All the people diagnosed with celiac disease know that the only option to get better is to go on the strict gluten free diet FOR LIFE. There is no medication, no pills, no surgery needed. This is actually great, because we don’t need to spend money on medication. We just need to change the diet. But on the other hand maybe it would be nice to take a pill and still be able to eat gluten and not suffer.
So if there was a magic pill for celiac, would you take it? Would you believe it can work? I am sceptic to all those products that claim to help you with celiac symptoms. But we are in XXI century so anything is possible.
I saw a web page about the study that is developing a medication for celiac. (Click here to go to the web site and see full info and details). They claim:
The goal of the CeliAction Study is to determine if there might be an additional way to manage celiac disease, while also maintaining a gluten-free diet.
Well… To be honest if I was taking medication for celiac I would take it only if I could eat gluten again. OK.. Maybe not totally true. But just wonder, are they making pills, so the pharmacy can just charge us for something? They don’t make money on us, so let’s just develop a pill. Let’s tell it will help. And patients pay and pharmacy gets rich. (Patients don’t necessary get better). You see my point?
Few words about the study:
The CeliAction Study is a clinical research study evaluating an investigational medication for celiac disease.
The study will explore whether the study medication is able to improve the damage in the lining of the intestine caused by ingesting even small traces of gluten.
The study will also evaluate whether the investigational medication improves any symptoms of celiac disease. While enrolled in the study, you will be asked to maintain your current gluten-free diet.
And if you wonder if the medication has a name, the answer is yet.
The investigational study medication is called ALV003. ALV003 is a mixture of two different enzymes, which in a test tube can break down gluten into smaller pieces of protein.
Why should take a part in the study?
If you participate, you may receive ALV003 or placebo. No one knows if you will experience any direct health benefits, but the information collected allows researchers to learn more about treating celiac disease, which could possibly help people with celiac disease in the future.
Ok. So here is my question. Would you participate? Would you be a part of the study? Would you risk? You probably know my answer. NO. I wouldn’t be part of it. I wouldn’t be a laboratory bunny. What if side effects are greater than they can expect? This is just my opinion. Maybe you have different view. Please share.
I couldn’t risk participating in the study but am interested to learn how it turns out. I don’t think I would take a pill every day so I could eat gluten but I might consider taking it once in a while such as those times when I can’t control my environment…vacation, company meetings, church pot lucks…
I agree with you. Vacation, travel it is the worst for me. And even eating out. It would be nice to have at least a pill to prevent after affect of cross-contamination. But I am like you. I wouldn’t like to have to take pills every day.
Lactose intolerance can be treated, why not celiac? I would definitely participate, and take the pills if they worked.