The Roskamp Institute is Participating in a New Phase III MS Study ...
PR Newswire (press release) - New York,NY,USA
"If the Phase III study program confirms the data demonstrated in the Phase II study program and leads to FDA approval, FTY720 may represent an improvement ...
See all stories on this topic

Healthy Living: Miracle Drug For MS Sufferers
KUTV - Salt Lake City,UT,USA
Tysabri works by blocking these damaging cells. Doctor John Foley specializes in MS and says results of this drug are very promising. ...
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Research and Development on Crohn's Disease & Ulcerative Colitis
Business Wire (press release) - San Francisco,CA,USA
... while despite the fact that Tysabri’s (natalizumab/VLA-4) safety will dampen initial uptake, the product’s novel mechanism and efficacy could enable it ...
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Multiple Sclerosis News
Far More Women Getting MS Than Men American Study Finds	30 Apr 2007
Over Time, More Women Are Developing MS Than Men	29 Apr 2007
Deactivating Protein May Protect Nerve Fibers In MS	28 Apr 2007
Landmark Papers On Pediatric MS Research And Care	27 Apr 2007

ELECTION 2008

Republican Candidate Giuliani Criticizes Universal Health Coverage Proposals

Former New York Mayor and presidential candidate Rudolph Giuliani (R) on Friday during a visit to Raleigh, N.C., criticized "mandatory" universal health insurance proposals supported by Democratic candidates, the Washington Post reports. According to Giuliani, Democratic presidential candidates who recommended such proposals during a debate on Thursday night were "moving toward socialized medicine so fast, it'll make your head spin." He added, "When we want to cover poor people, as we should, we give them vouchers" (Goldfarb, Washington Post, 4/28).

Exercise Can Cut Coronary Artery Disease Risk For Some With Multiple Sclerosis Science Daily Mon, 30 Apr 2007 5:06 AM PDT Results of a new study suggest that people with mild to moderate multiple sclerosis (MS) are capable of improving their aerobic fitness levels similar to their non-MS counterparts. While physical inactivity may predispose MS patients to have increased coronary artery disease risk, MS-related symptoms don't preclude this group from potentially reducing their risk factors through exercise.

More women developing multiple sclerosis than men News-Medical-Net Sun, 29 Apr 2007 6:34 PM PDT Over time, more women are developing multiple sclerosis (MS) than men, according to research that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 59th Annual Meeting in Boston, April 28 - May 5, 2007.

Far More Women Getting MS Than Men American Study Finds Medical News Today Mon, 30 Apr 2007 1:04 AM PDT According to a study that is being presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 59th Annual Meeting in Boston this week, far more women are developing multiple sclerosis (MS) than men.Multiple sclerosis is thought to be an autoimmune disease, and similar to other such diseases, develops in women more often than in men. [click link for full article]

Biogen Idec Launches New Avonex? Nurse Services Program Medical News Today Mon, 30 Apr 2007 0:04 AM PDT Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) announced today the national launch of the new AVONEX? (Interferon beta-1a) Nurse Services program which is designed to help people with multiple sclerosis (MS) as they begin and continue treatment with AVONEX, the most prescribed treatment for relapsing forms of MS worldwide. [click link for full article]

Mystery over why more women than men suffer MS The Scotsman Sun, 29 Apr 2007 4:32 PM PDT FAR more women are developing multiple sclerosis than men - and scientists have no idea why.

Ratio of women stricken with MS rockets by 50% each decade News-Medical-Net Sun, 29 Apr 2007 8:19 PM PDT According to a study in the United States although women have always had a greater susceptibility for developing Multiple Sclerosis (MS) than men, the numbers have rocketed in the last six decades.

Why are so many women getting MS? Daily Mail Sun, 29 Apr 2007 5:56 PM PDT Many more women than men are developing multiple sclerosis, a study has found. Women have always been more susceptible to the damaging neurological condition, but the proportion of women affected has shot up, according to U.S. research.

Walkers Raise Money for a Life-Altering Disease
The Charleston State Journal Sun, 29 Apr 2007 5:05 PM PDT
Event aims to help fight multiple sclerosis.

Small players make it big with off-patent drugs
Business Standard - India
The company also has developed generic rituximab, a biotech drug used to treat a type of cancer called non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Zenotech is also developing ...
See all stories on this topic

Hi All!

I have now gotten my 7th dose of Tysabri. Physically, I feel terrible
and feel like I'm progressing. I have absolutely no energy and could
sleep all of the time. I am having very intense stomach pain. It is
not heartburn-type pain. It feels like someone is twisting my gut just
below my sternum.

Here's the frustrating part...I had a baseline MRI done before my first
dose. I then had another before my 7th dose. The 2nd MRI showed no
new lesions and no enhancing lesions. Four lesions also began
resolving, lightening and shrinking, yet I feel lousy!

I am just wondering if anyone else is experiencing anything similar.
Just wondering if I can blame Tysabri for these unpleasant side-
effects??? Also, my doc suggested trying Provigil for the fatigue.
Anyone have any experiences with that drug?

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

Heath in Nebraska

Tysabri 'cost effective' for public use
Unison.ie (subscription) - Bray,Ireland
A NEW report could fast-track the availability of Elan's multiple sclerosis treatment Tysabri to all public patients. Both Elan and its research partner ...
See all stories on this topic

Tysabri 'cost effective' for public use
Saturday April 28th 2007


Report may fast-track wider availability of multiple sclerosis treatment to public patients

A NEW report could fast-track the availability of Elan's multiple sclerosis treatment Tysabri to all public patients.

Both Elan and its research partner Biogen Idec welcomed the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE) review establishing that the medicine is a cost-effective option for treating highly-active forms of the disease in Ireland.

Tysabri is prescribed for the treatment of rapidly evolving varieties of MS that cannot be effectively treated with existing therapies.

Up until now the medicine has not been equally available to all patients because hospitals have had to fund its supply out of their budgets.

There are 7,000 MS patients in Ireland, and it is believed that 30pc of these have rapidly evolving varieties of the disease.

The study concluded that: "Reimbursement may be considered on the basis that natalizumab (Tysabri) appears cost effective from the societal perspective and that the drug could be considered a new innovative product."

According to Professor Michael Hutchinson, a neurologist at St Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin, Tysabri's cost-effectiveness was based on the efficacy in reducing both disease activity and disease progression, thus preventing personal and State costs that accrue as a result of loss of function in patients.

