Pool Chemicals Linked to Health Problems. Again.
I’ve written about swimming pools and lung health several times before, but this research is a little different. University of Illinois researchers used DNA technology to study the cell damage of tap water vs. pool water.
Could Interferon for Asthma Mean Losing the Inhalers?
Apparently, this protein already used to treat multiple sclerosis and some cancers has also been found to block the Th2 cells that cause asthma. In the lab at least. Human trials haven’t started yet, but could you imagine? Stopping asthma where it starts? Fixing the actual root problem rather than treating and preventing the symptoms? It boggles the mind.
Check Your Advair Diskus Lot Numbers
The safety and efficacy of your Advair may be compromised if it came from this stolen batch. (No, really. Stolen inhalers – who knew?)
Scratch and Sniff Wallpaper
You guys, this is one step away from Willy Wonka right here.
Interferon for asthma eh? Interesting
What I dont see in the article is any indication of how bad the side effects would be for asthmatics. Or how to lower the occurrence or anything like that. I say this because my recently-deceased mother (and I do mean recently, 7-15-10, so bear in mind my comments may be clouded by that) had hepatitis C and did try interferon shots several years back. The side effects were akin to what youd see with chemo, and only barely worth it in terms of risk vs benefit. Anyone have any info available as to whether interferon sides are still as bad and if they would be expected to effect asthmatics the same way? If its like it was for mom? I have to say i wouldnt think its worth it in that case.
I like this. Especially this no inhalers thing and fixing the actual root of asthma, that rocks. Plus scratch and sniff wallpaper. Seriously, who THINKS of this stuff?! Crazy.
Ew, ew, ew…. still haven’t taken my AG to a pool yet, and now…. ugh. The only thing worse was a brief blip on the news the other day about the levels of bacteria found at our beach (I live in the NW, so it’s an inlet from the ocean). If only I had enough money for a house of our own so she could just use a sprinkler or a kiddie pool… being kinda poor really sucks!
Also, I was going to say something about the Interferon, but Samantha beat me to it. I’ve worked with claims, specifically catastrophic ones, in the past, so I have seen numerous side effects from it, including one case of an allergic-type “overdose” reaction (she hadn’t actually taken more than was prescribed, she was just sensitive to it)…this can be some really nasty stuff.
I’ll definitely check my inhaler when I get home today. I seem to recall hearing about something similar with Advair this time last year.
As for interferon, I don’t know if they’d use it as an asthma treatment due to the risk/benefit profile, but I bet it will become a “lead” compound for developing novel asthma drugs down the road, and that’s cool.
Samantha & Kelley & Sarah – Since researchers haven’t even tested it on cells taken from humans yet (not to mention actual humans), I’m hoping they’ve got plenty of room/time/plans to figure out a treatment w/out similar side effects. Assuming, of course, it works in the next stage of trials at all. Sarah has a good point, too, about lead compounds. Samantha, I’m so sorry for the loss of your mother.
Kelley – I can’t lie. We’re not going to stop going to the outdoor pools anytime soon, especially on the really hot days, but I’m still limiting the indoor ones. Plus, we don’t go everyday or anything. But yeah, still scary.
Kerri – I wonder how many people have actually bought the wallpaper!
Interferon is renowned for unpleasant side effects, but from what I understand from its use in children for chronic Hep b, it is much easier on kids than on adults. Typically children have mild flu-like symptoms for 24 hours or so after the shot (fever spikes, lethargy, aches/pains) and then do fairly well. Until the next shot a week later. But if it means no more asthma. Ever. something to think about.
I just want to know if I can get the snozzberry wallpaper.
would someone need to take the interferon forever? If so, that has OTHER repercussions that have little to do with health, but also need to be thought about. Someone on interferon probably doens’t want to get pregnant and carry a child. I have a friend with Hep C, and had to adopt, because of the medication she takes, Interferon being one of them.
Also, it looks like it’s just for allergic asthma, but I might have been reading it wrong.
I love the Friday Links
Risk/benefits wise, the level of craziness and mutiny that would occur from stopping my two asthma kids from going to pools would totally outweigh any possible benefits. Just sayin.
Interferon (at least in adults) can cause major blood sugar spikes too.. thatd be another thing id want to know more about in terms of asthma use. Trading asthma for diabetes might not be worth it… But yeah if they have some time/room to work it out so its not so devastatingly chemo-like as it was for my mother, it could be a really interesting possibility
Allison–Now that’s interesting. Mild flu symptoms, I can definitely handle. We do that all the time!
Sara C. & Samantha–I’m thinking that if side effects couldn’t be avoided or limited, then it would probably only be approved for very severe cases that don’t respond to treatment. Just a guess, though.
Lpnmom–Exactly. When the article mentions “long-term,” I’m choosing to read that as “Most of the day and mostly every day” and not the times we go during these hot, hot summer months.
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