tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83052293183868788012024-03-14T02:12:13.812-04:00Today With MSMission Statement: To help people with Multiple Sclerosis be proactive with their disease.Today With MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087274595542853309noreply@blogger.comBlogger134125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8305229318386878801.post-68136631507329168002012-06-05T15:18:00.002-04:002012-06-05T15:18:16.630-04:00Appreciation<table cellpadding="0" class="cf gJ"><tbody>
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<span class="gD">Roger Cawiezell</span> </div>
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<span></span><span alt="Mon, Jun 4, 2012 at 12:17 PM" class="g3" id=":fj" title="Mon, Jun 4, 2012 at 12:17 PM">Jun 4 (1 day ago)</span><div class="zd" role="checkbox" style="outline: 0;" tabindex="-1">
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Marc,
you are one great writer and are even better at timing you message. My
MS mirrors yours. Although my pain(about a constant 7) is ever present.
Thank you for being the giver you are. Everyone that you touch is a
little better because of your conveyed attitude and information shared.
God is using you and I believe you are using God. Thanks, Roger <a href="http://todaywithms.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">todaywithms.blogspot.com</a>Today With MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087274595542853309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8305229318386878801.post-80000139696802597342012-06-05T15:15:00.001-04:002012-06-05T15:15:32.727-04:00Tipping Points<table style="border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%;"><tbody>
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<a href="http://www.wheelchairkamikaze.com/" style="color: #888888; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="(http://www.wheelchairkamikaze.com/)">Wheelchair Kamikaze</a>
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<span>Posted:</span> 04 Jun 2012 01:04 AM PDT</div>
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<br />
The progression of disability brought about by progressive MS can be
likened to the circumstance of a bucket placed under a leaky roof,
slowly filling with water. The level of water rises almost imperceptibly
with each drip; slowly but surely, however, the bucket reaches the
point at which it can hold no more water, and the next drop causes it to
overflow. That last drop, which sends liquid cascading down the sides
of the bucket and onto the floor, is a tipping point, the moment when
what was once indiscernible suddenly becomes impossible to ignore, and
adjustments must be made. <br />
<br />
Much like the water in that bucket, the level of disability in a patient
suffering from progressive MS proceeds ever so slowly, invisible on a
day-to-day basis, sometimes barely noticeable even week to week or month
to month. This gradual progression can lull one into a false sense of
security, fostering the desperate hope that maybe this is as bad as
things will get. And then it happens, a moment when the bucket overflows
and the disease gets its jaws around you and shakes your world like a
terrier delivering the coup de grace to some unfortunate rodent, and the
patient is left to process this new normal and try to make the changes
necessitated by it.<br />
<br />
I've reached a number of such tipping points along the path down which
my disease has led me: The time at work when my "dropped foot" caught on
the hallway carpet and sent me into a stumbling, flailing,
long-distance attempt to keep my balance as I lurched forward, almost
landing in the arms of none other than Tony Bennett (I worked in one of
the major audio/video production houses here in NYC), an incident that
convinced me of the need to get my first ankle brace, which I'd been
vehemently resisting up to that point; the moment when it became clear
that simply getting to work was taking so much out of me that it was
negatively impacting my health, and I applied for disability; the day I
realized that I could not walk anywhere, even in my apartment, without
holding onto the furniture, a wall, a doorknob, or some other stable
object, and I caved and ordered my first cane; another day some year or
so after that, when, at my wife's urging, I finally admitted that even
with a cane I could not make it more than about 100 feet, and I
reluctantly started the process to purchase my wheelchair, an act that
at one point had been almost unimaginable, the stuff of nightmares. <br />
<br />
Each of these incidents was preceded by a period of relative quiet, when
I went about my usual business, however restricted that business might
be. As my right arm and leg weakened, my left side took up the slack,
and even though I am a born righty I learned to use my left side rather
adeptly, even training myself to be a passable lefthanded chopstick
user, a very important skill for a fan of all foods Asian. In
retrospect, I did notice some of the incremental changes as they were
happening, and sometimes even voiced concerns about them, but since
these tiny deficits didn't force the issue, I could halfheartedly
convince myself that I was just having a bad day, or maybe I'd slept
funny, or perhaps I'd caught a little virus or cold that was weakening
my system. Inevitably, though, the time came when the bucket overflowed,
and some new tools, both emotional and mechanical, were needed to clean
up the mess. <br />
<br />
I recently experienced yet another tipping point, one that I'll admit
has been more than a little unnerving. One of my favorite wheelchair
journeys has been a trip to Central Park's Conservatory Gardens (<a href="http://www.centralparknyc.org/visit/things-to-see/north-end/conservatory-garden.html" target="_blank">click here</a>),
which are located about as far away from my apartment as you can get in
the wide expanses of the Park, requiring a round-trip journey of about 8
miles. The gardens are a treasure, and a fair number of the photos
included in my "Wheelchair Kamikaze Photo Gallery" were taken there. <br />
<br />
Because my wheelchair can travel quite fast, 8.5 mph, I was able to
cover the distance from my building to the gardens in about 25 minutes,
and indeed the chair has allowed me to explore parts of the Park that
many of my walking friends have never accessed. I took great pleasure in
my jaunts to the gardens, not only because of the beauty of the
destination, but also because, in a sense, they showed me and my chair
to be more able than disabled, at least in certain circumstances, and
actually earned the envy of some of my able-bodied friends and family. <br />
<br />
I had last visited the gardens sometime in late October or early
November 2011, when they were ablaze in a natural fireworks show of
multicolored chrysanthemums and autumn yellows, reds, and oranges, the
chill in the fall air making my journey there all the more bracing. Last
month I attempted to make my first trip of 2012 to the gardens, eagerly
anticipating the springtime visual fiesta that was sure to await me and
my camera. While traveling full throttle through the Park, using my
"good" left arm and hand to manipulate the wheelchair's controller, I
noticed a strange sluggishness in my fingers and hand. When I arrived at
the gardens, I took out my camera and set it up on the tripod mounted
to the arm of my wheelchair, and started taking some photos, but for the
first time experienced some real difficulty manipulating the controls
of the camera. Still, choosing willful ignorance, I forged ahead,
snapping pictures and scooting around the beautifully landscaped
setting. <br />
<br />
I soon needed to change lenses, and that's when the real trouble
started. I had an unusually hard time taking off the lens that was
already mounted to the camera, and in doing so dropped the lens, which
luckily landed softly in my lap. I grabbed for the lens as it fell from
my hand, though, and in doing so my wedding ring flew off of my finger,
bounced off the chair, and landed deep in some bushes or flower beds. I
spent the next 45 minutes using my cane to shake the shrubberies and
gingerly poke around the flowers, but to no avail. Hard as I looked, I
just couldn't find the ring. As daylight quickly faded, my heart
sinking, I finally had to admit that the ring was lost. Yes, a wedding
ring is only an object, and even though it had tremendous sentimental
value, it can be replaced. At that moment, though, that ring represented
so many other losses that my wife and I have suffered through the years
courtesy of my disease. I was diagnosed only one year after Karen and I
were married. <br />
<br />
Deeply saddened and cursing the universe, I gave up my search and
started the trek home. My left arm and hand were growing less responsive
with each passing minute, making it difficult to control the
wheelchair. When I finally exited the park and headed down the city
streets to my apartment building, my hand decided all on its own that it
didn't like the direction I was traveling, and I swerved right into the
side of a building, hitting it with a clattering thunk. Luckily, no
damage was done to either the chair or my body, but the message was
unmistakably clear: my left side is falling victim to the disease, just
as my right side did, and the ticking clock that I share with all who
suffer from progressively disabling disease grew exponentially louder. <br />
<br />
I won't pretend that I handled this incident with bravery or grace or
heroism. It shook me to the core, and was the source of heart wrenching
dismay and a good long bout of soul-searching. This time there is no
magical piece of medical equipment to help me adapt to the situation, my
new normal can only be countered with attitude and acceptance. In
reality, my situation the day before the incident and the day after
hadn't really changed, only my awareness of the circumstances were
different. The enemy known is better than the enemy unknown, and at
least I can now say with certainty that my left side is weakening, a
fact that had been unable to be confirmed by previous physical testing.
