The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 5,000 Americans are diagnosed with ALS (or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) every year. The debilitating and progressive illness robs individuals of their work life and career, causing muscle weakness; stiffness in the hands, feet, legs and ankles; difficulty walking and swallowing; muscle cramps; twitching; and slurred speech. Sadly, most people only live two to three years after being diagnosed with the illness.
While there is no known cure for ALS, a new treatment offers hope for those affected by the disease. The experimental drug, which is still in clinical trials, appears to slow the progression of the disease and improve the lifespan of those affected by the illness.
Darryl C. Murphy of WBUR News, Boston’s NPR news station, has reported that the Food and Drug Administration is encouraged enough by a new treatment for ALS that they have “opened the door to early approval” for the medication.
