If we have so much technology, why can’t we cure the common cold?

Question: If we have so much technology, why can't we cure the common cold?
- Keywords:
  cold,
  common cold,
  cure,
  medicine,
  technology
Asked by danwoolfenden to Cathal, Daphne, Darren, Jon, Katherine on 13 Mar 2012.
- Darren Logan answered on 13 Mar 2012:
  
  This is a very good question.
  
  The main reason is the the common cold is actually caused by lots of different viruses – over 200 different types. They way we fight viruses is by creating vaccines or drugs that attack one of the virus genes. Each type of virus has diferent genes, so you would need 200 different drugs to start off with. But worse than that, viruses reproduce really quickly and each time they do their genes change a little bit. So we do have drugs that kill some of the common cold viruses, but very quickly the virus mutates, change its genes and avoids the drug. By the time next winter comes around and the virus begins to spread again, the drug is no longer effective and we have to start all over again in designing new drugs.
  
  This is an example of evolution in action and explains why its so difficult to fight viruses.

Question: If we have so much technology, why can't we cure the common cold?