On some level, I've known this reality for several months, regardless of
subjective test results. Nobody knows our bodies better than ourselves,
and we notice incremental deficits far in advance of them being obvious
to outside observers. <br />
<br />
I now have to resign myself to the fact that my wheelchair trips can no
longer be open-ended, restricted only by the juice left in the chair's
batteries. I have to be aware of the limited functionality in my left
side, which gets worse as the day wears on, and allow myself to rest
when necessary. My left leg is also noticeably weaker, making it harder
to compensate for my useless right side, so I'll need to be all the more
vigilant when standing, taking a few steps, or showering, so that I
don't tumble to the ground. This is the hard truth of the situation, and
no amount of wishing, hoping, moping, bitching, complaining, cursing,
or sulking is going to change that. <br />
<br />
I will do my absolute best to operate within the confines of this new
normal, and will not be defined by what I can't do but by what I still
can. I might not be able to travel to the far reaches of Central Park,
so instead I'll have to explore the many acres closer to home, some of
which I've overlooked because of my ability to travel far and wide. I
won't stop taking photos, I'll just have to be more diligent about
setting up the camera and manipulating its controls; perhaps this will
lead to a more disciplined approach and some better photographs. I've
also having issues with increased levels of MS fatigue, which can be
just as disabling as weakened arms or legs, so I'll work with my body
instead of fight against it, and understand that in my new normal "carpe
diem" might sometimes mean spending a day or two doing nothing but
catching up on missed movies or shows about ancient aliens on the
History Channel. <br />
<br />
I'll continue to vigorously pursue treatment options with the physicians
working on my case, and will be an even louder self advocate than ever
before. New treatment options seem to constantly present themselves, and
I'm currently trying two or three outside the box approaches that may
be longshots, but every so often longshots come in, and when they do
they bring with them great rewards. Most of all, though, I will focus on
each passing moment, occupying it consciously and as fully as possible.
The only thing that can be done about past regrets is to learn from
them in order to live a more fulfilling present. The future is a great
unknown; some people who are perfectly healthy today will be dead
tomorrow, and if life has taught me anything it's that our paths are
made up of nothing but blind curves. I'll practice kindness to others
and, perhaps more importantly, to myself. <br />
<br />
I know for sure that there will be more tipping points in the future,
but I also know that they don't necessarily have to be negative ones.
With due diligence and some good luck, perhaps my next tipping point
will be a positive, liberating rather than confining, and my next new
normal will be a return to an old normal. Tomorrow's story has yet to be
written, and yesterday's setback may require adjustments, but does not
necessarily have to be a harbinger of things to come. <br />
<br />
Time to get a new bucket, and to keep on trying to figure out how to fix that damned leak.Today With MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087274595542853309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8305229318386878801.post-26619699862741201782012-04-04T11:10:00.000-04:002012-04-04T11:10:39.084-04:00MS touches lives everywhere.<div class="mod-inline image full">
<img alt="Woods" border="0" height="324" src="http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2012/0402/pga_a_woods95_576.jpg" width="576" /><cite>AP Photo/Amy Sancetta</cite>Tiger
Woods, shown in 1995 with his dad Earl, is one of Earl's four children.
Since their father's death in 2006, the others have not heard from
Tiger. </div>
In San Jose, Calif., this week, Kevin Woods will sit in his wheelchair a
few feet from his television, watching his half-brother play the
Masters. He has to. He can't see otherwise.
<br />
Can't stand much lately, either. Can barely use his left arm at all. He
can feel his hands and feet going a little more numb every day. Kevin
was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2009, and it's not getting
better.<br />
<br />
"I'd say 60 to 70 percent worse now," says Kevin's brother, Earl Woods
Jr. "He's not going to be able to keep his house much longer."<br />
<br />
All three men had the same father, Earl Woods, but Earl Jr. says they
haven't heard from Tiger since they buried Earl's ashes in Kansas six
years ago.<br />
<br />
"I leave messages," Earl Jr. says. "I leave updates on Kevin, but for
whatever reason I don't get a response. … Kevin loves Tiger. A call from
Tiger would really pump Kevin up. When he doesn't call, it just makes
him feel worse."<br />
<br />
Earl Jr., Kevin and sister Royce are the children of Earl Woods and
Barbara Gary, of Kansas. They're 20, 18 and 17 years older than Tiger,
who is the offspring of Earl's second marriage, to Kultida Punsawad.
Though they lived in different houses, the four kids visited often and
say they remained close until Tiger turned "about 15 or 16," Earl Jr.
says. "But the more universal Tiger got, the less we heard from him."<br />
<br />
Royce, who also lives in San Jose, stayed close with Tiger during his
two years in college, fixing him meals and doing his laundry. In thanks,
Tiger bought her a house. But since the funeral, none of them have been
able to contact him. <br />
<br />
"I would live in a shack," Royce told author Tom Callahan for his 2010
book "His Father's Son," "literally a shack, if I could have my
relationship with my brother back."<br />
<br />
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<img alt="Woods" border="0" height="300" src="http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2012/0402/espn_e_woods_300.jpg" width="300" /><div style="width: 300px;">
<cite> </cite>Since his MS diagnosis, Kevin Woods has had to quit his job and is in danger of losing his home. </div>
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When contacted regarding Kevin now, Royce would only say, "He has an illness and we're dealing with it the best we can."
<br />
The three have stayed almost entirely out of public view. None of the three have written a book, and they are rarely quoted.<br />
<br />
"We haven't asked Tiger for a dime," says Earl Jr., who lives in
Phoenix. "Not even tickets to a tournament. But Kevin's losing his home.
He needs a caregiver and he can't have a caregiver and keep his home at
the same time. And we can't do that, we don't have the means. He can't
move into Royce's house because of the stairs. And he's got a dog.<br />
<br />
"Nobody's asking for money here, but [a caregiver] really would be nice
for Kevin. It would make Kevin comfortable. He wouldn't have to leave
his house. … But we'd at least like to be able to find out how Tiger is,
to find out if he's OK, and to let him know if we're OK."<br />
<br />
A spokesman for Tiger said that he's preparing for the Masters and wouldn't be returning my call to talk about it.<br />
<br />
Tiger is not without a heart. His Tiger Woods Foundation has reached
millions of young people around the world. But there has clearly been a
falling out between Tiger and his half-siblings, and nobody seems to
know what caused it. Tiger is close with Earl Jr.'s daughter, Cheyenne
Woods, who attends Wake Forest and won the 2011 ACC women's golf
championship.<br />
<br />
"Tiger had Cheyenne down to Florida for three days to spend Thanksgiving
on his boat," Earl Jr. says. "I asked her [afterward], 'Did he ask
about us?' She said, 'No.'"<br />
<br />
Royce is Kevin's caretaker now, taking him to his appointments and
seeing to him. She also tended to Earl Sr. in his last years as he
fought pancreatic cancer, even moving into his house in December 2005.<br />
<br />
Since his diagnosis, the 52-year-old Kevin hasn't been able to work. MS
is a genetic disease that often comes on later in life. One of Kevin's
cousins also got it, in his mid-40s.<br />
<br />
"We see him suffering," says Barbara Gary Woods, 78, who lives in
Modesto, Calif. "He can hardly walk. Can't hardly hold things. … I'm
very disappointed in Tiger. Before he got all famous, they were in touch
a lot."<br />
<br />
The wall that's up between Tiger and Kevin burns Earl Jr.<br />
<br />
"I'd like to [slap] Tiger, wake him up," he says. "I'd like to say,
'Don't come knocking on the door when you need a bone-marrow
transplant.' To see this is the response we get? Maybe when you see the
world like he does, you don't see what other people are going through.
But, seriously? You've got problems with your knee? That's <i>nothing</i> compared to what Kevin is going through. <i>Nothing</i>."<br />
<br />
I can't help wondering what things would be like if their dad were still alive.
<br />
"A lot different," insists Earl Jr., who looks a lot like his father.
"My dad was a bonding agent. He encouraged us to keep in touch, protect
each other, circle the wagons."