"These costs include loss of earned income, social welfare, medical expenses and physical aids such as wheelchairs.

"We were involved in the clinical trials for Tysabri, and since August 2006 have been treating MS patients here at St Vincent's with this remarkable drug.

"The medical and nursing teams and the patients are delighted with the results," he said.

Meanwhile, indications from Belgian pharmaceutical firm UCB that it could postpone the launch of its new product for Crohn's Disease could also boost Tysabri.

Elan is awaiting regulatory decisions from both European and the US for the use of the drug for Crohn's Disease. A European decision on Tysabri is expected in mid-2007, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is scheduled to comment by year end.

Davy Stockbrokers said yesterday that the Crohn's indication accounts for approximately $200m of its $1.6bn forecast in 2010.

Shares in Elan finished in Dublin down just under 2pc at €10.28.

Ailish O'Hora
http://www.unison.ie/business/stories.php3?ca=80&si=1821691

Arizona

Phoenix; Hope Research Institute, LLC
Do you have Multiple Sclerosis?

Phoenix; Hope Research Institute, LLC
Are you an adult who has been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis?

Phoenix; Barrow Neurological Institute
Statins to delay or prevent Multiple Sclerosis in patients experiencing a Clinically Isolated Syndrome

Tucson; Northwest NeuroSpecialists, PLLC
Multiple Sclerosis Study

Tucson; Northwest NeuroSpecialists, PLLC
Clinical Research Study Available for People Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis

California

Duarte; City of Hope
A Phase I/II Study of High-Dose Immunosuppressive Therapy (HDIT) Using Carmustine, Etoposide, Cytarabine and Melphalan (BEAM) + Thymoglobulin and Autologous CD34 + Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HCT) for the Treatment of Poor Prognosis Multiple Sclerosis

La Jolla; Coordinated Clinical Research (La Jolla, CA)
Do you have Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

Los Angeles; UCLA Medical Center
Multiple Sclerosis Research Study in Women after Pregnancy

Los Angeles; UCLA Medical Center
Multiple Sclerosis Research Study in Pregnancy

Los Angeles; UCLA Medical Center
M.S Volunteers Needed for Research Study

Los Angeles; UCLA Medical Center
Multiple Sclerosis Research Study in Pregnancy

Los Angeles; UCLA Medical Center
Robotic Locomotor Training in Persons with Multiple Sclerosis

Los Angeles; Keck School of Medicine
Statins to delay or prevent Multiple Sclerosis in patients experiencing a Clinically Isolated Syndrome

San Francisco; University of California, San Francisco MS Center
Statins to delay or prevent Multiple Sclerosis in patients experiencing a Clinically Isolated Syndrome

Connecticut

New Haven; Yale MS Research Center
Statins to delay or prevent Multiple Sclerosis in patients experiencing a Clinically Isolated Syndrome

Florida

Aventura; South Florida Medical Research
Clinical Trial to evaluate the effectiveness of an approved medication to treat Multiple Sclerosis Pain.

Bradenton; Bradenton Research
Bradenton Neurology, Inc. is participating in a nationwide research study for individuals who have been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.

Gainesville; Florida Medical Research Institute
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS?

Plantation; Neurology Clinical Research, Inc.
Do you or a loved one have Multiple Sclerosis?

Sarasota; The Roskamp Institute, Clinical Trials Division
Phase III study comparing different doses of study drug with placebo for Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS)

Sarasota; The Roskamp Institute, Clinical Trials Division
Phase III study for patients with Relapsing remitting Multiple Sclerosis

Sarasota; Lovelace Scientific Resources - Sarasota
Multiple Sclerosis
Do you have a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis?

Sarasota; Lovelace Scientific Resources - Sarasota
Multiple Sclerosis

Sarasota; The Roskamp Institute, Clinical Trials Division
Do you or a loved one have relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis?

Kansas

Kansas City; University of Kansas Medical Center Research Institute
A study to establish the safety and effectiveness of Interferon Beta- 1b and Interferon-1a combination injections (either under the skin or into the muscle) in subjects with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) who were previously treated with Beta Interferon-1a.

Lenexa; MidAmerica Neuroscience Institute
Do you have Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis?

Kentucky

Lexington; University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center
Volunteers Needed for Multiple Sclerosis Research Study #2

Lexington; University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center
Volunteers Needed for Multiple Sclerosis Research Study #1

Maryland

Baltimore; Johns Hopkins University
Statins to delay or prevent Multiple Sclerosis in patients experiencing a Clinically Isolated Syndrome

Missouri

St. Louis; Washington University Multiple Sclerosis Center
Statins to delay or prevent Multiple Sclerosis in patients experiencing a Clinically Isolated Syndrome

Nevada

Henderson; Nevada Neurological Consultants, Ltd.
Participants needed for a research study in Multiple Sclerosis

New York

Albany; Upstate Clinical Research, LLC
A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of Subcutaneous TovaxinTM in Subjects with Clinically Isolated Syndrome or Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis�. (TERMS Study)

Buffalo; Jacobs Neurological Institute
Statins to delay or prevent Multiple Sclerosis in patients experiencing a Clinically Isolated Syndrome

New York; Mount Sinai Medical Center
A 24-month, double-blind, randomized, multi-center, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study comparing the efficacy and safety of FTY720 1.25mg and 0.5mg administered once daily versus placebo in patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis

New York; Biomedical Research Alliance of New York
Relapsing - Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS)

New York; Mount Sinai Medical Center
The Establishment of a Patient Registry and Initiation of Related Projects of the New York State Multiple Sclerois Consortium

New York; Mount Sinai Medical Center
A Multi-Center, Double-Blind, Randomized Study Comparing the Combined Use of Interferon beta 1-a and Glatiramer Acetate to Either Agent Alone in Patients with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (CombiRx Phase III)

New York; Mount Sinai Medical Center
ITN020AI: A Randomized, Double Blind, Placebo Controlled, Multi-Center Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Atorvastatin in Patient with Clinically Isolated Syndrome and High Risk of Conversion to Multiple Sclerosis (MS) (STAYCIS)

New York; Mount Sinai Medical Center
A 21 WEEK STUDY TO EVALUATE SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF ORAL FAMPRIDINE-SR IN SUBJECTS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS.

