November 30, 2005

S Korean medical firm offers stem cell treatment to foreigners

"With its doctors at the vanguard of pioneering stem cell therapy, South Korea is looking to become a "medical tourism" destination for foreigners unable to find cures in the own countries.

Two foreigners have already received therapy at South Korean medical firm Histostem, which has perfected a method of stem cell therapy using umbilical cord blood and boasts the biggest stock of cord blood and stem cells in the world.
"MORE

MS patient starts dating site to match MS patients

Tracy Saks didn't know whether she would ever date again after her divorce. It had been 16 years since she was single, and she had an extra hurdle to overcome: MS. Ms. Saks started Special Singles Online (www.specialsinglesonline.com)MORE

Dendritic Cells Offer New Therapeutic Target for Drugs to Treat MS

Scientists have found that a gene pathway linked to a deadly form of leukemia may provide a new way to treat autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis. Their tests suggest that blocking the pathway by interfering with a blood cell growth gene targets an immune system cell often ignored in favor of T-cell targets in standard therapies. MORE

MS sufferers urged to never give up - Breaking News - National - Breaking News

Former Olympic sprint legend and multiple sclerosis (MS) sufferer Betty Cuthbert has made a moving plea to people fighting the debilitating disease - never give upmore

Pregnancy outcomes during treatment with interferon beta-1a in patients with MS

Women with MS who choose to go on interferon beta drugs are advised to stop treatment if they decide to try to become pregnant. This advice is based on data from animal studies that suggest these drugs may increase the risk of miscarriage. However, since animal studies are imperfect substitutes for human experience, a group of doctors decided to pore through pregnancy data collected during eight IFN-b trials to determine whether being on the drug did have an impact on pregnancy outcome. They found that IFN-b did appear to slightly increase the risk of miscarriage but not to a significant degree.
Overall, these data i"...Click to read ...Entrez PubMed

November 29, 2005

!!??...Stem cell therapy works, says MS teenager

"It started with a tingling sensation, then Amanda Bryson got out of her wheelchair and walked.
The 19-year-old multiple sclerosis sufferer says she is mobile again just days after receiving revolutionary stem-cell treatment not available in Britain.
She is believed to be the first Scot to benefit from the controversial treatment provided at a private clinic in Holland."MORE/a>

Small Study: Frequent association of MS with herpes varicella and zoster

CLICK..Entrez PubMed

Mom with MS has pregnancy recorded by TV station

Kara Schwalm discovered in 2000 that she had multiple sclerosis. But she and her husband haven’t let that stop them from living a full life. Three years later, the couple decided to get pregnant. DC8, the Colorado cable-access television station at which Kara worked, decided to capture her journey in a documentary entitled “Kara’s Story: MS and Pregnancy”

Kara, who was in remission thanks to the pregnancy, is now doing her best to cope with the disease while raising her newborn child.MORE - www.bloggingbaby.com _

November 28, 2005

South Koreans Rush to Defend Cloning Researcher Against Criticism - New York Times

Days after his televised fall from grace, Hwang Woo Suk, South Korea's cloning pioneer, re-emerged Monday as a national hero as the country rallied around himMORE

OTC Glucosamine may provide some relief for MS

Using a mouse model of MS, neurologists at Jefferson Medical College found that doses of glucosamine similar to those taken for osteoarthritis dramatically delayed the onset of symptoms and improved the animals' ability to move and walk.
MORE

November 26, 2005

When Your Insurance Company Won't Pay: 12 Tips

1. Don't assume that the first no you receive is final. About 10 percent of all insurance claims are unjustly denied but less than 1 percent of people making insurance claims even question their insurer when their claim is denied. The majority of policyholders who do contest their cases either win their cases or improve their settlements.