<br />
For Kevin's part, he tells his siblings that Tiger must be busy. He has
not asked Tiger for anything and has not tried to contact him. He
remains a Tiger fan and will have his face close to the TV as Tiger
attempts to continue his comeback at Augusta.<br />
<br />
Of course, some comebacks are harder than others.Today With MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087274595542853309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8305229318386878801.post-84512976285516736492012-04-04T11:06:00.000-04:002012-04-04T11:06:24.901-04:00Pass along!<div>
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<span style="background: #8fd74d; color: black;">"To
get something you never had, you have to do something you never did"
When God takes something from your grasp. He's not punishing you, but
merely opening your hands to receive something better. Concentrate on
this sentence. "The will of God will never take you where the Grace of
God will not protect you." Something good will happen to you today,
something that you have been waiting to hear. Please do not break. Just
27 Words, <b>'God our Father , walk through my house and take away all
my worries and illnesses and please watch over and heal my family in
your name, Amen.' </b>This prayer is so powerful. Pass this to 12 people
including me. A blessing is coming to you in form of a new job, a house,
marriage or financially. Do not break or ask questions.. This is a test.
Does God come first in your life? If so, stop what your doing & send
it to 12 people now. Watch what He
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=Today With MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087274595542853309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8305229318386878801.post-47097354524889442192012-03-28T11:56:00.001-04:002012-03-28T11:56:13.074-04:00Med's. Are they working?Everyday I take Baclofen, Gabapentin, Tramadol,Provigil,Warfarin, Pravastin, Zodipen,Low Dose Naltraxen. All over the course of the day. Has anyone on this blog experienced slowly weening themselves off any of these drugs? Some days I feel that I would be better off and more clear headed if I could reduce of eliminate all these poisons. Some people with full time jobs don't work as hard as I do medicating. lolToday With MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087274595542853309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8305229318386878801.post-21140490073363386902012-03-27T13:36:00.000-04:002012-03-27T18:57:30.053-04:00Massage as a stress reliver.Went to a new massage therapist this morning bright and early. I haven't indulged myself with this pleasurable experience for almost 2 years. My body, the muscles, joints and skin all feel so reinvigorated. Why I have deprived myself this relief I don't know, just so frugal is my only excuse. For anyone that is reading , take my advice and treat yourself to this stress reducer at least 1 time per month. You will be glad you did. By the way it was only $70 for a hour. Insurance should cover but mine doesn't.Today With MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087274595542853309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8305229318386878801.post-1473283823700567542012-03-24T15:02:00.001-04:002012-03-24T15:12:07.411-04:00<div id="header">
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<h1>
The Success Cycle</h1>
<div style="margin-top: -20px;">
<i>You Can Sell Anything With This System</i></div>
<div class="author-name">
By Roger Cawiezell, CLU, CHFC</div>
<b><i> </i></b> <b><i> </i></b>
With an enviable track record in sales any beginner or continuing
professional salesman would want to emulate, Roger Cawiezell has written
<b><i>The Success Cycle</i></b> to muster in one book the
formulas that make for endurance, psychological balance and continuing
growth in one of the most competitive fields in business. <br />
One of the best things that Cawiezell has
done over the forty years as a professional in the insurance industry
had been to help develop young salespeople become top performers and
leaders in their communities. He has given back what he had been given:
as a youth he had an excellent work ethic that blossomed under the
guidance of adopted mentors. At a very early age, he intuitively knew
what it took to be a successful entrepreneur. And he knows that mastery
in the business of sales will benefit personal life as well. Issues on
business etiquette and how morality makes for a stronger and resilient
mindset in the ups and downs of the market are also discussed. The book
comes with helpful models and diagrams that outline the major points and
flows of Cawiezell’s business acumen. Learning and mastering the 10
areas of <b><i>The Success Cycle</i></b> put the author within the top 1% of sales people within two years of mastering it. <br />
<h3>
Cawiezell’s message in <b><i>The Success Cycle</i></b>
is that with learning and mastering a proven system of sales and
developing the “habits” of winning salespeople, one can literally make
it to the top in any area of sales. From the mastery of financial,
communication, and technical aspects of marketing, to the almost
spiritual knack of establishing a quick and lasting bond with customers,
Cawiezell gives this book his all as he has steadfastly done through
his successful years in the field. <a href="http://thesuccesscycletoday.com/">thesuccesscycletoday.com</a></h3>
</div>Today With MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087274595542853309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8305229318386878801.post-30596787176512251002012-03-24T14:57:00.001-04:002012-03-24T14:57:07.543-04:00An absolute must read for those who desire a track to run on in business, Roger Cawiezell’s The Success Cycle will help you stay in the game and ultimately win it!Today With MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087274595542853309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8305229318386878801.post-41830177697780658742012-03-20T20:38:00.001-04:002012-03-20T20:46:41.531-04:00The Success CycleWithin a few hours of reading this book, the novice or veteran sales person will learn how to employ a sales system that will take them to the level of success enjoyed by Top Sales Professionals. The Success Cycle will reveal a proven system for sales success in any and every type of sales marketing. By learning and mastering each of the 10 areas of The Success Cycle, sales success can be literally guaranteed. This system is the key to long term sales success. Absolutely a must read for those who desire a track to run on. Cawiezell reveals how this system put him in the top 1% of sales people within 2 years of mastering it. Cawiezell’s philosophy, “The situation is the boss and the results are the judge”. “In order to win the game you have to be in the game”. The Success Cycle will keep you in the game so you can ultimately win the game! The reader will have a ready resource to refer to over and over again and will understand the 5 areas needed to grow success. These are all of the secrets of proven winners! This system teaches you how to get through the following curves: the knowledge curve, the skills curve, the confidence curve, the experience curve, and ultimately enjoy the success curve. thesuccesscycletoday.comToday With MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087274595542853309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8305229318386878801.post-44896770411733986212012-03-13T18:38:00.001-04:002012-03-20T20:45:47.470-04:00The Success Cyclethesuccesscycletoday.com The Success Cycle was written to educate, guide and provide a proven track to run on for the novice and the veteran salesperson. Not only a good read for salespeople but also for the teacher, coach, politician, businessman and anyone who wants to be successful and is seeking a resource that is easy to understand and implement. Cawiezell explains The Knowledge Curve, The Skill Curve, The Experience Curve, The Confidence Curve , and ultimately The Success Curve. A must read for the rugged individualists, the person who wants to move mountains and make waves.Today With MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087274595542853309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8305229318386878801.post-29998080364986305512011-09-08T09:43:00.000-04:002011-09-08T09:43:55.616-04:00Another example of greed, Doctors are as bad as the lawyers !Dollars for Doctors<br />
<br />
Dollars for Doctors<br />
<br />
How Industry Money Reaches Physicians<br />
Piercing the Veil, More Drug Companies Reveal Payments to Doctors<br />
<br />
by Charles Ornstein, Tracy Weber and Dan Nguyen<br />
ProPublica, Sep. 7, 2011, 5:31 p.m.<br />
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Eight pharmaceutical companies, including the nation's three largest, doled out more than $220 million last year to promotional speakers for their products, according to a ProPublica analysis of company data.<br />
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For the first time, all these companies have reported a full year of payments, allowing for head-to-head comparisons of how much they spent on physicians to help push their pills. Some appear to be paring back.<br />
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by Tracy Weber and Charles Ornstein, ProPublica, Sept. 7<br />
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Doctors Dine on Drug Companies’ Dime<br />
<br />
by Charles Ornstein, ProPublica, Sept. 7<br />
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With Our Dollars For Docs Update Coming, Drug Companies Defend 'Interactions' With Physicians<br />
<br />
by Charles Ornstein and Tracy Weber, ProPublica, Sept. 7<br />
Tracking the Money<br />
<br />
Our Dollars for Docs Database<br />
We compiled tens of thousands of records from all the companies that have disclosed their payments to doctors so far. Search for your physician.<br />
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How Does the Medical Industry Influence Patient Care?<br />
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Firms with the highest U.S. sales last year didn't spend the most on physician marketers. Industry leader Pfizer, with sales of $26.2 billion, spent $34.4 million on speakers, ranking third among the eight companies. By comparison, Eli Lilly and Co. spent the most on speakers, $61.5 million, even though its sales were about half of Pfizer's.<br />
