Head start for common cold?

Press, 2 September 1980, Page 13

Head start for common cold?

-; : NZPA ; ’. London s’’The' common cold, j’ which-makes its' presence s ;'sb ' uncomfortably -felt in rime nose, often originates -.in. the mind, according to r’ifte'latest research by the -Common Cold -Research WVi -c <- ■- ■■ IfeDrn'John Wallace . . a clinical*. observer at the i : 4ihit< ;( ih :/ - Salisbury, said ■-■.that-recent studies of vol- : uhteers showed psycholo’;Xical.factors to be impor- • ■' - : ■- • ■ *? ■ iy- “W.jfaaye thought. for a long time that an unplea- , ..- experience - ‘ might .-Snigger- off a cold, but it .. jibw .seems that .it-..is a . psychological change, whether •. pleasant or un- . '.pleasant, which is important,*’ he-said - \ Researchers estimated Matithey were five to 10

years away from finding a widely Available, cure or pre vt n t iv.e: for the common cold The, only- drug which has been found effective is interferon, which is very scarce ■■ and expensive. Its possible applications in the treatment of some -forms of cancer have ruled out using such an expensive drug to treat the common cold. Up to 500 volunteers a year spend 10 days at the unit, where, researchers strive, to- make half of them ill. ’All- volunteers are injected, but only half are given nasal drops containing viruses. The others are given clear water to ensure that volunteers do not catch a ■ cold simply because they have been told that-they will. - .;