Guanidine in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Abstract

To the Editor: Unsolicited publicity in the press has called attention to our study of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The stories imply that we cure this fatal disease with medicine costing only 3¢ per tablet, and that Lou Gehrig would be alive today if it had been tried in his case. The medication in question is guanidine hydrochloride,^{1 2 3} which sells wholesale at the price cited but is not a cure of this fatal disease.Beginning five years ago, patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis were given guanidine in combination or alternating with other medications. The rationale for such a trial is that . . .