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"We continue to believe in the benefits and value that educational programs led by physicians provide to patient care," Lilly spokesman J. Scott MacGregor said in an email.<br />
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The data provide a preview of what the public can expect to see in 2013, when all drug and medical-device companies -- potentially hundreds -- must report such figures to the federal government.<br />
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Until 2009, pharmaceutical company payments to health professionals were closely held trade secrets. But several companies began reporting the information publicly under pressure from lawmakers or as a condition of settling federal whistle-blower lawsuits.<br />
Company 2010 Speaker Payments 2010 U.S. Sales<br />
Lilly $61,477,547 $14.3 billion<br />
GlaxoSmithKline $52,755,793 $13.6 billion<br />
Pfizer $34,382,574 $26.2 billion<br />
AstraZeneca $31,647,101 $18.3 billion<br />
Merck $20,365,446 $18.8 billion<br />
Johnson & Johnson $11,712,900 $12.9 billion<br />
Cephalon $4,241,080 $2.1 billion<br />
ViiV Healthcare $3,975,102 Unavailable<br />
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In October, ProPublica published a database called Dollars for Docs that included information from those companies. It allows the public to search for individual physicians to see whether they've been on pharma's payroll.<br />
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Today, ProPublica is updating that tool to include payments made to health professionals by 12 companies. Eight of those published data for all of 2010: Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, Merck, Cephalon, Johnson & Johnson, ViiV Healthcare and AstraZeneca.<br />
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In addition to the payments made to speakers, some of the companies also disclosed how much they've spent on consulting, travel, meals and research.<br />
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In all, payments to doctors and other health-care providers in ProPublica's database total more than $760 million and cover reports from drug companies between 2009 and the second quarter of 2011.<br />
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Some Docs Pull Out<br />
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The new data offer a glimpse of how the firms have adapted their strategies over time, both to changes in the marketplace and to increased scrutiny of their sales techniques.<br />
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Many experts predict physicians will back away from working for the companies once their names and pay are publicly revealed.<br />
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It's too early to know if this is true, but ProPublica's analysis shows that the payouts to dozens of doctors and other health professionals took a steep dive last year.<br />
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Pulmonologist Veena Antony, for example, was paid at least $88,000 to give promotional talks for GlaxoSmithKline in 2009. But last year, the Birmingham, Ala., doctor gave them up out of concern that patients might think her advice was tainted.<br />
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"You don't even want the appearance that I might be influenced by anything that a company gave," she said.<br />
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Cancer specialist Nam Dang was a regular on Cephalon's speaking circuit, pulling in $131,250 in 2009. But those promotional gigs stopped, he said, after he took a job at the University of Florida in Gainesville, which bans such talks. In 2010, he received $10,000 for consulting for Cephalon and Pfizer.<br />
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Nurse practitioner Terri Warren, who runs a Portland, Ore., health clinic, earned at least $113,000 from Glaxo in 2009, mostly talking about its herpes drug Valtrex. In 2010, that dropped to $300 after the drug went off patent and Glaxo no longer had a financial incentive to promote it.<br />
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"It's a business decision, clearly," said Warren, who felt her talks helped educate other health professionals about treating a taboo illness. "My money [from Glaxo] went into keeping this little clinic alive, and now we have to figure out some other way to do that."<br />
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Another group of physicians has ramped up speaking engagements and consulting.<br />
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Buffalo hematologist Zale Bernstein earned $49,250 from Cephalon in 2009. The following year, his pay jumped to $177,800 (plus an additional $35,500 for travel). Bernstein did not return calls for comment.<br />
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Pain specialist Gerald M. Sacks spoke and consulted for four companies in the database and was among the highest paid. The Santa Monica, Calif., doctor earned $270,825 from Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Lilly and Cephalon in 2010, up from $225,575 in 2009. Those figures do not include travel costs and meals.<br />
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Over 18 months, Pfizer alone paid Sacks $318,250 for speaking. He did not return repeated calls for comment.<br />
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Pfizer's new disclosure also revealed an unusual recipient. Its top-paid physician consultant last year, Dr. Christiana Goh Bardon, runs a hedge fund in Boston that bets on the rise and fall of health-care companies. She was paid nearly $308,000 to "provide input on our BioTherapeutics business development plan," Pfizer spokeswoman Kristen Neese wrote in an email.<br />
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Bardon, who started her hedge fund after her Pfizer contract ended, was required to sign a confidentiality agreement and not allowed to invest in Pfizer or any of the biotech companies that Pfizer was looking at acquiring or partnering with for projects, Neese said.<br />
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Bardon said in a voice-mail message that she does not currently practice as a physician and her work was based on her business acumen.<br />
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Drug Companies Change Their Strategies<br />
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Some companies apparently have used fewer physician speakers and consultants since they began posting their data publicly.<br />
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Cephalon, a relatively small Pennsylvania company that specializes in pain, cancer and central nervous system drugs, paid physicians nearly $9.3 million in 2009 for speaking and consulting. That figure dropped to $5 million last year.<br />
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"There wasn't one big thing that happened that shifted the focus," said spokeswoman Jenifer Antonacci. Rather, the company's marketing strategies for its brands changed.<br />
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AstraZeneca cut its spending on speakers from roughly $22.8 million in the first half of 2010 to about $9.2 million in the second half.<br />
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The company's U.S. compliance officer, Marie Martino, said AstraZeneca typically holds most of its speaker events in the beginning of each year. But she acknowledged that the company's spending on promotional talks has been decreasing.<br />
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"We're in a period now where we don't have a lot of new indications [approved uses] or new products that have been introduced in recent months, and that really is the fundamental explanation for what you're seeing," Martino said.<br />
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AstraZeneca, like other companies, is also replacing some in-person speaking events with teleconferences, webcasts and video conferences.<br />
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Glaxo's spending on speakers also slowed in 2010, averaging about $13.2 million per quarter in 2010, down 15 percent from the last three quarters of 2009. (Glaxo did not report data in the first quarter of 2009.)<br />
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Company spokeswoman Mary Anne Rhyne said the company is working to reduce its speaker rolls by 50 percent. "We feel it is a better use of resources to use fewer speakers more often. This cuts down on training costs as well as lessens the number of contracts needed," she wrote in an email.<br />
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And Lilly's speaker payments dropped 10 percent from 2009 to 2010, which spokesman MacGregor said was likely due to "normal year-to-year fluctuation."<br />
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ProPublica's early analysis of the data is limited because so few companies report their spending and even then, disclose different information. Lilly, for example, reports every health professional it pays to speak, while Pfizer includes only those who can prescribe.<br />
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"It's really unclear how much money is being spent in any one of these areas," said Vincent DeChellis, a principal at NHHS Healthcare Consulting, which has studied the data. "As you get more and more companies participating and submitting this information, you're going to get an initial look" at what may be a multibillion-dollar practice.<br />
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When Massachusetts required drug and device companies to report payments to doctors in that state last year, 286 companies did so.<br />
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Scrutiny of speaker programs has prompted changes.<br />
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After ProPublica reported last year that some drug-company speakers had been sanctioned by their state medical boards, the firms pledged to toughen their screening procedures and exclude physicians with disciplinary records.<br />
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Separately, ProPublica found that universities were not enforcing their own policies barring physicians from giving promotional speeches. In response, a number of schools said they would begin using the payment rosters to check for rule-breakers.<br />