New York; Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Statins to delay or prevent Multiple Sclerosis in patients experiencing a Clinically Isolated Syndrome

New York; Mount Sinai Medical Center
OMEGA-Oral Megadose Corticosteroid Therapy of Acute Exacerbations in Multiple Sclerosis

New York; Mount Sinai Medical Center
A Phase II/III, Randomized, Double-Blind, Parallel-Group, Placebo-Controlled, Multi-Center Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Rituximab in Adults with Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis PROTOCOL: U2786g

Rochester; University of Rochester
Statins to delay or prevent Multiple Sclerosis in patients experiencing a Clinically Isolated Syndrome

North Carolina

Salisbury; Central Carolina Neurology & Sleep, PA
Looking for MS Patients for a Quality of Life Study

Ohio

Cleveland; Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Statins to delay or prevent Multiple Sclerosis in patients experiencing a Clinically Isolated Syndrome

Oregon

Portland; Oregon Health Sciences University
Statins to delay or prevent Multiple Sclerosis in patients experiencing a Clinically Isolated Syndrome

Texas

Dallas; University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Statins to delay or prevent Multiple Sclerosis in patients experiencing a Clinically Isolated Syndrome

Virginia

Charlottesville; University of Virginia
Men and Women 18-55 wanted for MS treatment trial

Washington

Seattle; Virginia Mason MS Center
Statins to delay or prevent Multiple Sclerosis in patients experiencing a Clinically Isolated Syndrome

Tacoma; Charles River Laboratories Clinical Services - Northwest Kinetics
Research Study: Adults with Relapsing Forms of Multiple Sclerosis

International

Montreal, QC, Canada; Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI)
Statins to delay or prevent Multiple Sclerosis in patients experiencing a Clinically Isolated Syndrome

http://www.centerwatch.com/patient/studies/cat102.html

MS Now Striking Women Much More Often Than Men HealthDay via Yahoo! News Fri, 27 Apr 2007 11:02 AM PDT FRIDAY, April 27 (HealthDay News) -- Although women have typically been much more likely to be diagnosed with multiple sclerosis than men, that gap has widened significantly in the past 60 years, new research shows.

Deactivating Protein May Protect Nerve Fibers In MS Medical News Today Sat, 28 Apr 2007 7:04 AM PDT Oregon Health & Science University neuroscientists are eyeing a protein as a potential therapeutic target for multiple sclerosis because de-activating it protects nerve fibers from damage. [click link for full article]

Landmark Papers On Pediatric MS Research And Care Medical News Today Fri, 27 Apr 2007 10:04 PM PDT 'Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders' has just been published by the International Pediatric MS Study Group as a supplement to the journal Neurology. [click link for full article]

Biogen Idec launches nurse services programme for MS treatment PharmaBiz Fri, 27 Apr 2007 10:49 PM PDT Biogen Idec announced the national launch of the new Avonex (Interferon beta-1a) Nurse Services programme which is designed to help people with multiple sclerosis (MS) as they begin and continue treatment with Avonex, the most prescribed treatment for relapsing forms of MS worldwide.

Friday Health Headlines KDKA Pittsburgh Fri, 27 Apr 2007 1:40 PM PDT In health headlines today: new information that could affect you and your family including things you should know about diabetes, childhood asthma, prostate cancer and multiple sclerosis.

Clinical Trials Update: April 27, 2007 HealthDay via Yahoo! News Fri, 27 Apr 2007 11:02 AM PDT (HealthDay News) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of Thomson CenterWatch:

MS Increasingly a Woman's Disease MedicineNet.com Fri, 27 Apr 2007 12:28 PM PDT Title: MS Increasingly a Woman's Disease Category: Health News Created: 4/27/2007 Last Editorial Review: 4/27/2007

Many MS Patients Miss Out on Effective Drugs MedicineNet.com Fri, 27 Apr 2007 12:30 PM PDT Title: Many MS Patients Miss Out on Effective Drugs Category: Health News Created: 4/27/2007 2:00:00 AM Last Editorial Review: 4/27/2007

New Understanding Of Schizophrenia Could Lead To New Treatment Approaches Medical News Today Sat, 28 Apr 2007 9:04 AM PDT New research helps bridge an important gap in understanding schizophrenia, providing the best evidence to date that defects in the brain's white matter are a key contributor to the disease, which affects about 1 percent of people worldwide. [click link for full article]

Funding Will Support Critical Understanding Of Brain Development And Demyelinating Diseases
Medical News Today Sat, 28 Apr 2007 4:04 AM PDT
A team of researchers at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research ("Burnham") has been awarded $7.39 million from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health. The funding will support a five-year, multi-project study entitled "Neuron-Glia Communication in Development."Glial cells are at the center of most functions of the nervous system. ...

Last Updated: Friday, April 27, 2007 | 9:46 AM ET

The Canadian Press

Imagine if scientists could peer into the blood and see the very first aberrant cells that will give birth to leukemia and then watch as the disease slowly progresses and takes over the body. Well, Canadian researchers have done just that.

They converted normal human blood cells into leukemia stem cells, then transplanted them into lab mice and witnessed the disease unfold.

'So what we were watching in front of our eyes was the evolution of how the leukemia stem cells first were generated and then how they continued to evolve or become more and more abnormal.'— Principal researcher John Dick

"You can study certain things about human cancer by studying the cancer itself," said principal researcher John Dick, a stem cell biologist at Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto. "But the one thing you can't study is what were the sequence of events that happened in the months and years before that process that actually led to that disease."

The groundbreaking research involved infecting cells from umbilical cord blood with a virus engineered to carry one of the genes known to cause certain types of leukemia. The genetic alteration created primitive leukemia stem cells, which were then injected into specially bred lab mice.

All of the animals — bred with no immune system, so their bodies do not reject human cells — developed leukemia with the same characteristics and patterns experienced by people with the disease, say the researchers, whose study was published Friday in the journal Science.
Seeks of leukemia

"We actually created leukemia stem cells," said Dick. "And we could show that they actually arose, at least in this model, from a very primitive cell."

"So what we were watching in front of our eyes was the evolution of how the leukemia stem cells first were generated and then how they continued to evolve or become more and more abnormal."

Stem cells are like master cells that can give rise to different offspring. Normal stem cells can produce any kind of tissue, from skin to heart to brain; cancer stem cells are the progenitors of malignant tumour cells.

Dick said this window into leukemia's development will allow scientists to ask, and hopefully answer, some "very interesting questions."

Those include:

* Are the seeds for acute leukemia that occurs in children sown during fetal development?
* Is the childhood disease different from that in adults?
* In which cell type does leukemia arise?
* Which genes are involved and in which order do they have to operate?

