The immune-suppressing drug rapamycin, originally used for kidney transplants, is gaining attention for its potential to slow aging.

  • Soulcreator@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    See that’s the interesting thing about rapamycin, it’s an old drug that has been used for immuno-suppression for years now, only just now scientists are discovering this interesting side effect. The patient on rapamycin has expired so you can get a generic prescription for cheap.

    But ironically because the patent expired there’s no money in it for the drug companies to get it approved for longevity purposes, so who knows if it will ever become approved for this purpose.

    • ikidd@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      There are one or two countries outside the US that can approve drugs for use.

      • Soulcreator@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        Indeed there are, but just under half of all of medical studies performed world wide are performed in the States, roughly half of the world’s pharmaceutical companies based in the States, and the US has consistently lead the world in medical innovations, with almost 50 percent more innovations than from the EU and Switzerland combined.

        My point is not to sound US centric, but to say there is a lot of capital and willpower in the US pharmaceutical industry, and without that willpower it will be significantly harder to get rapamycin accepted as a viable longevity drug.