Livestream: Ron Davis to speak at Columbia University

I am sure he feels a strong sense of urgency. Because of his son.

 

Thanks @rvallee posting this important point. I agree with @butter. that our current understanding about human biology is less than 5%. After doing post-doctoral training in mammalian biology, then devoting most of my waking life to understanding biology as a professor, I came home so many days wondering why do we even try to do this work? There is SO so much we don't know. It makes so much more sense to be an engineer.

This is why the arrogant attitude of many practicing MD's is laughable to me. I wanna say, "you know only a tiny fraction about human pathophysiology," and you should have an attitude of embarressment, or at least humility with your patients.

 

If you want to listen to this part, it starts here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHY1Q232HsM

 

I think he said that if they don't understand the disease well enough to cure it, they should also focus on prevention (as well as finding a biomarker, treatments and gaining a better understanding of the disease). If you have a cure, I suppose prevention isn't entirely necessary, although it would probably still be better not to get the disease in the first place.

Their priorities, in order, are:

Biomarker
Treatment
Cure
Prevention

An effective treatment could be tantamount to a cure, except that you might have to take a pill or something everyday for the rest of your life. This is the case with a lot of diseases.

Prevention implies that you know the risk factors for the disease and that they are addressable. There is no cure for diabetes, but you can take steps to lower your risk of getting it in the first place. We don't really know how addressable the risk factors for ME are. Perhaps some people may be at a (genetic?) risk following a strong infection. If such people could be identified, then maybe some kind of prolonged recovery protocol could be recommended for them following a bad infection.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHY1Q232HsM

 

I think using the term cure bothers me more than anything. There are many illnesses without a cure, managing specific symptoms with medications is a more realistic approach. As for prevention, pacing can prevent worsening (for some).
Some of us have progressive M.E.

 

Is there evidence of progressive ME... Where does it stop? Mine has been progressive from the start.

 

My dear best friend passed away in 2016 from progressive M.E, he developed severe dysautonomia, severe gut issues, diabetes etc. His CNS was slowly shutting down over the course of 18 years, he never improved despite trying many treatments. I don't experience many of the symptoms he had. Is there a type I and type 2 M.E? I wonder.

 

I am very sorry you are progressive. I truly hope they will discover a treatment soon.

 

So sorry. It's so awful.

 

Someone on the CFS subreddit made a summary of the talk and it has convenient timestamps so here goes. Many thanks for that.

 

This is the slide showing the two tests that seem to be new - see items 5 and 6. I don't believe any data from these two have been described in his talks.

 

HI.

I am very severe and progressive too. Would you be open to talk about your friend? If so, please PM me.