Cystic fibrosis breakthrough has given patients a chance to live longer • Hacker News Board

Re: Cystic fibrosis breakthrough has given patients a chance to live longer

#111

Post by dan-robertson » Sun, Mar 10, 2024, 11:30 AM UTC

cbeach wrote: post #53

COGlory wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sorry for the potentially insensitive question, but I really am wondering about this: >One side effect I should mention: many report extreme anxiety. However, I was starting an anxiety medication for the first time (something I should have done 20 years ago, but alas ...) and so those effects were muted or hidden to me. I would have imagined that most people with CF already had extreme anxiety - wondering when the in…

On the subject of correlation/causation, I once took a drug called Accutane to cure my teenage acne. Listed side effects included: "Mental health issues depression, psychosis, aggressive behaviour and suicide ideation and attempts" Accutane was the best medicine I ever took. It resolved my acne (permanently) in a matter of weeks. I felt elated afterwards and never experienced mental side effects. However, prior to th…

Yeah a lot of the side effects you listed sound a bit like they could be within normal expectations for teenagers, or just slightly heightened. Reminds me of an SSRI that happened to also massively reduce caffeine metabolisation without anyone noticing, and loads of the known side effects were really just effects of caffeine overdose – insomnia, jitters, headaches, etc.

Re: Cystic fibrosis breakthrough has given patients a chance to live longer

#112

Post by TotalCrackpot » Sun, Mar 10, 2024, 11:53 AM UTC

dan-robertson wrote: post #110

TotalCrackpot wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't really see how you become a quant on Wall Street before you finish the CS degree, they I think look at credentials a lot, can you at least give the name of the prop shop that hired you without a formal education? Did you have any good results in algorithmic competitions or math competitions in high school? And how did you learn programming without an actual computer? Did your parents buy you a computer when y…

Some shops care more than others. Going to a target school also matters a lot more for interns/new grads than for more experienced hires.

How do you practice for becoming a quant outside of the academic system?

Re: Cystic fibrosis breakthrough has given patients a chance to live longer

#113

Post by maxerickson » Sun, Mar 10, 2024, 12:41 PM UTC

amplicons4ever wrote: post #52

elektor wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"In 2037 the patent will run out, and the generic price will likely be 90% less." Unfortunately, that's not guaranteed to bring a price drop. Humira is a good example of that; it recently went generic but much of the savings went to higher rebates to pharmacy benefits managers. Some reading for anyone curious: https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/...

You're talking apples and oranges... Humira is a monoclonal antibody (a biologic drug), not a small molecule. Biologics require cell culture systems and a completely different manufacturing process than small molecules, and are very complex drugs. The "generics" (called biosimilars) aren't significantly cheaper because they're simply very expensive to manufacture at scale. Humira or its "generics/biosimilars" will ne…

I don't feel bad for the insurance companies either, but it is the case that they get their money from the people they cover, expensive treatments will drive up overall premiums.

Re: Cystic fibrosis breakthrough has given patients a chance to live longer

#114

Post by darkclouds » Sun, Mar 10, 2024, 1:21 PM UTC

paulpauper wrote: post #44

bdcravens wrote: post #4

I have CF, and I take Trikafta. Before Trikafta, I usually had a 5+ day stay in the hospital every year, and sometimes I have would very stubborn respiratory infections that just wouldn't go away. I was mentally preparing myself for inevitable decline and eventual death. Trikafta changed my situation dramatically. I've had no hospitalizations, and most the classic CF symptoms are either gone or extremely diminished.…

weight gain. With CF the pancreas is blocked, so you lack in digestive enzymes, and it's a struggle to maintain a healthy enough weight to battle respiratory infections. After Trikafta, I gained some 30 pounds, and have a big belly on my small frame This seems like a no-brainer way to treat obesity, by restricting or blocking such enzymes. Obviously the downside is diarrhea and other malabsorption symptoms, but obese…

[dead]

Re: Cystic fibrosis breakthrough has given patients a chance to live longer

#115

Post by junon » Sun, Mar 10, 2024, 2:24 PM UTC

COGlory wrote: post #6

bdcravens wrote: post #4

I have CF, and I take Trikafta. Before Trikafta, I usually had a 5+ day stay in the hospital every year, and sometimes I have would very stubborn respiratory infections that just wouldn't go away. I was mentally preparing myself for inevitable decline and eventual death. Trikafta changed my situation dramatically. I've had no hospitalizations, and most the classic CF symptoms are either gone or extremely diminished.…

Sorry for the potentially insensitive question, but I really am wondering about this: >One side effect I should mention: many report extreme anxiety. However, I was starting an anxiety medication for the first time (something I should have done 20 years ago, but alas ...) and so those effects were muted or hidden to me. I would have imagined that most people with CF already had extreme anxiety - wondering when the in…

Just an anecdote.

My best friend died of CF just a few years ago. He talked candidly about his eventual death, to the extent it was uncomfortable at first (but we ended up being to the level of making jokes about it, which I think was a positive thing for both of us).

He changed his WhatsApp status to a coffin and skull-and-bones emoji right before he went, just as a joke.

He didn't live with a shred of anxiety - least anxious person I've ever met. Dude was down for anything and everything, and could have probably fought off a bear despite being comically short and concerningly skinny. Easily one of the most kind and relaxed souls I've ever met.