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Pharma's trade group said the focus of most companies right now is ensuring the accuracy of data that will be publicly released in 2013. But this transparency also must be put into context for patients, said Diane Bieri, executive vice president and general counsel for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.<br />
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Doctors help develop new medicines, advise companies on marketing and help educate their peers about appropriate uses of new drugs, she said.<br />
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"If the only information that's available is that company A paid doctor B $75,000 for a consulting arrangement," she said, "that's typically not enough information to really educate the patient about what was involved in that relationship."Today With MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087274595542853309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8305229318386878801.post-18610527343083263522011-08-30T10:43:00.002-04:002011-08-30T10:43:35.367-04:00Stem Cell News Life & Style<br />
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Stem cell trials may spell the end for MS<br />
by Miriam Stoppard, Daily Mirror 30/08/2011<br />
Decrease font size Increase font size<br />
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A very important study into the use of stem cells is about to begin in several countries, including the UK.<br />
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It will examine using them to treat multiple sclerosis but could have implications for many other conditions, including Parkinson’s, motor neurone disease, type 1 diabetes, heart problems and rheumatoid arthritis.<br />
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In fact, this study, which will run over the next three to five years, could be the blueprint for the wider use of stem cells.<br />
Advertisement >><br />
Click here to find out more!<br />
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Scientists are hoping to show that stem cell replacement of diseased tissues can slow, stop or even reverse damage caused by the underlying disease.<br />
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There are two reasons why I attach so much importance to this project.<br />
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Firstly, this is the first time that researchers from around the world have come together to test stem cell therapies in such a large-scale trial, which would be impossible to run in just one location.<br />
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It is essential that researchers work together if they are going to make progress and improve stem cell treatment.<br />
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The second reason is that the effectiveness of stem cells will be subject to rigorous testing in patients, which will break new ground.<br />
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Two main types of stem cells have been tried. In the early days embryonic cells were used, but these were controversial because of where they came from – namely aborted or miscarried embryos.<br />
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Later we learned that we have stem cells in our bodies and this adult type can be used as effectively without controversy.<br />
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Stem cells hold so much promise. While they are primitive, if given a little nudge, they can turn into any and all of the tissues in the body that might get injured or become diseased.<br />
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In this new study the cells will be harvested from the patient’s bone marrow and then grown in a laboratory before being injected directly into the bloodstream.<br />
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The theory is that these stem cells will target the damaged protective covering around nerves, called myelin, which becomes scarred in MS sufferers.<br />
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This isn’t the first time stem cells have been used with the condition. In 2009, researchers in the US found they could improve symptoms of MS by using cells from fat.<br />
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The encouraging part of this research was the symptoms continued to improve almost a year after the stem cells were injected, giving us the hope of a long-lasting effect.<br />
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Read more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/advice/miriam/2011/08/30/stem-cell-trials-may-spell-the-end-for-ms-115875-23381723/#ixzz1WWVlRGe1<br />
Go Camping for 95p! Vouchers collectable in the Daily and Sunday Mirror until 11th August . Click here for more information<br />
Today With MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087274595542853309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8305229318386878801.post-9900745311172032902011-08-03T15:02:00.002-04:002011-08-03T15:02:28.691-04:00CCSVI in MS TorontoCCSVI in MS Toronto<br />
"Lawsuits revealed that studies that suggested the drugs were safe and effective were often not written by the scientists listed as the authors. Instead, they were ghostwritten by writers working for the drug companies that make the medications. The scientists listed as authors were offered payment in return for attaching their names." - CTVToday With MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087274595542853309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8305229318386878801.post-24422699886927645682011-08-02T09:13:00.002-04:002011-08-02T09:13:42.090-04:00Pain ManagementPain Management Blog « The Patient Experience<br />
www.patient-experience.com<br />
There are a number of different ways of managing pain:-a)Medications. These can vary from aspirin and paracetamol through NSAIDs to various different opioid products.b)Physical approaches. These can include spinal cord stimulation,TENS machines,acupuncture or even low level laser therapy.c)PhysiologToday With MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087274595542853309noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8305229318386878801.post-7061057178146553392011-07-14T15:15:00.002-04:002011-07-14T15:15:46.625-04:00More HopeWhen mice with moderate multiple sclerosis were given very low dosages of dextromethorphan, a drug found in cough medicine, the loss of myelin and the development of paralysis during acute attacks was significantly reduced. (Credit: iStockphoto)<br />
<br />
UC DAVIS (US) — A drug commonly found in over-the-counter cough medicine may pave the way for a new and inexpensive therapy for multiple sclerosis.<br />
23Share<br />
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In animal testing, the drug dextromethorphan significantly reduced the loss of the fatty sheath (or myelin) surrounding nerve fibers in the central nervous system and also minimized development of paralysis during multiple sclerosis attacks.<br />
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The study is published online in the journal Neurobiology of Disease.<br />
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“This finding provides an exciting opportunity to better understand the disease and to pursue a new treatment strategy with a drug that is widely available, inexpensive, and known to be safe,” says Wenbin Deng, assistant professor of cell biology and human anatomy at University of California, Davis.<br />
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Currently there are few effective treatment options for multiple sclerosis, which affects about 400,000 people in the United States and most often first appears in young-to-middle-aged women.<br />
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The condition, that has no cure, is caused by cells of the immune system attacking myelin, the fatty sheath surrounding nerve fibers in the central nervous system that speeds the transmission of nerve impulses.<br />
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Symptoms vary widely and often involve periods of motor problems, including paralysis of a limb or poor coordination, which unpredictably may either go away or become permanent. As the disease progresses, it causes increasing disability. Many treatments are poorly tolerated and produce a wide range of side effects.<br />
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For the new study, investigators induced mice to have either a moderate or severe type of multiple sclerosis and then treated them with either very low or high dosages of dextromethorphan. Very low dosages given to mice with moderate disease significantly reduced the loss of myelin and the development of paralysis during acute attacks. The high dosages did not offer any benefit.<br />
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“Finding that a chemical like dextromethorphan might be useful for treating multiple sclerosis is especially significant because we already know it is safe,” says David E. Pleasure, director of research at the Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine at Shriners Hospitals for Children Northern California in Sacramento and one of the authors of the study. “Normally, a possible new treatment must first undergo years of clinical trials to prove this.”<br />
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The researchers began investigating common, over-the-counter cough medicines as treatments for devastating diseases like multiple sclerosis because their molecular structure is similar to morphine. Morphinans—low dose morphine-like agents—have been used “off label” for individuals. While they’re not cures, they potentially can be helpful for selected patients, and appear to have little or no toxicity at low doses.<br />
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Dextromethorphan is one of a few morphinan drugs similar in structure to morphine, but without the addictive properties. Deng and Pleasure would like to see clinical trials conducted soon to find out if dextromethorphan is effective in humans with multiple sclerosis. Such a trial would likely involve testing in combination with current standard treatment of the disease.<br />
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“Dextromethorphan has a different mode of action than current drugs for multiple sclerosis,” Deng says. “While current treatment targets inflammation and the immune system, dextromethorphan appears to be more directly neuroprotective. Combining the different strategies could offer a real breakthrough in fighting the disease.”<br />
