| Mitochondrial disease research
is a small, but expanding field. Like most medical research, it is
tedious, time-consuming, and expensive to conduct.
Unlike many diseases being researched, this family of
diseases is currently considered rare, and that slows research progress
due to the limited number of subjects to study.
As more doctors become aware of these diseases, they
will become more proficient in accurately diagnosing them in a timely
manner. Hopefully, this will help research progress more rapidly and
allow previously mis-diagnosed people to better their quality of life
through more appropriate courses of action.
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Currently, there are only a
handful of mitochondrial specialists worldwide, and even fewer centers
actively researching into the area.
Currently there are two centers in the United States
involved in drug research to help combat the effects of mitochondrial
disorders.
One such center is located in Gainesville, Florida at
Shands Hospital. They are focusing their efforts on reducing high lactic
acid levels through an experimental drug, dichloroacetate (DCA).
Patients involved in the research participate in a
two-year long double-blind study in which sometimes they are given the
drug, and others in which they receive a placebo.
On the west coast, at the University of California San
Diego similar research is being carried out, although patients there
always receive the drug, never a placebo.
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