That's only 10% better performance than those receiving placebos.

Sounds like if they doubled their placebo doses it might work out even better!

Given that 33% of them get better with placebos, maybe it really isn't lupus after all.

Umm... yeah. The anticipated study data, from a clinical program called Bliss-76, showed a 10-milligram dose of Benlysta, plus therapy with steroids, prompted an improvement in 43 percent of patients, compared with an improvement in only 33 percent of patients on the placebo end of the study.

How is this a big deal again? It's obviously no ways near being the breakthrough treatment so desperately needed for autoimmune diseases. The hope has long been to find an approach that can be adapted for a wide spectrum of autoimmune diseases as they do have similarities. Unfortunately treatment options still haven't progressed much for decades.

It's maybe a sad commentary on modern society, but a major problem drug companies are having is that in recent decades, placebo has steadily improved in performance. Thus, it's becoming more and more difficult to show a significant difference.

Take from that what you will.

I have a friend with Lupus. She was given a year to live three years ago. This is really good news if true.

I fell in love with a girl that had lupus, we were perfect for each other, and then we fell out of contact after I said something really stupid, its been 5 years and I'm afraid to try and find her out of fear that she is no longer alive.

yogaFLAME: It's maybe a sad commentary on modern society, but a major problem drug companies are having is that in recent decades, placebo has steadily improved in performance. Thus, it's becoming more and more difficult to show a significant difference.

Take from that what you will.

Wait, what? Really? Placebo has become more effective? Are humans mutating to process sugar* differently? Or are we misdiagnosing more people?

* I grew up thinking of placebo as sugar pills. If that's no longer true, or never was, I have no reason to care.

MonkeyAngst: Wait, what? Really? Placebo has become more effective? Are humans mutating to process sugar* differently? Or are we misdiagnosing more people?

Neither. The whole point of placebo is to generate a psychosomatic reaction (and to use this as your control group) - if you think you're better, you get better. As a society, we are increasingly believing in the power of drugs and their ability to fix us, which augments this effect.

The worst part of lupus? Having to suffer through those "it's not lupus" jokes.

forkandspoon2008: I fell in love with a girl that had lupus, we were perfect for each other, and then we fell out of contact after I said something really stupid

Make me smile wolfie style?

Came here for Mitch. Leaving surly.

monkeyangst: * I grew up thinking of placebo as sugar pills. If that's no longer true, or never was, I have no reason to care.
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They are. Nearly always.

Dawg47: Came here for Mitch. Leaving surly.

Y'know, they say Alcoholism is a disease, but it's the only disease you can get yelled at for having. "Dammit Otto, you're an alcoholic!"..."Dammit Otto, you have Lupus!" One of those two doesn't sound right.