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The study was supported in part by grants from the National Institutes of Health, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and Shriners Hospitals for Children.Today With MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087274595542853309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8305229318386878801.post-35578442280711783392011-06-30T13:27:00.000-04:002011-06-30T13:27:11.296-04:00The Hubbard FoundationUSA: The Hubbard Foundation - CCSVI Treatment<br />
<br />
The Hubbard Foundation has an IRB-approved study to test CCSVI and treat CCSVI. Those with positive results for CCSVI according to the Haacke Protocol with the Hubbard Foundation, are referred for catheter venoography and if positive for balloon venoplasty.<br />
<br />
The Interventional Radiologists (IRs) are Justin Gooding MD, Donald Ponec MD, Richard Saxon MD,<br />
<br />
The IRs work out of a private vein clinic in Del Mar, San Diego, CA called MIT Del Mar Vein Care. The MIT Del Mar staff prefers to answer all questions pertaining to CCSVI treatment and treatment fees.<br />
<br />
To contact MIT Del Mar Vein Care go to: http://delmarveincare.com/contact.htm<br />
<br />
The Hubbard Foundation is mainly a research facility. The primary form of contact is via e-mail: hubbardfoundation@gmail.com or Fax: (858)444-3599<br />
<br />
To schedule CCSVI testing and treatment visit: <blockquote>http://hubbardfoundation.org/index.html</blockquote><br />
<br />
<br />
The Hubbard Foundation<br />
<br />
10065 Old Grove Rd. Suite 103<br />
<br />
San Diego, CA 92131Today With MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087274595542853309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8305229318386878801.post-41854895122019782442011-06-30T11:18:00.000-04:002011-06-30T11:18:56.777-04:00Beet Juice and the brainBeet Juice Good for Brain<br />
www.webmd.com<br />
Drinking beet juice increases blood flow to the brain in older adults, a finding that suggests that consumption of the liquid in the dark red vegetable holds potential for fighting the progression of dementia, a new study says.Today With MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087274595542853309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8305229318386878801.post-77093938403410177852011-06-29T18:24:00.000-04:002011-06-29T18:24:30.542-04:00Canadian MS NewsCTV.ca News Staff<br />
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Date: Wed. Jun. 29 2011 4:27 PM ET<br />
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The federal government says it will fund clinical trials into the controversial multiple sclerosis treatment known as the "liberation therapy."<br />
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Federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq made the announcement Wednesday afternoon during a news conference on Parliament Hill.<br />
<br />
Aglukkaq told reporters the government came to its decision after a scientific working group it convened last summer determined during a meeting on Tuesday that a Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trial should proceed.<br />
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"I have asked CIHR, the Canadian Institute of Health Research, to establish the terms of reference for this clinical trial," Aglukkaq said. "And we are committed to launching an open and transparent call for proposals, and process applications, as quickly as possible."<br />
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The liberation treatment was developed by Italian physician Dr. Paolo Zamboni and is based on his theory that narrowed neck veins are behind MS symptoms.<br />
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The condition, chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency, or CCSVI, reduces blood flow and allows iron deposits to build up in the brain, Zamboni says.<br />
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The treatment he developed uses balloon angioplasty to unblock the veins in the hope of alleviating symptoms.<br />
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While Zamboni's research has demonstrated success with the treatment, recent clinical trials have concluded that CCSVI is not a primary cause of MS.<br />
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The controversy surrounding both the condition and the treatment has not deterred Canadian MS patients from rallying across the country over the last several months to call on both Ottawa and provincial governments to fund the treatment, which is not available in Canada. Many Canadians have had the procedure at medical clinics overseas.<br />
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Aglukkaq said the working group was established last August and tasked with reviewing the latest research and making its recommendation to government. The group met in November and again on Tuesday.<br />
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Dr. Alain Beaudet, president of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, said Wednesday that an analysis of all the research done on CCSVI so far suggested "a trend to an association between the greater prevalence of CCSVI in patients with MS than in healthy controls."<br />
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Beaudet said more results are needed, particularly from seven current studies, to strengthen the committee's conclusion.<br />
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"But, nonetheless, the committee felt that, on the basis of this preliminary evidence and what's published so far, that we should in parallel start already with a Phase 1-2 trial," he said.<br />
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During her Wednesday news conference, Aglukkaq hailed MS patients and their families for their struggle with a disease that can lead to symptoms that include difficulty walking, vision problems, fatigue and weakness.<br />
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"It has been a moving experience to meet many of you and to hear from so many MS patients and their families who have shown tremendous courage in the face of such difficult illness," she said.Today With MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087274595542853309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8305229318386878801.post-79726369776584519092011-05-20T16:28:00.001-04:002011-05-20T16:30:10.675-04:00Doctor Hubbard theory of MSDr. Hubbard's theory of MS<br />Dr. David Hubbard is a neurologist and founder of the Hubbard fMRI Institute and the Hubbard Foundation. He, and Dr. Jack Burks, were the only neurologists present at the recent CCSVI conference, although many neurologists were invited to attend. This was disappointing, to say the least. One would assume that neurologists would be interested in new research into the blood brain barrier and MS. The first thing to note is that the current theory of MS is still only a THEORY. There is absolutely no proof that rogue t-cells are what cause MS. This is an hypothesis. Dr. Hubbard began by discussing the current autoimmune theory. MS drugs, based on EAE and this theory, have a 30% efficacy rate...about the same as placebo. The reason MS drug trials have to be so large and involve so many participants is that it takes that many people to make any statistical significance. The MS drugs are not a success story. They do NOT prove the autoimmune hypothesis. Dr. Hubbard presented his very important insight into what he believes is causing the white matter lesions and destruction of myelin in the MS brain. It is very different than the current understanding that MS specialists propose with the EAE mouse model and the idea that myelin destruction is caused by an out of control immune system which is attacking itself. Oligodendrocytes are a type of brain cell which form the covering of our axons. They make up the myelin sheath. Dr. Hubbard cites research of Prineas and Barnett, showing that the oligodendrocytes DIE FIRST in MS. They are not dying because of an immune attack of white cells....they die BEFORE the immune system is ever involved. The ologodendrocyte shrinks and dies from the center of the cell. Only later do t-cells come in clean up. Macrophages also come in to clean up, this is a standard response of the body to tissue death. "White cells just don't go chomping on the blood brain barrier...they are invited in." So what is the "unknown factor" that is killing oligodendrocytes and inviting in white cells??? Dr. Hubbard proposes that this "unknown factor" is decreased perfusion, or slowed blood flow thru the brain. (Fans of the page will note that this has been the theory of Marie and myself, too, since the beginning of our journey.) Here's an earlier note on hypoperfusion and MS https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=439394977210 The fMRI studies and Dr. Haacke's blood flow studies are confirming this theory. The thing about perfusion is that it affects both WHITE and GRAY matter. It is affects the ENTIRE BRAIN. MS is a disease of the entire brain....gray matter atrophy and white matter demylination. This theory is the first to address BOTH ASPECTS. White cells are picked up by the edges of the endothelium, roll along and then are invited thru the tight junction to get into the brain's paranchyma. MS is not a disease of an immune system gone awry. It is a disease where white blood cells are responding to injury, and are acting appropriately. CCSVI creates a slowed perfusion, or slow flow of blood in the brain. Decreased perfusion and reduced flow and stagnation in the vein causes a shunting of blood around the abnormal venule, the oligodendrocyte is not getting enough O2 and glucose. The oligodendorcyte dies. Please watch all of Dr. Hubbard's research and listen closely. I believe that this is the answer, and connects all we KNOW and all we can SEE about MS brains. http://www.youtube.com/user/HubbFound#p/u/39/Z1BP_xOQQlY I believe this is MS.... - I thank Dr. David Hubbard for bringing the pieces together as a neurologist. - I thank Marie Rhodes for bringing the pieces together as a medical writer. www.ccsvibook.com And I thank all the researchers who are ready to look at this new theory, take it further and begin the process of ENDING MS. For good. Joan<br />By: CCSVI in Multiple SclerosisToday With MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087274595542853309noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8305229318386878801.post-6084276884653376542011-05-17T18:39:00.000-04:002011-05-17T18:41:37.866-04:00Skip Navigation LinksHome > April 21, 2011 - Volume 11 - Issue 8 > Skyrocketing MS Drug Prices Hit Patients Hard, Prompting Com...