuba's model.

you aren't exactly advocating socialism there. china doesn't really have socialist actions anymore. however, you are demonstrating the power of a benevolent planned economy, a principle of socialism