As well, understanding how leukemia advances from the moment of its conception could aid the development of drugs that would stop the process before it advances too far, he said.

Commenting on the work, the president of the Canadian Institute for Health Research said the study demonstrates that identifying cancer stem cells is critical to understanding how a malignancy evolves and also suggests a new target for future chemotherapy.

"These stem cells are kind of the kings in a chess game," Dr. Alan Bernstein explained Thursday from Ottawa. "What we're inching towards — and this paper is a big step towards that — is an appreciation that it's actually important to know what the king is doing and where the king is.

"So capturing the king is going to be key in winning the battle against cancer," said Bernstein, who believes that finding new drugs to knock over cancer stem cells will be the next major advance in achieving checkmate over the disease.

Dr. Donna Hogge, a senior scientist at the B.C. Cancer Agency, called the research by Dick and his team "very exciting."

"What's new and different is they've actually been able to take a specific gene rearrangement that we have known about for quite a number of years in human leukemias and been able to take that specific abnormality and put it back into normal human cells and show that it does in fact cause leukemia.

"In terms of, is this going to change the way we treat leukemia, I think the answer is no," Hogge, a member of B.C.'s leukemia bone marrow transplant program, said from Vancouver.

"It does create potentially quite good models of human leukemia that could potentially be used for drug testing" in the future, she said. "But by itself, this does not, obviously, suggest a new drug that would come out of it that might be helpful."
© The Canadian Press, 2007

http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2007/04/27/leukemia-stem-cells.html

Ireland's Elan still smiling despite increase in losses
Pharma Times (subscription) - London,UK
Some 12500 people have been prescribed with the drug, a figure which disappointed some analysts, but Elan remains confident that Tysabri will continue to ...
See all stories on this topic

Biogen Idec launches nurse service for Avonex patients
San Antonio Business Journal - San Antonio,TX,USA
Biogen has about 750 employees at a manufacturing facility in Research Triangle Park where it makes Avonex and another multiple sclerosis drug, Tysabri.
See all stories on this topic

Hacking Your Body's Bacteria for Better Health

Brandon Keim 04.26.07 | 2:00 AM

Modern humans are bacteria-killing machines. We assassinate microbes with hand soap, mouthwash and bathroom cleaners. It feels clean and right.

But some scientists say we're overdoing it. All this killing may actually cause diseases like eczema, irritable bowel syndrome and even diabetes. The answer, they say, is counterintuitive: Feed patients bacteria.

"Probiotics (pills containing bacteria) have resulted in complete elimination of eczema in 80 percent of the people we've treated," says Dr. Joseph E. Pizzorno Jr., a practicing physician and former member of the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy. Pizzorno says he's used probiotics to treat irritable bowel disease, acne and even premenstrual syndrome. "It's unusual for me to see a patient with a chronic disease that doesn't respond to probiotics."

Clinical trial data on probiotics is incomplete, but there are many indications that hacking the body's bacteria is beneficial.

In sheer numbers, bacterial cells in the body outnumber our own by a factor of 10, with 50 trillion bacteria living in the digestive system alone, where they've remained largely unstudied until the last decade. As scientists learn more about them, they're beginning to chart the complex symbiosis between the tiny bugs and our health.

"The microbes that live in the human body are quite ancient," says NYU Medical Center microbiologist Dr. Martin Blaser, a pioneer in gut microbe research. "They've been selected (through evolution) because they help us."

And it now appears that our daily antibacterial regimens are disrupting a balance that once protected humans from health problems, especially allergies and malfunctioning immune responses.

"After the Second World War, when our lifestyles changed dramatically, allergies increased. Autoimmune diseases like diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease are increasing," says Kaarina Kukkonen, a University of Helsinki allergy expert. "The theory behind (what causes) the diseases is the same: Lacking bacterial stimulation in our environments may cause this increase. I think this is the tip of the iceberg."

In a recent study, Kukkonen and her colleagues gave a probiotic containing four strains of gut bacteria to 461 infants labeled as high risk for developing allergic disorders. After two years, the children were 25 percent less likely than those given a placebo to develop eczema, a type of allergic skin inflammation. The study was published in the January issue of Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

Microbial exposures early in life, scientists believe, cause mild inflammation that calibrates the body's responses to other pathogens and contaminants later in life. Without exposure as infants, researchers say, people can end up with unbalanced immune systems.

"Many of the most difficult problems in medicine today are chronic inflammatory diseases," says Blaser. "These include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, atherosclerosis, eczema and multiple sclerosis. One possibility is that they're autoimmune or genetic diseases. The other possibility is that they are physiological responses to changes in microbiota."

Blaser's specialty is Helicobacter pylori, a strain once common in every human stomach but now rare in the West. Its disappearance may have benefits: H. pylori-related inflammation is associated with peptic ulcers and some stomach cancers. However, H. pylori also reduces acid reflux, which in turn is associated with asthma and esophageal cancers.

H. pylori's decline, says Blaser, correlates with a rapid rise in those afflictions. H. pylori deficiency may also contribute to obesity, he says, because the bacteria help regulate production of two hormones, ghrelin and leptin, that affect metabolism and appetite.

Low levels of Bacteroidetes have also been linked to obesity. Studies indicate that bacterial imbalances are associated with irritable bowel syndrome, post-surgical infections and type 1 diabetes.

The health-food movement has moved ahead with probiotics without regard for clinical trial results. Women commonly use supplements like acidophilus to treat yeast infections. Other probiotics are making their way into products such as Kashi Vive cereal "to help you care for your digestive system" and Dannon's Activia yogurt, which in its first year boasted more than $100 million in sales. But scientists say over-the-counter probiotics are of inconsistent quality.

Pizzorno, for example, buys his probiotics from companies that sell directly to doctors. Consumer probiotics don't always contain medically recognized bacterial strains, he said, and often the bacteria they contain are dead.

"Most of the companies don't have any research ongoing at all," says Stig Bengmark, a University of London hepatologist. "They buy cheap bacteria from yogurt companies and say it's good, but it's never proven."

To more precisely hack the gut bacteria, Blaser calls for a Gut Genome Project, modeled after the Human Genome Project. It's a daunting task: The human genome, mapped to great fanfare but still dimly understood, contains a tenth of the genes believed to be in our gut bacteria. But though difficult, such research could prove vital.

