Two days ago a story made its way around the Internet, promoting the idea that 8 year old girls experiencing early puberty might benefit from metformin administration to delay the progression of PCOS. The argument was that these girls needed their fertility"protected". What the article neglected to acknowledge was that while metformin does appear to improve the rate of conception, it does not reduce the rate of miscarriage. I've written about this in a previous post.
I wrote an article with more detail about my feelings about this issue for my writing assignment as the Beverly Hills Women's Health writer for the Los Angeles Examiner. If you didn't know I also write over there, you can find all of my posts through the link I provided above.
With all due respect to the researchers so very excited to report this finding, I'm not impressed. Our little girls need to be treated as if they are more than just another profitable target market for a drug that has lost its patent and is looking for a new clinical indication/patent opportunity/way to keep sales going.
I mean, you'd think after spending 5 1/2 hours on this blog in the past year the researchers at Bristol Myers Squibb would've come up with something far more creative and helpful. So, BMS researchers, I would have told you this if you'd flat out asked, but since I don't have the money to build a research lab with anywhere near the capability of yours and just want someone to pursue the idea on behalf of helping 1 out of 10 women achieve better quality of life…I'll tell you what I would have told you had you been willing to admit you were even reading my stuff when I contacted you about it. Here is what I would do to get the patent and keep the revenue coming in so your reproductive scientists can keep their jobs.
Since the American public has now been conditioned to believe if it's not a prescription medication it can't possibly work, I propose you figure out a way to manufacture a metformin/fish oil combo pill. That way you get your money and the women who need the fish oil…actually take it.
There. You heard it here first. If you actually do something with this idea, sure would be nice to get some credit for it.
Oh and BMS, thanks for all the time on the blog. You've really helped our advertising rates, which helps us to research and advocate for non-medicinal answers to hormone problems. We'll never put you out of business…but we just might be able to give you a little bit of a run for your money.: )