People who have diabetic neuropathy do not appear to benefit from a synthetic version of human nerve growth factor (rhNGF), according to a new study.
Researchers compared 418 patients who received injections of rhNGF three times a week for 48 weeks with 461 patients who received placebo injections.
Of those receiving the drug:
31% of the patients improved 38% worsened 31% remained unchanged These results were actually slightly worse than those experienced by patients who received placebo.
Patients who received rhNGF were also much more likely to have pain or sensitivity at the injection site, muscle aches, and swelling.
The drug is a genetically engineered version of a naturally-occurring growth factor that plays a major role in the development and maintenance of the peripheral nervous system.
The Journal of the American Medical Association November 1, 2000; 284: 2215-2221
There are two other major examples in medicine which has a superficially "natural" therapy. The first is the use of interferon for MS and hepatitis C. The second is tumor necrosis factor for rheumatoid arthritis. Although these are "natural" therapies they can be every bit as deadly when forced on the body in a way that it was not designed to function with. Although these natural chemicals are in fact are a part of the healing process, the proper way to resolve the illness is to optimize the body through nutritional, structural, emotional and spiritual work so it can make these chemicals in the perfect amount and with the proper timing to resolve the illness.
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