2. Insist on a written explanation.
Most state laws require insurance companies to provide written explanations of claim denials. Failure to comply may constitute an illegal practice by the insurer.
MORE

Co-occurrence of autoimmune thyroid disease in MS & Graves' disease

Researchers have concluded that there is a significant co-occurrence in patients with MS and Graves' disease, and a trend to co-occurrence in patients with MS and Hashimoto's disease.Journal of Autoimmune Diseases | Abstract | 1740-2557-2-9 |MORE

November 25, 2005

Optical coherence tomography: measuring in-vivo axonal survival and neuroprotection in MS and optic neuritis

"A new tool is beginning to enter imaging techniques used by neurologists studying MS - Optical Coherence Tomography. This is a method of non-invasively measuring the thickness of the retinal nerve fiber down to micron level thickness. This can allow measurement of axonal degeneration so that we can measure the effectiveness of neuroprotective agents. The tool itself is not new, but its use in MS is.MORE: Entrez PubMed

November 24, 2005

NPR AUDIO: Studies have found that a six-month Iyengar yoga program helped people with MS combat fatigue

B.K.S. Iyengar, the yoga master, who some say is responsible for popularizing yoga in America, discusses the benefits of the ancient art with NPR's Allison Aubrey.

CLICK TO LISTEN TO AUDIO

November 22, 2005

ChemoCentryx to Initiate Clinical Studies of CCR2 Antagonist CCX915

BIO.COM:MORE: "ChemoCentryx, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing orally-administered therapeutics that target the chemokine system, announced that the company has filed an Investigational New Drug Application (IND) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to begin clinical studies of a proprietary small molecule inhibitor of the CCR2 chemokine receptor with which it expects to complete Phase I studies in 2006."

ChemoCentryx files for human trials of MS drug

MORE

November 21, 2005

Medicaid program shows darker side: Twenty dollars keeps MS patient from medication

O'Connor, 64, has advanced, progressive multiple sclerosis, a deadly, debilitating disease that attacks the central nervous system. And since moving to South Carolina from Illinois in September, he's been more than two months without the drugs that are supposed to prolong his life.

And it's all because of $20 -- the difference between the $868 that O'Connor makes in his monthly Social Security check and the $848 income cut-off point for the state's Medicaid program.MORE

MS doesn't keep woman off mountain

The climber and cyclist from Middlesex, Butler County, has reached the base camp 17,500 up on Mt. Everest. She aims to conquer Mt. Kilimanjaro next yearMORE

November 19, 2005

Flu vaccine's efficacy not impaired by Rebif

Data presented at the XVIII the World Congress of Neurology in Sydney, Australia, show that treatment with Rebif in patients with MS does not alter the immune response to influenza vaccinationMORE

November 18, 2005

The US Food and Drug Administration's priority designation means the agency is expected to make a decision on the Tysabri drug in about six months...

November 17, 2005

Athlete adapts to multiple sclerosis

CLICK HERE

"What is Sativex?"....UK MS Society Website

"The UK MS Society has produced the following information in response to queries about Sativex, an oral spray containing cannabis extract..."CLICK HERE

[!] Bladder dysfunction treatments for MS

The good news is that there are a variety of medical (non-surgical) ways to alleviate
symptoms, some already licensed for this use and others in the process of being evaluated.

"Bladder dysfunction is a common problem for patients with MS. The severity of symptoms often correlate with the degree of spinal cord involvement and, hence, the patient's general level of disability. The emphasis of management is now mainly medical and is increasingly offered by nonurologists. Treatments can be highly effective, relieving patients of what are otherwise very troublesome symptoms that would compound their neurological disability. This article gives an overview of the neural control of the bladder, followed by an explanation of the pathophysiology of detrusor overactivity secondary to neurological disease. A review of methods available for treating bladder dysfunction in multiple sclerosis then follows. The treatment options for this disorder are largely medical and include established first-line measures such as anticholinergics, clean intermittent self-catheterization and the use of desmopressin, as well as potential second-line agents, such as cannabinoids, intravesical vanilloids and intradetrusor botulinum neurotoxin type A. The diminishing role of surgical intervention is also discussed." CLICK HERE
(free registration required)

November 16, 2005

Tovaxin is about to enter Phase IIb clinical trials

MORE:

November 15, 2005

Research may improve diagnosis, treatment of MS

"Scientists at the University of Connecticut Health Center and the Yale School of Medicine have collaborated on new research that may eventually improve the diagnosis and treatment of MSUniversity of Conn. -MORE

Copaxone May Repair Nerve Damage in MS Patients: pilot study

Clinical research data published in the December issue of Multiple Sclerosis provided evidence that COPAXONE(r) may offer protection from axonal injury and induced neuronal metabolic recovery in patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis.MORE

naltrexone

The Scottish weekly newspaper "The Sunday Herald" recently ran an article about the grass roots push to start an MS trial of low dose naltrexone (LDN).MORE [Sunday Herald]

"The import of cannabis-based medicine Sativex from Canada for individual users has been approved in UK: UK Multiple Sclerosis Society Website

"People with multiple sclerosis can be prescribed a new cannabis-based medicine even though it is yet to be licensed in the UK.

