New medicines help African Americans





There’s good news for members of the African American community who are at risk for asthma, diabetes and sickle-cell disease. New medicines are being developed by America’s pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies to help fight these and other diseases of particular concern to African Americans.

Asthma. African Americans have higher asthma rates than any other racial and ethnic group in the United States and are three times more likely to die from asthma than are whites, according to the American Lung Association.

One new medicine now being developed represents a new generation of inhaled corticosteroids. The medicine is intended to reduce inflammation in the lungs and airways.

Breast cancer. African American women are 10 percent less likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer but are 35 percent more likely to die from the disease, according to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Minority Health.

A new medicine in the pipeline for breast cancer targets the Bcl-2 protein. By reducing the amount of this protein in cancer cells, the medicine may enhance the effectiveness of chemotherapy.

Diabetes. African Americans are nearly two times more likely to have diabetes than whites, according to the American Diabetes Association. A recent survey by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America reveals that one medicine now in development has been shown to improve both long-term glycemic control and the imbalance between insulin and glucose that causes type 2 diabetes.

Prostate cancer. African American men are nearly 2.5 times as likely to die from prostate cancer as compared to white men, according to the Office of Minority Health.

Several vaccines are currently being studied as possible treatments for cancer. One potential vaccine has tripled the survival rate of men with advanced prostate cancer in clinical trials.

Sicklecell disease. An inherited disorder, sickle-cell disease can clog the blood vessels, depriving the patient of oxygen and often causing severe pain, progressive organ failure and reduced life span.

One medicine now in development is designed to address a problem with the lining of the blood vessels. Studies suggest that this dysfunction may play a role in sicklecell disease and the vascular problems associated with it.

To learn more about new medicines in development, visit www.PhRMA.org.

This story provided by North American Precis Syndicate Inc.


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