Medical research is essential to the advancement of medical science, and this post looks at 3 particular examples.
Medical professionals and scientists use much of their time and resources finding treatments for illnesses or enhancing existing approaches. One of the more recent developments has been the steps made toward treating multiple sclerosis. In 2017 this was one of the greatest pieces of medical research news, and this research is only made feasible by the funding made by charities, government authorities or charitable people such as Michael de Picciotto. Without the investment, most of the medical innovations made recently would not have been attainable. Much of the research is very expensive and involves a tremendous volume of labour, technological gear and testing. Multiple sclerosis affects about 2.3 million people worldwide, so the research made is important and life altering for many individuals.
Some medical research can reach conclusions that are surprising in terms of the treatments they come to. For example, in 2017, medical research determined that olive oil has qualities that can protect the brain from Alzheimer’s disease. Scientists from the UK and Switzerland discovered that products, such as olive oil and green tea, help to enhance the level of anti-bodies that defend the brain from Alzheimer’s disease. The medical research made at these universities is funded both by the fees paid by students, but also by philanthropists who give to the medical departments of universities. Ronald Perelman is one of the largest donators in the world, and has given funds to create whole departments, such as the department of Dermatology at an American university. Universities provide a number of the largest medical breakthroughs, so these contributions are essential to the progression in our understanding of medicine. Universities supply a great deal of research as they are not limited by spending as much time working in hospitals treating patients; instead they utilise their time to understand how to better treatment plans, rather than administering it themselves.
One of the greatest investment plans for medical research is toward cancer research, which is about the most prevalent diseases worldwide. Although, with the comprehensive charitable donations by philanthropists the progress made is significant. This field is one of the largest medical research topics, so it will need the most financing. This need for financial support is met by charitable organisations and individuals such as Sean Parker who built a cancer immunotherapy institute. The biggest UK charity reportedly raises £650m a year in funding from the general public, which displays the scale of the issue. As rich people can contribute large amounts in one sum, this capital could be used to create whole establishments which do some of the most important research. In countries such as the UK, with a public health service, it is vitally vital that they receive contributions from the public, as this will allow them to provide much better treatment and do more thorough and extensive research.