Lorenzo's Oil

Lorenzo's Oil Essay

The film is based on the true story of Augusto and Michaela Odone and their son Lorenzo. In 1984 Lorenzo came down with adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), a rare inherited disease. Doctors said that he would lose all his functions and die within two to three years. Refusing to accept this grim verdict, the Odones set out on a mission to find a treatment for ALD and to save their child. In their quest for a treatment the Odones often clashed with doctors, scientists, and support groups, who were doubting that anything could be done about ALD. Their persistent struggle tested the boundaries of conventional medicine.

The Odones haunted medical libraries, reviewed countless animal experiments, badgered researchers, questioned top doctors all over the world, and persisted until a solution came to them in a moment of inspiration. They commissioned a special type of oil from a British firm, which normalized the accumulation of very long chain fatty acids in the brain, the hallmark of ALD.

The film ends on a positive note, showing several healthy children who, having followed a course of treatment with Lorenzo's Oil, remained symptom-free. The conclusion relates that Lorenzo can communicate again by a modified sign language, and that Augusto Odone was awarded an honorary Ph.D. for his pioneering work in researching and discovering a significant treatment for ALD.

ALD is an inherited genetic disorder linked to the X sex chromosome. Because of the way genetic inheritance works, only boys have the most severe form of ALD. The disorder leaves the body unable to break down big fat molecules. Recent research shows that this is most likely due to a carrier protein that fails to work correctly and carry the fat molecules to where they would be broken down. Some symptoms shown in the movie Lorenzo's Oil were hyperactive, clumsy, audio difficulty, and seizures. Adrenal function must be tested periodically in all patients with ALD. Treatment with adrenal hormones can be lifesaving. Symptomatic and supportive treatments for ALD include physical therapy, psychological support, and special education. Recent evidence suggests that a mixture of oleic acid and euric acid, known as "Lorenzo's Oil," administered to boys with X-ALD can reduce or delay the appearance of symptoms. Bone marrow transplants can provide long-term benefit to boys who have early evidence of X-ALD, but the procedure carries risk of mortality and morbidity and is not recommended for those whose symptoms are already severe or who have the adult-onset or neonatal forms. Oral administration of docosahexanoic acid (DHA) may help infants and children with neonatal ALD.

I believe that the portrayal of the medical community was entirely accurate in the film. I believe this because it takes enormous amounts of time to test a new treatment for any disease and you can't t just release it in the world without testing it and making a full inquiry on it. Such measures should be taken, because innocent individuals lives could be diminished because of it, and that's a large price to pay, just because you want