"The world is very aware of the concept of global warming, which is a macro-ecological change," Blaser says. "I postulate that there are similar micro-ecological changes going on inside us."

http://www.wired.com/medtech/health/news/2007/04/bacteriahacking

Multiple Sclerosis Is Increasingly Becoming A Woman's Disease: Why? Science Daily Fri, 27 Apr 2007 5:07 AM PDT Over time, more women are developing multiple sclerosis (MS) than men, according to new research. In 1940, the ratio of women to men with MS in the United States was approximately two to one. By 2000, that ratio had grown to approximately four to one.

More women developing multiple sclerosis than men in due course New Kerala Fri, 27 Apr 2007 8:41 AM PDT Washington, April 27 : A recent research has found that over time more women are developing multiple sclerosis (MS) than men.

MS Now Striking Women Much More Often Than Men HealthCentral.com Fri, 27 Apr 2007 10:13 AM PDT Copyright ? 2007 ScoutNews LLC. All rights reserved. FRIDAY, April 27 (HealthDay News) -- Although women have typically been much more likely to be diagnosed with multiple sclerosis than men, that gap has widened significantly in the past 60 years, new research shows.

Doctors not prescribing meds that help MS Reuters via Yahoo! News Thu, 26 Apr 2007 1:36 PM PDT Treatment with immune-modulating drugs can benefit people with multiple sclerosis, or MS, but a study of physicians' prescribing patterns shows that most MS patients do not get these medications.

MS Increasingly A Woman's Disease CBS News Thu, 26 Apr 2007 5:00 PM PDT Women with multiple sclerosis (MS) now appear to outnumber men with the disease by a ratio of four to one in the United States, new research shows.

MS Increasingly a Woman's Disease CBS News Thu, 26 Apr 2007 4:00 PM PDT Women with multiple sclerosis (MS) now appear to outnumber men with the disease by a ratio of four to one in the U.S., new research shows.

Over time, more women are developing MS than men EurekAlert! Thu, 26 Apr 2007 1:08 PM PDT BOSTON -- Over time, more women are developing multiple sclerosis (MS) than men, according to research that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology?s 59th Annual Meeting in Boston, April 28 ? May 5, 2007.

Improving health and well-being with food and love The Villager Thu, 26 Apr 2007 10:12 PM PDT Five days a week, Kyler James sets out across Greenwich Village carrying as many as 10 hot lunches. He strides quickly from one apartment to the next, dropping off free food for people with H.I.V., cancer, multiple sclerosis and other debilitating illnesses.

Study: Number Of Women Getting MS Has Doubled
NBC 5 Chicago Thu, 26 Apr 2007 2:40 PM PDT
Researchers are uncovering an alarming trend among the number of people who develop multiple sclerosis.

Rochester Physician Helps Lead Approach Against Lupus
Media Newswire (press release) - New York,NY,USA
There, two dozen University scientists and physicians work together to seek better treatments or cures for patients with lupus, multiple sclerosis, ...
See all stories on this topic

Scientists study immune cell bacteria

US. medical researchers have discovered bacteria that insert
themselves inside key front-line immune cells in mice can
trigger a strong immune response. The findings by the
University of Michigan scientists might lead to more effective
vaccines and more precisely targeted drugs for some autoimmune
diseases. The study found the body's immune cells don't
necessarily rest quietly until invading bacteria lock onto
receptors on their outside skins and rouse them to action, as
previously thought. The researchers discovered that, in mouse
studies, bacteria can enter cells and independently initiate
a powerful immune response. The study by Dr. Gabriel Nunez,
Thirumala-Devi Kanneganti, Mohamed Lamkanfi, Yun-Gi Kim, Grace
Chen, Jong-Hwan Park, and Luigi Franchi, along with Peter
Vandenabeele of the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology and
Ghent University in Belgium, is published online ahead of
print in the journal Immunity.

Many MS Patients Miss Out on Effective Drugs HealthDay via Yahoo! News Thu, 26 Apr 2007 9:02 AM PDT THURSDAY, April 26 (HealthDay News) -- Many multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in the United States are not taking or being prescribed immunomodulatory agents (IMAs) to treat the disease, even though the drugs reduce the frequency of relapse and slow disease progression.

Many MS Patients Miss Out on Effective Drugs HealthCentral.com Thu, 26 Apr 2007 10:28 AM PDT Copyright ? 2007 ScoutNews LLC. All rights reserved.

New blood test can diagnose and monitor treatment of Parkinson's disease EurekAlert! Thu, 26 Apr 2007 6:08 AM PDT While Florey researchers have also created a genetic test for PD (10% of PD cases are caused by genetic factors), this new test has a broader application by screening for many different types of PD and monitoring treatment, as well as measuring the effectiveness of drugs being developed to treat the disease.

Spending on biotech drug prescriptions rising Reuters via Yahoo! News Wed, 25 Apr 2007 2:28 PM PDT Biotech drugs will comprise a quarter of all spending on prescription drugs in five years, driven by broader uses for cancer and arthritis treatments, according to a study released on Wednesday.

Study Supports Cost-Effectiveness of Medtronic's Spasticity Treatment for Children With Cerebral Palsy RedNova Thu, 26 Apr 2007 10:34 AM PDT A new study published in the current issue of the Journal of Child Neurology indicates that a treatment from Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE:MDT), for spasticity in children with cerebral palsy improves their quality of life and is cost-effective compared to other established cost-effective treatments.

Pinning Your Hope On ... Acupuncture RedNova Thu, 26 Apr 2007 2:16 AM PDT By Bowling, Allen C; Stewart, Tom CAM stands for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a group of diverse therapies and products that are neither part of conventional medicine as taught in U.S. medical schools, nor generally available at U.S. hospitals.

New Blood Test Can Diagnose and Monitor Treatment of Parkinson's Disease RedNova Thu, 26 Apr 2007 2:19 AM PDT MELBOURNE, Australia, April 26 /PRNewswire/ --

New Clue to MS Relapses RedNova Thu, 26 Apr 2007 2:16 AM PDT By Anonymous In the healthy human body, immune cells enlisted to fight an infection will "self-destruct" once the bacteria or viruses have been eliminated.

Study Finds Vitamin D May Lower MS Risk
RedNova Thu, 26 Apr 2007 2:16 AM PDT
By Anonymous Got vitamin D? Unless you're taking supplements, drinking fortified milk, or eating a lot of fish, you're probably not getting enough.

Priming the immune system in vaccines

By Mike Nagle


26/04/2007 - New research suggests that it may be possible to design a vaccine that will enable the immune system to 'remember' pathogens without a preceding strong immune response.