<br />< Previous Article | Next Article ><br />Neurology Today:<br />21 April 2011 - Volume 11 - Issue 8 - pp 1,19,23<br />doi: 10.1097/01.NT.0000397957.19762.cd<br />Features<br />Skyrocketing MS Drug Prices Hit Patients Hard, Prompting Compliance Problems<br />Shaw, Gina<br />Back to Top | Article Outline<br />ARTICLE IN BRIEF<br /><br />Neurologists are experiencing the fallout from the steep rise in the cost of MS drugs: Many patients are finding it difficult to comply with their therapy regimen. Among solutions, they recommend governmental intervention in negotiating prices.<br />AS NEWER, MORE EXPEN...<br />AS NEWER, MORE EXPEN...<br />Image Tools<br /><br />When the first oral drug for multiple sclerosis, fingolimod (Gilenya), first entered the market last fall, neurologists and patients alike experienced sticker shock: the medication was priced at a jaw-dropping $48,000 a year. But, some pointed out, it was the first drug of its kind, with no direct competitors. Perhaps it shouldn‘t be surprising that it came at a premium.<br /><br />And then the price hikes for other MS drugs followed. Teva's glatiramer (Copaxone) now comes at a rack rate of over $42,000 per year — a jump of nearly 40 percent over prices at the beginning of 2010. Biogen has also raised prices further for both natalizumab (Tysabri) and interferon-beta-1a (Avonex).<br /><br />Why should older drugs — whose existing prices, one assumes, were already set to cover the costs of bringing the drugs to market in the first place — get a price increase when a new drug comes to market?<br /><br />Companies want to get the most out of their investment, said Edward Fox, MD, PhD, clinical associate professor of neurology at the University of Texas Medical Branch and director of the MS Clinic of Central Texas. “With the onset of new medications that come at a premium, companies have raised the price of older medications in order not to appear inferior to the new drugs. They look at the price as being meaningful when it comes to expectations. If a certain drug is priced lowest, it must be less worthy somehow.”<br /><br />Of course, virtually no patients are paying out of pocket the full listed price for these costly medications. “I have 1,400 MS patients and I don‘t have single patient paying full price. I can‘t even conceive of someone with a salary high enough where that would be a consideration,” Dr. Fox said.<br /><br />But the price increases are still driving more and more people with MS and their families into desperate situations. That's because as the prices paid by third-party insurers have gone up, so too have patients‘ copays and other shared costs. “On a weekly basis, I‘m dealing with patients who have what I would call a medication crisis,” Dr. Fox said. “Many of my patients have copays of between $300 and $800 a month. There aren‘t too many families who can easily absorb that cost.”<br /><br />Bruce A. Cohen, MD, professor of neurology and director of the Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis Program at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, said that he has a number of patients who are making treatment decisions based primarily on cost.<br /><br />But that's getting harder and harder to do, said Dr. Fox: “It's become an across the board situation where all of the MS medications are so expensive that you can‘t just switch to a less costly alternative.”Today With MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087274595542853309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8305229318386878801.post-14124833905408676562011-05-17T18:34:00.000-04:002011-05-17T18:36:07.123-04:00WHY NOT PUT IT OUT NOW ON THOSE WHO WIILL RISK IT ?IOL_lifestyle<br /><br />Take a break<br /><br />Subscribe to our new Lifestyle newsletter!<br />Coffee cup<br /> <br /><br />Advanced Search<br /><br />IOL - logo Home<br /><br /> Love & Sex<br /> Health<br /> Family<br /> Food & Drink<br /> Home & Garden<br /> Style<br /> People<br /> Babynet Forum<br /> Travel<br /> Dating<br /> Games<br /> GQ<br /><br />SA Time: Wednesday, May 18, 2011 12:30:33 AM<br />Drug that could stop MS discovered<br /><br />May 9 2011 at 09:24pm<br />By Fiona Macrae<br />Copy of st lab<br /><br />.<br /><br />Breakthrough: Scientists are hopeful that they ve found a way of stopping multiple sclerosis in its tracks<br /><br />Related Stories<br /><br /> Vitamin D linked to minimal MS risk - study<br /><br />London - A drug that could stop multiple sclerosis in its tracks has been discovered by scientists.<br /><br />In a major breakthrough in the battle against the devastating disease, researchers have pinpointed the chemical “driving force” behind MS.<br /><br />Without it, the disease does not develop. And when it is mopped up, symptoms are greatly eased, even in brains already ravaged by the illness.<br /><br />The results come from experiments on mice but the researchers say they are “quietly optimistic” that taking the same tack will help people with MS. The first trials on patients are pencilled in for later this year.<br /><br />The debilitating condition affects 2.5 million people around the world, and can cause blindness and paralysis. Current drugs are not suitable for all and there is no cure.<br /><br />The excitement centres on two studies published recently which show an immune system chemical called GM-CSF to be the “vital piece in the jigsaw” of MS.<br /><br />In the healthy body, it is part of our defence against disease, attacking viruses and other invaders. But in MS, it triggers a series of reactions that culminate in “scavenger cells” destroying myelin - the fatty protective sheath around nerve fibres in the brain and spinal cord - which disrupts the transmission of messages from the brain.<br /><br />When Swiss researcher Burkhard Becher gave an antibody that counters GM-CSF to mice with an MS-like condition, it greatly improved their health.<br /><br />Professor Becher, of the University of Zurich, said: “It is relatively easy to stop mice from getting the disease, so we waited until they had the disease and were pretty sick. This is similar to the clinical situation - patients don’t go to the doctor because they think they might get MS, they go when they have MS.”<br /><br />The drug was also given to mice whose disease was similar to the most common form of MS, in which relapses are followed by periods of remission. Here, mopping up the GM-CSF prevented any further relapses, the journal Nature Immunology reports.<br /><br />Becher said: “We are extremely hopeful but whether this form of therapy will actually help MS patients remains to be seen. Quiet optimism is the way to go.<br /><br />“I am not sure this is going to work in patients but, based on the mouse data, I believe GM-CSF is a good thing to target.”<br /><br />A German firm, which has no connections to the professor, is already trying to use antibodies against the chemical to treat rheumatoid arthritis. It plans to start tests on MS patients at the end of this year.<br /><br />It usually takes at least seven years from when a drug is first tried out on patients until it hits the market.<br /><br />A second study, from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, also points the finger at GM-CSF.<br /><br />Although the chemical was known to play a role in MS, its pivotal contribution was not understood until now.<br /><br />“This is a very interesting development,” said Dr Doug Brown, of the MS Society in the UK. “It is early days and there is still a lot of work to be done before we fully understand what it means for people with MS, but it is satisfying to see that trials are already planned and we look forward to seeing how these progress.”<br /><br />Mopping up excess GM-CSF may also help treat other conditions, including diabetes, it is hoped. – Daily MailToday With MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087274595542853309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8305229318386878801.post-72325100652679299512011-05-12T14:34:00.000-04:002011-05-13T16:34:21.105-04:00AVONEX<br />Avonex Custom Report Avonex Overview<br />Avonex Adverse Events Reported to the FDA Over Time<br /><br />How are Avonex adverse event reports trending over time?<br />DrugCite.com<br /><br />This graph shows volume of adverse events submitted to the FDA by quarter for Avonex, as well as related generic and/or brandname drugs containing the same primary active ingredients. Adverse events are counted if Avonex is flagged as the suspect drug causing the adverse event.<br />Adverse Event Categories for Avonex<br /><br />What are commonly reported adverse events by category for Avonex?<br />Neurological <br />9402<br />Infections - Pathogen Unspecified <br />9288<br />Demyelinating <br />8112<br />Injuries <br />7742<br />Musculoskeletal And Connective Tiss... <br />4652<br />Bone And Joint Injuries <br />4263<br />Administration Site Reactions <br />3822<br />Gastrointestinal Signs <br />3579<br />Muscle <br />3023<br />Joint <br />2996<br />Respiratory <br />2791<br />Coronary Artery <br />2674<br />Mental Impairment <br />2548<br />Epidermal And Dermal Conditions <br />2530<br />Movement Disorders <br />2349<br />Anxiety Disorders <br />2216<br />Central Nervous System Vascular <br />2177<br />Procedural And Device Related Injur... <br />2161<br />Depressed Mood Disorders <br />2155<br />Bacterial Infectious <br />2138<br />Headaches <br />2127<br /><br />This graph shows the top 20 categories of adverse events submitted to the FDA for Avonex, as well as related generic and/or brandname drugs containing the same primary active ingredients, from Q1 2004 to Q4 2010. Adverse events are counted if Avonex is flagged as a suspect drug causing the adverse event.<br />Most Common Avonex Adverse Events Reported to FDA<br /><br />What are the most commonly reported Avonex adverse events to FDA?