Re: "Researchers raise hopes for 'affordable' anti-cancer drug", (BP, Oct 20).
Chulalongkorn University researchers have enlisted financial support from the public and the Health Systems Research Institute to develop an affordable anti-cancer drug. Based upon an immunotherapy approach which made news at this year's Nobel Prize awards, presumably the "new" drug would be an analogue of a patented and approved medicine.
While this approach is not too difficult, its effectiveness is highly questionable. Immunotherapeutic drugs currently on the market are only modestly effective against specific types of cancer. The prevailing approach is to use a cocktail of several drugs and ancillary medicines to treat certain cancers, which have been shown to respond well.
For Chulalongkorn to duplicate this result they will be required to design numerous analogues for each drug in the immunotherapy arsenal, and then test these analogues on mice to determine those most effective, followed by full multiphase drug trials on humans for the most promising candidates. Trials with combinations of drugs will be the last phase prior to full scale roll-out. Drug trials are an enormously expensive undertaking.
While this is certainly a good-hearted initiative on the part of Chula researchers, it does not seem a practical one.
When effective HIV drug combinations became available in Western countries but remained far too expensive for developing nations, a political and humanitarian solution was achieved, enabling drugs to be distributed to African nations.
Similarly a two-pronged approach might be more advantageous and cost-effective for this government.
Make generic versions of these drugs available, negotiate humanitarian-based agreements with the patent holders, and create an aggressive and well-funded public awareness programme about the causes and prevention of cancer.
Cancer prevention (especially diet and lifestyle intervention), is now well understood, and if implementation was promoted on a national scale, could provide incalculable benefits. Teaching someone that eating too much sugar, smoking tobacco, eating raw fish, and drinking alcohol is deadly, costs far less than treating them for cancer.
Michael Setter
Foreign expertise
With the massive monthly losses of our national airline Thai Airways International (THAI), the latest scandal involving first class passengers having to give up their seats, and reports of nepotism and free upgrades for politicians, here is a novel idea: Advertise for foreigners to hold key positions in running the airline.
Will this ever happen?
Probably not in my lifetime, but airlines such as Qantas, which employ Irishman Alan Joyce as CEO and, for example, very profitable Emirates and Qatar airlines employing foreigners and putting efficiency above national pride have shown how such strategy can work.
So, THAI, please give it a try -- you have nothing to lose (except a little face).
Martin R
Coup not the answer
Re: "Democracy won't help", (PostBag, Oct 21).
Barry Kenyon seems to think that street violence in Bangkok justified the 2014 coup. I remember the race riots in America in the 1960s which could have made the Bangkok violence seem like a Sunday picnic by contrast.
Yet I don't recall anyone in America calling for a military coup back then.
If law and order was really what the military was concerned about all they had to do was declare martial law for 24 hours.
The military didn't have to overthrow the government and remain in power for four years. Therefore it is perfectly legitimate to question what the motivation behind the coup really was.
Eric Bahrt
Perils of stardom
Re: "Wild Boars train with Ibrahimovic and LA Galaxy", (BP, Oct 21).
Don't these kids need to go to school?
We are bombarded with the need for these kids to be treated normally, to return to their normal lives. Normal, in most cases, means to complete one's basic schooling before getting on with one's life.
Star status carries a high price.
For those who make it, great. But what about those who will not?
Dick and Jane
Contact: Bangkok Post Building
136 Na Ranong Road Klong Toey, Bangkok 10110
fax: +02 6164000 Email: [email protected]
All letter writers must provide full name and address.
All published correspondence is subject to editing at our discretion.