The study, published in the Immunology Letters journal, described strategies for priming immune system cells that remember invading pathogens - memory B cells. Randolph Noelle and colleagues from Dartmouth Medical School in Lebanon, US, have showed that certain vaccine adjuvants can cause memory B cells to form without the recipient having to mount a strong primary antibody response during immunisation.

Long term immunity relies on the formation of both memory B cells and antibody-producing, long-lived B cells called plasma cells. Adjuvants are often used to supplement the effects of a vaccine, yet the reasons why some adjuvants work better than others is unclear. If this mystery could be solved, it would allow drug developers to design better vaccines.

"This article provides a very exciting new insight because it seems to change the traditional textbook paradigm on relationship between plasma cells and memory B cells," said Vaclav Horejsi, the editor-in-chief of the journal.

Noelle tested a wide range of Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists co-administered with soluble antigen, to see if they could differentially induce memory B cells and plasma cells. They found that TLR-3 and TLR-9 agonists caused memory B cells to b produced but not plasma cells.

The authors say the results could "provide an exciting new strategy for the formulation of humoral immunity-specific vaccines."

Though we often think we understand how adjuvants work, their effects on the critical parameters involved in the induction of immune responses have not been defined in vivo for these agents," said immunologist James Brewer from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, UK in his commentary published volume 109, issue 2 of the same journal.

Noelle argues that strong antibody responses to vaccines could cause autoimmunity and so the research could help avoid this. However, Brewer said: "Very few of these associations
have withstood scrutiny."

Brewer also notes that, in their research, the scientists "use strong innate stimuli that have themselves been associated with the induction of autoimmunity".

However, Brewer does recognise that: "The current study makes an interesting and important contribution to this area.

"While perhaps not immediately practicable, [the study] will have a contribution to the rational development of adjuvants for use in vaccination."
http://www.drugresearcher.com/news/ng.asp?n=76106&m=1DRG426&c=ydybdwffvkxmlpi

Toxic Factor Linked to ALS Neuron Death (CME/CE)
NEW YORK -- Some of the structural cells in the brain -- long thought to be passive onlookers as motor neurons die in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis -- are actually major players, according to two research groups.
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Neurology/GeneralNeurology/dh/5504

Acorda Therapeutics to Host Analyst and Investor Reception
Business Wire (press release) - San Francisco,CA,USA
The platform presentation of the Phase 3 clinical trial of Fampridine-SR data at the AAN meeting will take place on May 2, 2007 at 4:15 pm ET. ...
See all stories on this topic

Living to write the tale
Roanoke Times - Roanoke,VA,USA
The diagnosis was Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis, one of the most debilitating forms. Medication has helped, but it can only do so much compared ...
See all stories on this topic

Elan drops 7pc on higher Q1 loss, Tysabri sales


ELAN'S first quarter loss more than doubled and unspectacular sales from the performance of the company's multiple sclerosis treatment Tysabri following its relaunch sent the shares down over 7pc to close at €10.40 in Dublin yesterday.

The net loss widened to $93m from a loss of $33.3m a year earlier when the company benefited from a once-off gain of $44.2m related to the sale of European rights to the Prialt pain relief drug.

Higher debt costs included an $18.8m early retirement charge, the company added in a statement.

Analysts

Tysabri, which Elan co-sells with its research partner Biogen Idec, generated sales of $48.4m - less than some analysts had expected.

Some 12,500 patients have enrolled for Tysabri therapy, a 30pc increase in two months the company said yesterday.

Tysabri was reintroduced in July after sales were suspended when two patients taking it with Biogen's older Avonex treatment died after contracting a rare nerve disorder.

Elan announced a bigger-than-expected loss per share of $0.20 in the three months to end March versus a loss of $0.08 a share in the same period of 2006.

Davy analyst Jack Gorman described them as "broadly in line with forecasts".

Goodbody analyst Ian Hunter said that, even excluding the $18.8m net cost of cutting debt, earnings were 30.8pc behind what he had expected.

"Revenue, at $176m, was 3.2pc ahead of forecast, but the gross margin was slightly behind," Hunter said, pointing to sales, administrative and research costs that were 15pc higher than he had anticipated for the quarter.

Analysts said Elan is looking to move its Alzheimer's treatment from Phase II to Phase III. The shares fell 7.3pc in Dublin.

Ailish O'Hora

http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=184&si=1818464&issue_id=15547

Immunology: Pimp my antibody
Nature.com (subscription) - London,England,UK
Biogen Idec and Elan relaunched Tysabri last July under a tightly controlled programme so that it can track and respond to any suspected side effects. ...
See all stories on this topic

Elan drops 7pc on higher Q1 loss, Tysabri sales
Irish Independent - Dublin,Ireland
ELAN'S first quarter loss more than doubled and unspectacular sales from the performance of the company's multiple sclerosis treatment Tysabri following its ...
See all stories on this topic

Where Is Elan Going?
Motley Fool - USA
With a highly leveraged balance sheet and a net loss of $93 million this quarter, Elan desperately needs Tysabri sales to pick up. ...
See all stories on this topic

A Touch of Elan: Fool by Numbers
Motley Fool - USA
Revenue grew by a whopping 31%, reflecting strong performance of Tysabri, as around 12500 patients have entered the TOUCH registration program with 9100 ...
See all stories on this topic

• Gargle and spit to diagnose type of cancer
Detecting head and neck cancer early, when the odds of successful treatment are best, may be as simple as gargling with saline and spitting in a cup, according to a study conducted by a Miami, Florida-based research team.

• Can aspirin prevent cancer? Debate goes on

Elan Reports First Quarter 2007 Financial Results
PharmaLive.com (press release) - Newtown,PA,USA
Mr. Cooke added, "Revenue growth reflects the solid performance of Tysabri driven by the approximately 12500 patients who have signed up for therapy, ...
See all stories on this topic

Elan leans on ISEQ losers
Ireland Online - Dublin,Ireland
Shares at pharmaceutical company Elan tumbled 6% today after sales of its multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri came below expectations. ...
See all stories on this topic

Elan Q1 loss doubled but Tysabri keeps on track
Reuters - USA
Elan said global sales of the Tysabri MS treatment developed with US partner Biogen Idec (BIIB.O: Quote, Profile, Research) were $48.4 million in the first ...
See all stories on this topic

Morning business - Apr 24
RTE.ie - Ireland
ELAN'S TYSABRI NUMBERS UP 30% - Elan has just reported results for the first three months of the financial year. It reported increased losses, but revenues ...
See all stories on this topic

Action: FDLs Dave Blavat inspires others to fight disease through MS Walk
Fond du Lac Reporter Tue, 24 Apr 2007 2:32 AM PDT
For a long time, the pressure or knot in his stomach was attributed to nerves, the numbness explained away by a genetic heart condition. Medical testing over the course of a 25-year period revealed few clues to the mysterious symptoms that persisted and progressively worsened through his adulthood. Finally, nine years ago, an MRI cast a revealing light on telltale scar tissue. Dave Blavat was ...