Re: Cystic fibrosis breakthrough has given patients a chance to live longer

#116

Post by currymj » Sun, Mar 10, 2024, 2:34 PM UTC

TotalCrackpot wrote: post #109

fnordpiglet wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, I’m a software engineer. I barely graduated high school because I was too busy smoking pot and programming at a time when you needed a degree to get a good job so didn’t have much opportunities despite being pretty skilled at programming. I got a job at Netscape tho as one of the first tech companies that didn’t look at credentials before skill. I did well there and did my own companies. But before I had nothing…

I don't really see how you become a quant on Wall Street before you finish the CS degree, they I think look at credentials a lot, can you at least give the name of the prop shop that hired you without a formal education? Did you have any good results in algorithmic competitions or math competitions in high school? And how did you learn programming without an actual computer? Did your parents buy you a computer when y…

early 2000s was a different time also. nerd career paths hadn’t yet become prestigious and formalized.

there were no middle schoolers optimizing their resumes for how to get a Jane Street internship in 8 years bc Jane Street was only a few years old. same for a lot of other firms.

Re: Cystic fibrosis breakthrough has given patients a chance to live longer

#117

Post by derivative7 » Sun, Mar 10, 2024, 2:44 PM UTC

kelnos wrote: post #85

cbeach wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've seen conversations like this before, regarding the heavy cost that Big Pharma levies on treatments for major diseases. And US companies frequently come up in these discussions. But the alternative, without the massive cashflows, is a world where the research never happens, and the diseases haunt us forever. The Big Pharma treatments will eventually become public domain, and may inspire other cheaper treatments p…

What about direct government funding? Isn't that a reasonable alternative? Maybe not a politically-popular one, but I wouldn't be surprised if health care overall would be cheaper under a system where pharma research is done with public money, and then isn't allowed to be patented. Might even in save enough money to avoid much in the way of extra taxes to fund it. Hell, a lot of medical research is funded (in part) b…

Most taxpayers don't have cystic fibrosis and hence don't want to pay to have it cured. Not feasible. This hypothetical is kind of lame.

Re: Cystic fibrosis breakthrough has given patients a chance to live longer

#118

Post by Sammi » Sun, Mar 10, 2024, 2:51 PM UTC

joney_baloney wrote: post #101

bdcravens wrote: post #4

I have CF, and I take Trikafta. Before Trikafta, I usually had a 5+ day stay in the hospital every year, and sometimes I have would very stubborn respiratory infections that just wouldn't go away. I was mentally preparing myself for inevitable decline and eventual death. Trikafta changed my situation dramatically. I've had no hospitalizations, and most the classic CF symptoms are either gone or extremely diminished.…

My younger brother has CF and takes Trikafta and it's absolutely made all the difference in the world, it's wonderful to see. Watching all the years of research and CFF funding finally pay off is really something. My personal situation is probably pretty unique, in that I have CF as well, but had a double lung tx many years ago. A couple years ago my transplant team (actually it may have been the CF people.. fuzzy me…

Yes but CF affects all liquids in your whole body. You can get diffuse long term damage anywhere and everywhere in your body. Having to eat calorie amounts like someone without CF sounds like a good tradeoff in order to not risk this damage.

Re: Cystic fibrosis breakthrough has given patients a chance to live longer

#119

Post by fnordpiglet » Sun, Mar 10, 2024, 3:35 PM UTC

TotalCrackpot wrote: post #109

fnordpiglet wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, I’m a software engineer. I barely graduated high school because I was too busy smoking pot and programming at a time when you needed a degree to get a good job so didn’t have much opportunities despite being pretty skilled at programming. I got a job at Netscape tho as one of the first tech companies that didn’t look at credentials before skill. I did well there and did my own companies. But before I had nothing…

I don't really see how you become a quant on Wall Street before you finish the CS degree, they I think look at credentials a lot, can you at least give the name of the prop shop that hired you without a formal education? Did you have any good results in algorithmic competitions or math competitions in high school? And how did you learn programming without an actual computer? Did your parents buy you a computer when y…

A lot of quants didn’t go to college. On my team at a top trading desk at a top bank we had about 15 people, 4 of which never went to college. I actually got an internship due to a person on the desk having worked for me prior and went full time then finished my degree, so was already in school. But many folks took an alternate route. They were usually well experienced when they were hired. But in an arms race where what you can do is more important than nominal credentials a degree simply makes it easier.

No, I was a total loser in high school. I barely graduated and had awful test scores and did no extracurricular activities other than smoke pot.

My grandparents bought me a computer when I was young, I think because my mom saw how much I was interested in them. It was a c64, but had no storage devices so I had to type in programs from scratch each time which was a tall order for a 6yo, but I did it anyway. At some point someone gave me a 486dx2 board that was an extra and I built my first Linux box running 0.96. My schools also had an internet connection and I could get dialup access to some sunos boxes and some NeXT boxes in the library when I was in high school. One of my greatest wishes growing up was to have enough money to have the best monitor since my monitors were always garbage. My house now has nice TVs and monitors everywhere LOL, but they’ll never hold a candle to my first VGA monochrome monitor I delivered papers for a year to buy.

Re: Cystic fibrosis breakthrough has given patients a chance to live longer

#120

Post by fnordpiglet » Sun, Mar 10, 2024, 3:38 PM UTC

TotalCrackpot wrote: post #112

dan-robertson wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some shops care more than others. Going to a target school also matters a lot more for interns/new grads than for more experienced hires.

How do you practice for becoming a quant outside of the academic system?

You do things because you love it and couldn’t do anything other than that. You build and study not because you want a job but because when you wake up in the morning everything else you have to do is a chore and the reason you live is to learn and see things work. If that’s who you are, you will struggle with the chores of life like shelter and food for a while but you’ll learn and do so much of value people can’t ignore it.