Some clinicians are also researchers, or at least enjoy research. And as this is a very novel product, it would be interesting to see if pulmonary specialists and/or asthma & allergy specialists would consider doing studies with their own patients. Some doctors are already recommending this product, others are cautiously recommending it. They already have the control group, too!
It may take 20-30 years before we know whether or not this product truly does reduce cancer or heart disease. But a study over the course of a year could give some data for us fairly quickly about lung function, and followups yearly would be possible to get new data. While I was specifically thinking about COPD from smoking, it would also be interesting to see how asthmatics or people with borderline COPD react to the product.
The design of such a study would be fairly easy.... when one of their patients decides to quit, if they choose the electronic cigarette, ask them if they'd be willing to submit to lung function tests on a monthly or quarterly basis. They could also use a peak flow meter at home and track the results there, as well as how many times rescue inhalers were used. They could also ask a group of their current patients who are still smokers to do the same thing. Compare the results of the two groups. A third group could be added for people who quit with traditional nicotine replacement or cold turkey.
I guess my thought is that if we're already guinea pigs, we might as well contribute scientifically! I already have to keep logs of peak flow meter results and I've noticed an improvement after just the few days I've been vaping. I don't have COPD ("yet", as my doctor said), but I'm on Advair and a rescue inhaler for asthma that is severely irritated by my smoking.
Plus, if a clinician was doing the research instead of it being funded by companies like Blu or SE or places selling a product, it would be likely to be taken much more seriously in the medical community, even with the flaws that would be inherent in such a study (hard to get the samples evenly based for sex and age, length of smoking, variations in products used, etc).
It may take 20-30 years before we know whether or not this product truly does reduce cancer or heart disease. But a study over the course of a year could give some data for us fairly quickly about lung function, and followups yearly would be possible to get new data. While I was specifically thinking about COPD from smoking, it would also be interesting to see how asthmatics or people with borderline COPD react to the product.
The design of such a study would be fairly easy.... when one of their patients decides to quit, if they choose the electronic cigarette, ask them if they'd be willing to submit to lung function tests on a monthly or quarterly basis. They could also use a peak flow meter at home and track the results there, as well as how many times rescue inhalers were used. They could also ask a group of their current patients who are still smokers to do the same thing. Compare the results of the two groups. A third group could be added for people who quit with traditional nicotine replacement or cold turkey.
I guess my thought is that if we're already guinea pigs, we might as well contribute scientifically! I already have to keep logs of peak flow meter results and I've noticed an improvement after just the few days I've been vaping. I don't have COPD ("yet", as my doctor said), but I'm on Advair and a rescue inhaler for asthma that is severely irritated by my smoking.
Plus, if a clinician was doing the research instead of it being funded by companies like Blu or SE or places selling a product, it would be likely to be taken much more seriously in the medical community, even with the flaws that would be inherent in such a study (hard to get the samples evenly based for sex and age, length of smoking, variations in products used, etc).