Depression Workshop RedNova Tue, 24 Apr 2007 2:04 AM PDT Apothecarian Herbals, 3430-D Anderson Highway, Powhatan County, is offering a program on "Depression, Anxiety and Mood Disorders" today from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The cost is $15. To register, call (804) 598-5352.

Exercise may lower risk for Parkinson's disease EurekAlert! Mon, 23 Apr 2007 1:12 PM PDT BOSTON -- The risk of developing Parkinson?s disease may be reduced with moderate to vigorous exercise or other recreational activities, according to research that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology?s 59th Annual Meeting in Boston, April 28 ? May 5, 2007.

New genes identified in childhood fever-related seizures
EurekAlert! Mon, 23 Apr 2007 1:10 PM PDT
ST. PAUL, Minn -- Researchers have localized two new genes that are associated with fever-related seizures that occur in infancy and childhood, according to a study published in the April 24, 2007, issue of Neurology?, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Making Connections

MSIF awards six 2007 Du Pré Grants to young MS researchers

MSIF is delighted to announce that six young MS researchers have been awarded Du Pré Grants to allow them to study in another country.
The successful candidates are from, and travelling to, a range of countries to undertake varied MS research projects for between 10 weeks and one year. The aim is to encourage cross-fertilisation of skills through collaborative research projects.
Read more about the successful candidates

MSIF News

Summaries of new MSIF activities, events, projects, programmes, resources, publications and more.

Interactive MSIF Board and Committee meetings set scene for Council 2007

Between 18-20 April MSIF held its Spring 2007 Board and Committee meetings in London for 40 delegates from around the world.

read more

back to top

People with MS News

Summaries of news, views and achievements from people with MS around the world.

Profile of the Month : April 2007

Erlend Berntsen

Age: 27
Country: Norway
Occupation: Admissions Officer
Year of diagnosis: 2000
"I’ve tried to maintain my hopes and dreams for the future."
English Italiano Espanol Deutsch Francais Russian

read more

back to top

Research News

Summaries of all the latest research findings on MS selected by a team based at the Institute of Neurology, London.

Natalizumab treatment for multiple sclerosis: recommendations for patient selection and monitoring

In this important paper the authors review the current information on Natalizumab, a new preventive treatment for MS, including selection criteria for eligibility and recommended monitoring assessments.

authors: Kappos L, Bates D, Hartung HP, Havrdova E, Miller D, Polman CH, Ravnborg M, Hauser SL, Rudick RA, Weiner HL, O'connor PW, King J, Radue EW, Yousry T, Major EO, Clifford DB.

source: Lancet Neurol. 2007 May;6(5):431-41.

read more

An exploratory study on interferon beta dose effect in reducing size of enhancing lesions in multiple sclerosis

The authors focused on the effect of different dosages of Interferon-beta in reducing the size of active lesions on MRI. They found that only higher dosages reduce active lesions’ dimensions over time.

source: Mult Scler. 2007 May;13(3):343-7.

read more

Predicting beta-interferon failure in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis

The authors looked at which clinical parameters predict a poor response to Interferon-beta and found that a high degree of disability at the beginning of treatment and incomplete relapse suppression during treatment were predictive.

authors: O'rourke K, Walsh C, Antonelli G, Hutchinson M.

source: Mult Scler. 2007 May;13(3):336-42

read more

Treatment of pediatric multiple sclerosis and variants

The authors review the current knowledge regarding available treatments for MS in children, including both preventive and symptomatic medications.

authors: Pohl D, Waubant E, Banwell B, Chabas D, Chitnis T, Weinstock-Guttman B, Tenembaum S.

source: Neurology. 2007 Apr 17;68(16 Suppl 2):S54-65

read more

Natalizumab reduces visual loss in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis

The authors looked at the effects of treatment with Natalizumab, a new treatment for MS, on visual acuity. They found that it was effective in reducing visual loss in people with relapsing MS.

authors: Balcer LJ, Galetta SL, Calabresi PA, Confavreux C, Giovannoni G, Havrdova E, Hutchinson M, Kappos L, Lublin FD, Miller DH, O'Connor PW, Phillips JT, Polman CH, Radue EW, Rudick RA, Stuart WH, Wajgt A, Weinstock-Guttman B, Wynn DR, Lynn F, Panzara MA.

source: Neurology. 2007 Apr 17;68(16):1299-304.

read more

Clinical features of children and adolescents with multiple sclerosis

The authors summarised the clinical features of MS particular to children and compared them with clinical characteristics of MS in adults.

authors: Ness JM, Chabas D, Sadovnick AD, Pohl D, Banwell B, Weinstock-Guttman B.

source: Neurology. 2007 Apr 17;68(16 Suppl 2):S37-45.

read more

The psychosocial consequences of pediatric multiple sclerosis

The authors review the psychological impact of MS in children. They highlight the importance of a proper assessment and intervention on both emotional and cognitive problems.

authors: Macallister WS, Boyd JR, Holland NJ, Milazzo MC, Krupp LB.

source: Neurology. 2007 Apr 17;68(16 Suppl 2):S66-9.

read more

Health-related quality of life in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis

The authors studied the impact of different symptoms on the quality of life reported by patients with secondary progressive MS. They found that disability and fatigue negatively influence the wellbeing of these patients.

authors: Beiske AG, Naess H, Aarseth JH, Andersen O, Elovaara I, Farkkila M, Hansen HJ, Mellgren SI, Sandberg-Wollheim M, Sorensen PS, Myhr KM.

source: Mult Scler. 2007 May;13(3):386-92

read more

back to top

MS News

Summaries of MS news from websites around the world.

