New wonder drugs on the way
Cancer vaccine
TWO cervical cancer vaccines are now en route to the UK. Gardasil, which has already been given to Australian girls, is the world's first cancer vaccine and will protect young women from the strains of HPV (human papillomavirus) known to cause cervical cancer.
Cevarix, a similar vaccine, is hot on its heels. HPV is passed on through sex and it's hoped that immunising girls before they become sexually active could reduce the UK death rate from 1,093 to just 262 cases a year.
ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL: Gardasil has just been granted a European licence and cevarix is expected to get its licence early next year. The Government must then decide whether all 12-year-old girls should be routinely vaccinated.
Cancer cream
EVERY year thousands of UK women have surgery to remove pre-cancerous cells from their cervixes. But soon this condition may be treatable with a cream.
Experts at the University of Manchester have found that a drug given orally to HIV patients is effective against certain strains of HPV, the cause of most cervical cancers.
Group leader Dr Ian Hampson explains: "Research has only been done on cells in the lab so far so now we need to start clinical trials on women. However the fact that the drug is already licensed for use for HIV will speed up the process."
ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL: Three to four years.
Inhaled insulin
DIABETICS whose conditions can't be controlled by tablets need injections. But now Exubera, a new form of inhaled insulin, promises a viable alternative to the needle. It's hailed as "one of the biggest steps forward since the discovery of insulin in 1992" by charity Diabetes UK.
Studies show that a fear of or reluctance to use needles makes sufferers delay treatment for an average of four years, leading to complications such as heart disease, kidney failure or blindness.
However, there are fears that drug advisory body Nice (National Institute for health and Clinical Excellence) may only recommend its use for patients who have physical or mental problems. The drug isn't suitable for smokers, anyone with breathing problems or children.
ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL: Technically, it was launched last month but most doctors are waiting for Nice guidance, due in October, before prescribing.
Anti-smoking pill
CHAMPIX works by mimicking the effects of nicotine which eases withdrawal symptoms, and by blocking feelgood effects should you weaken and sneak a fag.
Clinical trials on 2,000 chronic smokers found that Champix helped nearly half quit after 12 weeks compared with just 30 per cent receiving the standard drug Zyban. Side-effects include nausea, vomiting, headache, insomnia and flatulence but that seems a small price for kicking a habit that has a one-in-two chance of killing you.
However, Deborah Arnott, director of anti-smoking charity Ash warns: "It's an exciting breakthrough but not a guaranteed cure-all."
ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL: Could be available on prescription in time for your New Year's resolutions.
Anti-blindness drug
AGE-RELATED blindness affects a quarter of a million people in the UK and the wet form (or AMD, age-related macular degeneration), which affects 10 per cent of sufferers, can cause you to lose your sight in just three months. Lucentis, which was passed by the US drug-approval body in June this year, treats the underlying cause of AMD by inhibiting a protein that leads to this type of sight loss.
ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL: Could be available on the NHS next year.
Pill to stop stammering
THE first pill designed to stop stammering is undergoing clinical trials at the University of California. Pagoclone, which is already used to treat anxiety, is thought to work by boosting a chemical brain messenger that plays a key role in speech function. In trials so far, more than half those treated experienced a significant decrease in stammering. "It's encouraging because it appears to have few of the side-effects such as drowsiness, weight gain, mood swings and uncontrolled movement that have been associated with previous potential drugs," says a British Stammering Association spokesperson.
ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL: Two to three years if further trials go well.
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