The Home Office has agreed to requests from doctors and patients to allow Sativex to be imported from Canada, where it has been on sale since late June."
MORE: UK Multiple Sclerosis Society Website

November 14, 2005

International Panel Revises Criteria for MS

The new guidelines strengthen the role of magnetic resonance imaging in hopes of making the diagnosis earlier when drug treatments may be more effective.more

November 13, 2005

VIDEO: COPING WITH MS

ROO TV USA | Video News Updated Daily

TIPS: SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY SECRETS: WIN BENEFITS WHEN YOU APPLY & APPEAL FOR SS

A former Medicaid caseworker and former Disability Examiner for the social security administration has put up a site to explain how the system works to people and to answer the kinds of questions that claimants usually have (how long will an appeal take, why does it take so long, what is the next step, what is an administrative law judge, how do you file an appeal, etc) but have trouble getting answers to in straightforward language from SSA.CLICK

TIPS: Exercise Sourcebook

National MS Society LINK FOR FULL STORYIn addition to being essential to general health and well-being, exercise is helpful in managing many MS symptoms.

Relationships, Intimacy & Sexuality in MS

World of MS...CLICK FOR ARTICLE AND FREE DOWNLOAD"The material has been written and compiled by health professionals to help people make informed decisions about managing the problems that can occur with relationships, intimacy and sexuality. However, because of the nature of these problems much of the material is necessarily of an adult nature"

November 12, 2005

Biogen Idec CEO says not interested in Serono(REBIF)

MORE: Reuters.com: "The CEO of the U.S. maker of multiple sclerosis treatments said that he saw no sense in a deal...because of their important MS products there would be huge competition issues in Europe and the U.S.'"

What should I do if I get overheated?

Some people with MS are sensitive to heat, which means they notice that their symptoms either reappear or become worse when their body heat rises. This will happen when you exercise. Here are some tips to avoid overheating:MORE: The Cleveland Clinic

VIDEO: NEUROVAX...Promising treatment?

CLICK HERE TO GO TO:WHDH-TV - Boston VIDEO: "

VIDEO: Babinski (extensor toe) sign.....

CLICK TO WATCH VIDEO:

November 11, 2005

Pridgen credits faith for allowing her to walk again

MORE

MS Neighborhood : Cannabis-Based Drug Eases Related MS Conditions, Claim Experts

"At the end of the study, the investigators reported that Sativex reduced the average intensity of pain by nearly twice as the placebo spray. Patients on the medication also reported that they were able to sleep better, on average, than those taking the placebo."more

Immune Substance May be Culprit in MS Advancement

MS Neighborhood : MORE A substance secreted by cells that make up the immune system may play an important role in the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to research published this month.

November 09, 2005

Neurologists Refine Multiple Sclerosis Diagnostic Criteria

MOREAn international panel of neurologists has updated the current guidelines for diagnosing multiple sclerosis, strengthening the role of magnetic resonance imaging

November 08, 2005

REBIF: Serono reports it is looking for a buyer

MORE

TRIAL: Interferons helped MS in small study

Entrez PubMed
: "CONCLUSIONS: Discontinuation of IFN-beta-1a 44 microg t.i.w. in SPMS may be associated with an increase in neurological disability and brain lesions on MRI"

Tovaxin(TM) Phase IIb MS Clinical Trial Protocol Accepted by FDA

MORE

November 07, 2005

In the Turkey, a Hope for Autoimmune Disorders - New York Times

MORE: "A substance found in many foods, including turkey, can suppress an overactive immune system, researchers are reporting. The substance, tryptophan, produces a breakdown product in the body that, in the study, reversed paralysis in mice with an experimental form of multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disorder that attacks the fatty cells that insulate neurons."