Analysis shows Tysabri helps reduce vision loss in relapsing MS

source: US National MS Society

In the first large-scale validation of a new method for evaluating visual function in multiple sclerosis, analysis of data from two pivotal clinical trials of Tysabri® showed that the drug can reduce vision loss in relapsing multiple sclerosis.

read more

Results of quality of life research in Spain published

source: FELEM

The Spanish MS Society FELEM have published the findings of a two year quality of life research project.

read more

Landmark compendium on paediatric MS published with funding from the US National MS Society

source: US National MS Society

The journal Neurology has published a comprehensive supplement on paediatric multiple sclerosis, the first publication of its kind, funded by the US National MS Society and written by the International Pediatric MS Study Group.

read more

US society-funded researchers find cells that may promote myelin repair in MS

source: US National MS Society

Researchers funded in part by the US National MS Society’s Promise:2010 campaign report on a potential source of cells in the brain to promote repair of nervous system damage that occurs in multiple sclerosis.

read more

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24 April 2007 website | contact us | donate

MSIF News

People with MS News

Research News

MS News

	Making Connections MSIF awards six 2007 Du Pré Grants to young MS researchers MSIF is delighted to announce that six young MS researchers have been awarded Du Pré Grants to allow them to study in another country. The successful candidates are from, and travelling to, a range of countries to undertake varied MS research projects for between 10 weeks and one year. The aim is to encourage cross-fertilisation of skills through collaborative research projects. Read more about the successful candidates
	MSIF News Summaries of new MSIF activities, events, projects, programmes, resources, publications and more. Interactive MSIF Board and Committee meetings set scene for Council 2007 Between 18-20 April MSIF held its Spring 2007 Board and Committee meetings in London for 40 delegates from around the world. read more back to top
	People with MS News Summaries of news, views and achievements from people with MS around the world. Profile of the Month : April 2007 Erlend Berntsen Age: 27 Country: Norway Occupation: Admissions Officer Year of diagnosis: 2000 "I’ve tried to maintain my hopes and dreams for the future." English Italiano Espanol Deutsch Francais Russian read more back to top
	Research News Summaries of all the latest research findings on MS selected by a team based at the Institute of Neurology, London. Natalizumab treatment for multiple sclerosis: recommendations for patient selection and monitoring In this important paper the authors review the current information on Natalizumab, a new preventive treatment for MS, including selection criteria for eligibility and recommended monitoring assessments. authors: Kappos L, Bates D, Hartung HP, Havrdova E, Miller D, Polman CH, Ravnborg M, Hauser SL, Rudick RA, Weiner HL, O'connor PW, King J, Radue EW, Yousry T, Major EO, Clifford DB. source: Lancet Neurol. 2007 May;6(5):431-41. read more An exploratory study on interferon beta dose effect in reducing size of enhancing lesions in multiple sclerosis The authors focused on the effect of different dosages of Interferon-beta in reducing the size of active lesions on MRI. They found that only higher dosages reduce active lesions’ dimensions over time. source: Mult Scler. 2007 May;13(3):343-7. read more Predicting beta-interferon failure in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis The authors looked at which clinical parameters predict a poor response to Interferon-beta and found that a high degree of disability at the beginning of treatment and incomplete relapse suppression during treatment were predictive. authors: O'rourke K, Walsh C, Antonelli G, Hutchinson M. source: Mult Scler. 2007 May;13(3):336-42 read more Treatment of pediatric multiple sclerosis and variants The authors review the current knowledge regarding available treatments for MS in children, including both preventive and symptomatic medications. authors: Pohl D, Waubant E, Banwell B, Chabas D, Chitnis T, Weinstock-Guttman B, Tenembaum S. source: Neurology. 2007 Apr 17;68(16 Suppl 2):S54-65 read more Natalizumab reduces visual loss in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis The authors looked at the effects of treatment with Natalizumab, a new treatment for MS, on visual acuity. They found that it was effective in reducing visual loss in people with relapsing MS. authors: Balcer LJ, Galetta SL, Calabresi PA, Confavreux C, Giovannoni G, Havrdova E, Hutchinson M, Kappos L, Lublin FD, Miller DH, O'Connor PW, Phillips JT, Polman CH, Radue EW, Rudick RA, Stuart WH, Wajgt A, Weinstock-Guttman B, Wynn DR, Lynn F, Panzara MA. source: Neurology. 2007 Apr 17;68(16):1299-304. read more Clinical features of children and adolescents with multiple sclerosis The authors summarised the clinical features of MS particular to children and compared them with clinical characteristics of MS in adults. authors: Ness JM, Chabas D, Sadovnick AD, Pohl D, Banwell B, Weinstock-Guttman B. source: Neurology. 2007 Apr 17;68(16 Suppl 2):S37-45. read more The psychosocial consequences of pediatric multiple sclerosis The authors review the psychological impact of MS in children. They highlight the importance of a proper assessment and intervention on both emotional and cognitive problems. authors: Macallister WS, Boyd JR, Holland NJ, Milazzo MC, Krupp LB. source: Neurology. 2007 Apr 17;68(16 Suppl 2):S66-9. read more Health-related quality of life in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis The authors studied the impact of different symptoms on the quality of life reported by patients with secondary progressive MS. They found that disability and fatigue negatively influence the wellbeing of these patients. authors: Beiske AG, Naess H, Aarseth JH, Andersen O, Elovaara I, Farkkila M, Hansen HJ, Mellgren SI, Sandberg-Wollheim M, Sorensen PS, Myhr KM. source: Mult Scler. 2007 May;13(3):386-92 read more back to top
	MS News Summaries of MS news from websites around the world. Analysis shows Tysabri helps reduce vision loss in relapsing MS source: US National MS Society In the first large-scale validation of a new method for evaluating visual function in multiple sclerosis, analysis of data from two pivotal clinical trials of Tysabri® showed that the drug can reduce vision loss in relapsing multiple sclerosis. read more Results of quality of life research in Spain published source: FELEM The Spanish MS Society FELEM have published the findings of a two year quality of life research project. read more Landmark compendium on paediatric MS published with funding from the US National MS Society source: US National MS Society The journal Neurology has published a comprehensive supplement on paediatric multiple sclerosis, the first publication of its kind, funded by the US National MS Society and written by the International Pediatric MS Study Group. read more US society-funded researchers find cells that may promote myelin repair in MS source: US National MS Society Researchers funded in part by the US National MS Society’s Promise:2010 campaign report on a potential source of cells in the brain to promote repair of nervous system damage that occurs in multiple sclerosis. read more