Dichloroacetate (DHA)

I was reading today about this drug that has been successful in reducing the size of cancer tumours.

It does this by turning back on the mitrochondria in a cancer cell and thus causing the 'immortal' cells to die.  It was believed that cancer irreparably damaged the mitrochondria but these studies show this is not the case at all.  This is an incredibly shortened version of what it actually does.

DCA is an old drug used for mitrochondrial disease.  It is unpatentable and also very cheap to produce and buy.  There are a few side effects that may occur such as pain, numbness and balance.  The only way it can go to trial is for universities, charities and governments to pitch in.  Pharmaceutical companies are unlikely to fund the cost of a trial if they are unable to get something in return.  They may try to manufacture a patentable version but this will be a lengthy process and will ultimately drive the cost up.

We must not let this drug get put on the shelf and be forgotten about.  Be proactive and send a letter to your government representative now.

[beachcritter]

I have read that dichloroacetate is used for other purposes now.  If this is so, I wonder why it cannot be used now for cancer, as many drugs are used for other treatments than the ones for which they are approved.

[Vallandor]

Dichloroacetate is a $2.00-per-serving cancer cure, yet very few know about it. If this was a patentable drug from a major drug company, this would be on the front page of every paper in the world.

A few things to keep in mind about the drug-

1) Clinical trials to eradicate cancer cells in human beings have not been attempted. Thus far, they have only eradicated human cancer cells infused into lab rats.

2) Any drug MUST have clinical trials before it can be considered a useable drug.

3) It isn't really patentable. Thus, no company will fund it because there's no profit in it. Clinical trials will have to be publicly funded.

Basically, the future of this cancer cure is in the hands of the average person, who for the most part don't even know it exists.

[Rick144]

From an article in New Scientist is news on dichloroacetate. The link to the article is:

http://www.newscientist.com/channel/health/mg19325874.700-cheap-safe-drug
-kills-most-cancers.html

In the article, it says that if you would like up-to-date information on any plans for clinical trials of DCA in patients with cancer, or would like to donate towards a fund for such trials, please visit the site set up by the University of Alberta and the Alberta Cancer Board at:
http://www.depmed.ualberta.ca/dca/