Key Protein Is Linked to Transverse Myelitis and Multiple Sclerosis

Johns Hopkins Gazette |MORE: "
Johns Hopkins researchers have discovered a single molecule that is a cause of an autoimmune disease in the
central nervous system, called transverse myelitis, that is related to multiple sclerosis. Although the majority of TM patients suffer a single attack, 15 percent to 30 percent of patients go on to develop full-blown MS.

Tissue Damage Occurs Early in Multiple Sclerosis...Cleveland Clinic Mellen Center

MORE In a long-term research study that focuses on how the disease progresses and how it contributes to the loss of brain tissue over time, Elizabeth Fisher, Ph.D., a biomedical engineer, and her colleagues have determined that permanent damage in the brain can be detected at an earlier stage of MS than previously thought...

Researchers shed light on sun-MS link.

MORE ABC News Online: "Delegates at a multiple sclerosis (MS) symposium in Sydney have heard that a lack of sunlight may play a role in triggering the disease."

November 05, 2005

A substance made by immune cells may play a key role in the development of multiple sclerosis, research suggests

Some MS patients have problems with vision
BBC NEWS | Health | Immune chemical MS treatment hope

November 04, 2005

Compound in Turkey May Help Treat Multiple Sclerosis

FOXNews.com - MORE"The researchers focused on tryptophan, a chemical that%u2019s found in turkey and other meats. They tested an artificial version of the compound on mice with an MS-like condition. The strategy they tried reversed the paralysis caused by the mice%u2019s disease.

November 03, 2005

Medications Used In Acute exacerbations

• Decadron (Dexamethasone)
• H.P. Acthar Gel (ACTH)
• Solu-Medrol (Methylprednisolone)

MORE

Can Cooling Affect Exercise for Those with MS?

Can Cooling Affect Exercise for Those with MS? | Science Blog: "New research at UB will investigate if cooling the body before or during exercise allows persons with MS to exercise longer, and which method is most effective"

Aerobic exercise studied among MS patients

"Exercise can build strength and endurance, reduce depression and increase endorphins ..." said Nadine Fisher, an associate professor of rehabilitation science. "We are trying to (determine) how to reduce the exercise limitations MS places on people."United Press International - MOREUniversity at Buffalo

"Risk of fatal brain infection may outweigh Tysabri's benefits, study shows"

HealthDay:

Spotlight on Subcutaneous Recombinant Interferon-beta-1a (Rebif((R))) in Relapsing-Remitting MS

MORE..Entrez PubMed

Economic evaluation of Avonex (interferon beta-Ia) in patients following a single demyelinating event

MORE...Entrez PubMed

Nephrotic syndrome in a multiple sclerosis patient treated with interferon beta 1a

Avonex, RebifMORE-Entrez PubMed

COPAXONE STUDY: CCL2 and CCL5 levels in the peripheral blood of multiple sclerosis patients treated with Glatiramer Acetate (Copaxone).

MORE...Entrez PubMed

November 02, 2005

Kids with adult diseases

New York Daily News - MORE

Detection of chlamydial bodies and antigens in the central nervous system of patients with MS

MORE

November 01, 2005

Finding Medical Help Away From Home

MORE

BrainStorm Announces Significant Preclinical Benefit of Its GDNF Producing Stem Cells in Animal Models of MS

MORE

Hopeful patients crash S.Korea stem cell bank web site

Reuters AlertNet - MORE: "Patients desperately seeking cures for deadly and debilitating diseases crashed the Web site of South Korea's new stem cell bank"

MS sufferer battles drugs ban in Wales

icWales - MORE

Tysabri May Return To Market In 2006 - Forbes.com

"While PML [progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy] concerns are legitimate, we believe many neurologists will accept the risk/benefit tradeoff and adoption rates could exceed expectations." MORE - Forbes.com

Gene involved in B-cell development might play a role in MS

MORE...BioMed Central : "The results of a large study published today in the open access journal BMC Neurology reveal that multiple sclerosis (MS) patients are more likely to carry two specific genetic variations in the Early B-cell factor gene (EBF-1), than healthy individuals.
These variations - or polymorphisms - could play a causative role in MS or be located near other polymorphisms that do play a causative role in the disorder. As such, they could be used as genetic markers for MS."