Did the Ice Bucket Challenge really lead to ALS research breakthroughs?

Everyone, it seems, knows about the Ice Bucket Challenge, the viral phenomenon that raised record-breaking sums for the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Association. This feel-good movement was critiqued by many, but no one can claim it was a bad thing: It raised lots of money, the overwhelming majority (96 percent) of which was used to support research or services or education related to this horrible disease. What’s wrong with that? The problem arises when we indulge the false narrative that these sorts of short-term infusions of money lead to major scientific “breakthroughs.” This absurd argument — that the Ice Bucket Challenge has led to a “breakthrough” in ALS research — is now being made on the pages of the venerable Washington Post, and was widely picked up by many other news outlets. The reporting was based on a study that first appeared in Science magazine, which explained issues relating to a dysfunctional protein in ALS patients, suggesting that this discovery could lead to new therapeutic strategies in treating the disease. Continue reading ... Your patients are rating you online: How to respond. Manage your online reputation: A social media guide. Find out how.
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - Category: Journals (General) Authors: Tags: Conditions Neurology Source Type: blogs