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Is there a cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis?

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There is no cure for ALS. Devices such as wheelchairs and speech synthesizers can help patients maintain independence. Research into treatment has concentrated on neurotrophic factors (proteins that assist nerve growth and health) and glutamate blockers. Rilutek (formerly Riluzole), the first drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of ALS (1995), adds a few months to the life expectancy of most patients but does not relieve symptoms. Another drug, myotrophin, seemed somewhat promising in early studies (1996), but its effectiveness was not confirmed and it has not been approved.

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