Source: Fox News
Summary
Eric Dane’s death has sparked conversations about the speed and severity of ALS, a progressive illness also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. ALS is a debilitating and fatal disease that affects about 5,000 people in the US each year, with an average life expectancy of two to five years. Symptoms include muscle weakness, stiffness, and cramping, and the disease can progress rapidly. There is currently no cure or treatment to stop disease progression, although there are treatments to slow and ease symptoms. Researchers are working on new therapies that take a personalized approach, but funding for ALS research and awareness is still needed.
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The advice sounds familiar.
ALS research has been ongoing for years, with the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge in 2014 raising $115 million toward ALS research and patient care. However, the disease still lacks a cure or treatment to stop progression. Researchers are now focusing on personalized approaches, but the estimated cost to develop a drug that would slow or stop disease progression is $2 billion. The annual estimated out-of-pocket cost for care is $250,000. As researchers continue to work on new therapies, the need for funding and awareness remains.
It’s a familiar cycle: a disease sparks concern, research increases, and then the attention fades. ALS is no exception. The disease has been around for decades, and while progress has been made, much work remains to be done.
ALS is a muscle weakness disease that affects nerves that innervate muscles, usually starting on one side. The disease progresses rapidly in most cases, impacting speech and ultimately attacking the diaphragm, making it difficult to fully inflate the lungs.
Author: Evan Null