<br />Influenza Like Illness <br />4387<br />Fall <br />4118<br />Multiple Sclerosis Relapse <br />3886<br />Multiple Sclerosis <br />3839<br />Condition Aggravated <br />2361<br />Fatigue <br />2243<br />Asthenia <br />2025<br />Pain <br />1943<br />Depression <br />1942<br />Pneumonia <br />1883<br />Gait Disturbance <br />1762<br />Headache <br />1621<br />Pyrexia <br />1599<br />Death <br />1531<br />Urinary Tract Infection <br />1482<br />Myocardial Infarction <br />1421<br />Pain In Extremity <br />1315<br />Hypertension <br />1297<br />Convulsion <br />1295<br />Hypoaesthesia <br />1293<br />Balance Disorder <br />1217<br />Memory Impairment <br />1216<br />Cerebrovascular Accident <br />1215<br />Back Pain <br />1115<br />Vomiting <br />1089<br />Muscle Spasms <br />1082<br />Abasia <br />1039<br />Injection Site Pain <br />1006<br />Tremor <br />989<br />Dehydration <br />946<br />Weight Decreased <br />931<br />Nausea <br />926<br />Dyspnoea <br />918<br />Muscular Weakness <br />898<br />Dizziness <br />862<br />Anxiety <br />826<br />Insomnia <br />817<br />Arthralgia <br />800<br />Chills <br />780<br />Injection Site Haemorrhage <br />774<br />Mobility Decreased <br />770<br />Chest Pain <br />764<br />Stress <br />759<br />Breast Cancer <br />733<br />Intervertebral Disc Protrusion <br />722<br />Loss Of Consciousness <br />717<br />Breast Cancer Female <br />710<br />Thrombosis <br />689<br />Oedema Peripheral <br />666<br />Diarrhoea <br />624<br />Road Traffic Accident <br />621<br /><br />This graph shows the top 50 adverse events submitted to the FDA for Avonex, as well as related generic and/or brandname drugs containing the same primary active ingredients, from Q1 2004 to Q4 2010. Adverse events are counted if Avonex is flagged as a suspect drug causing the adverse event.Today With MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087274595542853309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8305229318386878801.post-66103348956680457122011-05-11T18:28:00.000-04:002011-05-13T16:34:21.035-04:00You must read and shareBig Pharma Behaving Badly (And Making Me Want to Vomit)<br />SHAME<br /><br /><br /><br />Pharmaceutical industry giant Merck Serono this week paid $44.3<br />million to settle a lawsuit alleging that the company paid kickbacks<br />to MS neurologists for prescribing its blockbuster MS drug, Rebif<br />(click here). The scam allegedly included hundreds of doctors, and<br />seems to have been centered on the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis<br />Clinics (CMSC), a nonprofit corporation that is supposed to help<br />educate patients. Among its other activities, the CMSC administers the<br />quarterly NARCOMS surveys, designed to build an ever growing database<br />on MS and its effects on patients, which are diligently filled out by<br />thousands of multiple sclerosis patients, including, until now, yours<br />truly.<br /><br />The lawsuit was brought by a former Merck Serono employee turned<br />whistleblower, who was fired by the company after expressing disbelief<br />that such underhanded and blatant misdeeds were going on with the<br />company’s full knowledge and participation. The entire lawsuit<br />document is available online (click here), and to save you the<br />trouble, the good stuff starts on page 6.<br /><br />We're not talking nickels and dimes here, but huge chunks of cash, on<br />the order of $25,000 a pop. The CMSC allegedly funneled over $500,000<br />to various doctors, effectively operating as a money-laundering outfit<br />for Merck Serono, and the fact that the company settled for $44<br />million indicates this disgusting scam went far deeper than what is<br />apparent in the legal document. Unfortunately, by settling the<br />lawsuit, Merck Serono has effectively prevented all of the gory<br />details from coming to light, as would've been the case if the suit<br />had been brought to trial, and thus become public record. The<br />settlement covers fraud charges regarding Medicare and Medicaid, but<br />what of the patients that may have been steered into injecting<br />themselves with a drug that might not have been their best choice by<br />scoundrels in white lab coats more intent on stuffing their pockets<br />than following the Hippocratic oath? Where is their justice?<br /><br />Coming at a time when trust between neurologists and their patients<br />has become frayed due to the CCSVI controversy, the revelations<br />provided by the lawsuit and subsequent settlement are especially<br />revolting. It is simply outrageous that a drug company can get away<br />with paying physicians kickbacks for prescribing drugs with what<br />amounts to a slap on the wrist. The terms of the settlement, $44.3<br />million might sound like a sizable sum, but considering that sales of<br />Rebif exceed $1 billion a year, the penalty is miniscule.<br />Additionally, this is most likely only a quick peek under a very big<br />rock, and it is just a glimpse at goings-on that would shock and<br />dismay the legions of desperate patients who are the real victims of<br />these disgusting, dishonest, and deceitful practices.<br /><br /><br /><br />The fact that this case was settled, and not brought to court, ensures<br />that the names of most of the players will not be revealed. I'm<br />tempted to reveal those named in the lawsuit here, but as a settlement<br />was reached, and no verdict of guilt ever handed down, they remain<br />simply accused, not convicted. My personal ethics therefore prevent me<br />from slandering those who might not be guilty as charged, however<br />unlikely that may be. That's not to say that you shouldn't click the<br />link (here it is again), read the lawsuit, and find those names for<br />yourself. In fact, I wholeheartedly encourage you to do so.<br /><br />Every single doctor and medical professional who received any of these<br />tainted funds, or participated in distributing them, should be named,<br />shamed, stripped of their licenses, and thrown in jail. They're a<br />disgrace, each a pustule on the ass of humanity, and deserve nothing<br />more than humiliation and degradation. Unfortunately, thanks to the<br />niceties of a system that too often protects those in positions of<br />power at the expense of the regular folks who rely on them, the<br />scoundrels involved will remain anonymous, free to enjoy the fruits of<br />their despicable actions. Despite our high-minded ideals of justice<br />for all, far too often there is justice for none.<br /><br />As for those involved in this medical and legal debacle, and the many<br />other similar cons we will likely never hear about, may their eyes<br />fall out. Bastards.Today With MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087274595542853309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8305229318386878801.post-8770090927479245692011-04-26T12:58:00.000-04:002011-04-26T13:00:09.412-04:00Good read, good newsZany Science<br />Scientists find way to stop multiple sclerosis<br />Press Trust Of India<br />London, April 25, 2011<br />First Published: 16:26 IST(25/4/2011)<br />Last Updated: 16:33 IST(25/4/2011)<br />Share more...<br />6 Comments <br />Email print<br />In a major breakthrough in the battle against multiple sclerosis (MS), scientists claim to have identified a chemical that triggers the devastating disease and also found a way to stop it in its tracks.<br /><br />Researchers at the University of Zurich, Switzerland, found that an immune system chemical,<br />called GM-CSF, is the "driving force" behind the debilitating condition that affects over 2.5 million people worldwide.<br /><br />MS is an autoimmune disease that affects the brain and spinal cord, or the central nervous system. The condition, which can cause blindness and paralysis, has no cure at present and drugs are not suitable for all.<br /><br />multiple sclerosisBut the Swiss researchers claimed that an antibody, which they tested on mice with a MS-like condition, was found to be very effective in countering GM-CSF and improved their health, the Daily Mail reported.<br /><br />Although the experiments were on mice, the researchers said they were "quietly optimistic" that a similar approach would help people with MS. The first trials on patients are planned for later this year.<br /><br />In the healthy body, the researchers said, GM-CSF is part of the defence against disease, attacking viruses and other invaders. But in MS, it triggers a series of reactions that culminate in "scavenger cells" destroying myelin -- the fatty protective sheath around nerve fibres in the brain and spinal cord -- which disrupts the transmission of messages from the brain.<br /><br />Professor Burk-hard Becher, who led the study, said: "It is relatively easy to stop mice from getting the disease, so we waited until they had the disease and were pretty sick.<br /><br />"This is similar to the clinical situation -- patients don't go to the doctor because they think they might get MS, they go when they have MS."<br /><br />The drug was also given to mice whose disease was similar to the most common form of MS, in which relapses are followed by periods of remission. Mopping up the GM-CSF prevented any further relapses, the researchers reported in the journal Nature Immunology.<br /><br />Prof Becher said: "We are extremely hopeful but whether this form of therapy will actually help MS patients remains to be seen. Quiet optimism is the way to go.<br /><br />"I am not sure this is going to work in patients but, based on the mouse data, I believe GM-CSF is a good thing to target." Another study on MS, from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, also pointed the finger at GM-CSF.<br /><br />Although the chemical was known to play a role in MS, its pivotal contribution was not understood until now. Dr Doug Brown, of the MS Society, said: "This is a very interesting development in research for a condition where there are limited treatment options and no cure.Today With MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087274595542853309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8305229318386878801.post-27802028799781346302011-04-22T18:33:00.001-04:002011-04-22T18:34:31.112-04:00Here we go, watch and make up your mind.Good Reason to Keep A Natural Medicine illegal, Right (Marijuana)<br />www.youtube.com<br />HELP ME END MARIJUANA PROHIBITION BY RATING SHARING THESE VIDEOS LEGALIZE CANNABIS MEDICAL MARIHUANA WEED 420 HIGH OBAMA RON PAUL PIPE BONG JOINT KUSH DRUG WAR SEEDS News VAPORIZER BOWL HASHISH BLUNTS HASH GANJA HEMP legal cops POT PRIVACY CIVIL RIGHTS LAW ACTIVIST HERB smoke HIGHTIMES COLLAPSE MEXIToday With MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087274595542853309noreply@blogger.com0