A regulatory framework Although common in other process manufacturing industries (e.g., food and chemicals), continuous processing is at a nascent stage in the pharmaceutical industry, where batch manufacturing is the prevailing mode.
When the motor neurons in the brainstem are affected (bulbar ALS), the muscles used in speech and swallowing are impaired. ALS only affects muscles that are moved voluntarily (such as those in the mouth or arm) and does not impact those muscles involved in involuntary movements, such as digestion.
The initial symptoms of ALS can be quite varied in different people. One person may have trouble grasping a pen or lifting a coffee cup, while another person may experience a change in vocal pitch when speaking. ALS is typically a disease that involves a gradual onset. The rate at which ALS progresses can be quite variable from one person to another. Although the mean survival time with ALS is three to five years, many people live five, 10 or more years. Symptoms can begin in the muscles that control speech and swallowing or in the hands, arms, legs or feet.