The Human Trial (2022) Poster

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8/10
It's Very Good, You Should Watch it, However....
brionh4 December 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I've been type 1 Diabetic since I was 2 years old. I am about to turn 49. The documentary is very well done, the 93 minutes flew by, I was engaged the whole time, and left me wanting more. Seeing Lisa at the very beginning open Loop/FreeAPS on her iPhone, lets those that know: This is going to be good. "We are not waiting".

I understand that the point of this documentary, and even the name of it, is about following 2 people through a human trial, the researchers that are trying to cure the disease, the hope of fellow suffers of the disease, and ultimately, a cure from this human trial.

However.

I just feel disappointed. The ultimate question is: "Where are we with a cure for diabetes". Viacyte or not. This human trial, or others. I am not sure how or why Brian Shelton wasn't interviewed or mentioned in this. I am not sure why it wasn't mentioned at all that Viacyte was bought out by Vertex, other than maybe that news came later than the final edit of this film, but still could have somehow had a mention on an end screen.

We are farther ahead in curing Type 1 Diabetes than the ending of this documentary would suggest. I get why Viacyte was the sole focus, but there are so many more equally, if not better than, promising leads from other biotech companies as well. To name just a few off the top of my head, Itolerance, Sernova, and especially Vertex: who had the first in human, lab grown, can be mass produced, islet cells, put into Brian Shelton, and worked at a <50% dose. How could this be ignored? I guess the answer is, it falls out of the 2 people that were followed for this trial... idk, the real point in my humble opinion, is where are we with a cure, and the documentary falls short of this.

Again, the documentary is very good, and worth watching. There's a lot that goes on behind the scenes of the medical journal articles, and headlines, that is shown here, and appreciated. It's also very easy to be a couch critic. The making of this film is top notch. The editing was spot on. It's just all around very well done following all sides of a human trial, like the title suggests; my only complaint is it's not up to date enough on where we are with a cure.

Brionh at brionh com.
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7/10
Science is hard. Clinical trials are even harder.
MEMangan22 April 2023
The process of science, even at the level of benchwork in the lab, is full of ups and downs. Highs and lows. Things that work. Things that don't work.

But you have to accept that sometimes the things that don't work teach you a lot as well. Success is hard won, and it is not quick.

Adding in the variable of having to test your ideas in actual humans--that's a huge challenge and carries real risk. Yest there are some incredibly brave humans who are willing to take those risks to provide us with knowledge for the future.

This film offers a look at what that process is like from the clinical trial patient's perspectives. And it shows that their efforts are just as important at those of the researchers--maybe even more.

Huge respect to those who take the chances to help us learn things and move forward. It really is a brave choice. Thank you.
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