AFP Health Reviews

Miles White, Chairman and CEO of Abbott Laboratories recently wrote about the importance of drug patents for the future of medicine. He began by talking about a case settled by Abbott and the South American country of Brazil. Brazil felt that the price of Abbotts AIDS medication Kaletra, the most widely used AIDS medication, was too high and patients could not afford it. They were threatening to break Abbotts patent and produce a generic version locally in order to treat more patients. The two sides reached an agreement as Abbott agreed to significantly reduce the price per patient and the government agreed to honor the patent.

White points out that while this situation ended well for both parties involved, this issue should not be forgotten. He writes, we cannot let the agreement end discussion of the ideas involved; it is essential that we consider their implications so as to avoid situations that might not be so fortunately resolved. What hangs in the balance is how the world will continue to develop the medicines it needs.

He also writes about the need for a balance to exist between innovation and access to medicine:

The negotiation raised a well-worn chorus of criticisms of the patent system, but failed to address the underlying question: how would our society continue to progress without it? The problem is that our global needs and global systems are in conflict. This threatens to harm one goal, innovation, in the name of another, access to medicine. Access is the goal the world cares about and one taken seriously by innovator companies (those that conduct research and development of new medicines) that have made significant contributions to this end across the developing world – from building healthcare infrastructure in Africa, to drastic price cuts that have benefited a wide range of countries, including Brazil. But it must be recognized that access is inseparable from innovation: without access, innovation is meaningless; without innovation, there is nothing to have access to.

White concludes by quoting President Abraham Lincoln, The patent system added the fuel of interest to the fire of genius. The patent system exists so that innovation can continue. So scientists discoveries are protected.

Antiaging is a multi billion dollar industry and never before have we seen so much marketing directed towards miracle aging solutions and techniques. But how much credence can you put into most of these claims. Antiaging human growth hormone has been a hot subject for a number of years now yet, despite the illegal banner, other than for specific uses, hanging over the distribution of HGH, the hype continues over it’s many benefits.

What Is HGH?

A human growth hormone or HGH is not a steroid. Growth hormones are actually created by the body in your pituitary gland to stimulate growth in humans and animals, and are also known as somatropin or somatotropin.

The human growth hormone is an anabolic hormone and very simply builds it in mass. This is why steroids which cause muscle growth are called anabolic steroids and could easily be confused with human growth hormones. A person’s natural height increase is the best known effect of a growth hormone, but it is also known to generate other metabolic functions including bone strengthening and calcium regeneration and retention.

Human growth hormones also help to create a solid nitrogen balance in the body by increasing the body’s synthesis of protein. Your body’s ability to synthesize protein is essential to function properly and build much needed muscle.

Did You Know?

Human growth hormone is necessary for growth. During our youth, it is in plentiful supply however, it’s diminishing presence begins once adulthood begins and continues to decline at a steady rate thereafter.

How Reliable Are HGH Studies

I’m a little confused about antiaging human growth hormone. The experts tell us why the general population shouldn’t be coaxed by all the marketing promoting their benefits while those promoting it as the “fountain of youth” swear “black and blue” it’s the answer to halting the aging process. So who do you believe?

Let’s examine the term human growth hormone. Truth is it’s only available on prescription and is meant to treat people with deficiency in the growth area. AIDS and HIV Patients who suffer muscle waste are approved to receive HGH treatment along with children suffering from stunted growth.

Are There Benefits

Sure. While studies have been conducted on the effects of growth hormone there is still a lot of unanswered questions and mystery surrounding the real long term effects of GH. In fact, short term studies indicate an increase in both bone density and muscle mass, an improved outlook such as an improvement in mood as well as an increased capacity to maintain premium exercise levels. It’s also found HGH injection treatment has a positive effect on the human heart. But, does it slow aging?

The jury is still out on this question. Until there is some common ground established by the scientific community and those marketing the benefits of HGH the arguments will continue to rage.

More Sensible Alternatives To GH Treatment

Is HGH treatment really just a dangerous shortcut to “fixing” certain areas of our bodily functions? Understandably, in older people, certain areas of our body begin to slow down but are GH injections really the answer.

Good diet and nutrition has been proven over and over again as a safe and reliable way to give our body cells all the ammunition they need to fight the effects of aging and disease. And as far as building muscle and strength, well, wouldn’t exercise such as weight training in conjunction with proper nutritional intake make more sense?