Momentum back issues from June 2009:
Being there: MS clinical trials as seen by some volunteers.(Inside the World of Clinical Trials)(Cover story)
Jun 22, 2009; ... North Carolinian Brian Cole would seem an unlikely participant in a clinical trial of an experimental MS drug. A business development manager for a software company, Cole, who was diagnosed in 1995, had been taking Avonex for a decade. He attributed the relative mildness of his disease to ...
Get smart: clinical trial resources.(Inside the World of Clinical Trials)
Jun 22, 2009; ... Volunteering for a clinical trial doesn't mean leaving everything to chance. Before participating, get informed. The Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP) is a nonprofit organization focusing on education about clinical research participation (visit ...
In the know: drug trial basics.(Inside the World of Clinical Trials)
Jun 22, 2009; ... Before a new drug can be tested in humans, scientists must have a solid rationale as to why it would be helpful. They must also be reasonably certain that the drug won't cause more harm than good. It's harder to know this than it may appear. Preliminary research usually involves years of ...
In the pipeline: MS pills are moving from lab through clinical trials.(multiple sclerosis)(Brief article)
Jun 22, 2009 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Will there ever be an end to needles for MS treatment? We don't know, but right now oral MS therapies are in clinical trials around the world. PHASE I 1. Pioglitazone (Actos) Study completed: October 2005 ...
Retiring to China.(Advance MS)(Essay)
Jun 22, 2009; ... "But why China?" Judy cried out when I announced where we were moving after retirement. Mary chimed in, "You know it's Communist." That was several years ago and we're still here. Shenyang is a traditional Chinese city, polluted but now trying to become green. It continues some ...
Fast forward: fills a research gap.
Jun 22, 2009; ... "We found there was a funding gap between the early stages of developing a drug and the clinical trial stage," said Timothy Coetzee, PhD, executive director of Fast Forward, LLC, a Society subsidiary. "And without a clinical trial, you can't bring a drug to market." That's ...
MS in the news.(FROM THE EDITOR)(multiple sclerosis)(Editorial)
Jun 22, 2009; ... * Stem cell breakthrough in MS * Amazing new devices cure foot drop * New MS drug fails midtrial Have you seen headlines like these recently? They certainly do grab attention. But what else do they do? Do the "amazing" foot drop ...
The MS Great-8 links the nation's cyclists.(FEATURE STORY: Bike MS)(multiple sclerosis)
Jun 22, 2009; ... The thing about cycling fanatics--they can't get enough of a good thing. And seasoned cycling fanatics know the National MS Society is one big good thing. Bike MS has 100 outstanding rides in every corner of the nation. The routes are filled with challenges and scenic vistas, the rest ...
Riders in the storm: true Bike MS tales in hurricane season.(FEATURE STORY: Bike MS)(multiple sclerosis)
Jun 22, 2009; ... Blaine King was sitting in his office finalizing details for the Oklahoma Chapter Bike MS when he heard that Hurricane Ike was going to hit the area on day one of the two-day ride. Hundreds of people from across the state and around the country had signed up. Bike MS is the ...
The funny page: human subjects.(Healthy Living)
Jun 22, 2009; ... I often get e-mails from MS organizations about research studies and clinical trials looking for participants. I was born to be a human subject. I don't mind hospitals and I love filling out questionnaires --in magazines, online, anywhere. I even mail in those product registration cards ...
Unconventional therapies for stress and anxiety.(CAM)
Jun 22, 2009; ... Anxiety and stress often involve a web of underlying causes, life issues, and manifestations in day-to-day life. Conditions as multifactorial as these may well benefit from multifactorial treatment approaches. The "relaxation response" One of the best ways to relieve ...
That special summertime stress.(Healthy Living)(Brief article)
Jun 22, 2009; ... Some people with MS find heat triggers many symptoms--increased fatigue, weakness, and visual disturbances, to name a few. But there are devices to help cope with that special stress. Opposite is a list of Web sites offering cooling hats, scarves, wraps, misters, dew rags, leg bands, ...
Conventional medications for anxiety: what to know.(Healthy Living)
Jun 22, 2009; ... It may be a different kind of "normal," but it's definitely normal to experience anxiety when faced with MS. "What's going to happen to me?" "How can I talk to my children?" "Should I disclose at work?" These are questions that would keep anyone up at night. That said, it's ...
Lower cost disease-modifying drugs?(CONSUMER ALERT)
Jun 22, 2009; ... Ever since the very first disease-modifying drug for MS made its debut back in 1993, consumers have been hoping that competition would bring down the cost. The exciting news that finally something could be done to slow the progress of MS was tempered by the back-breaking expense. ...
MS in a word.(Healthy Living)(Multiple sclerosis)
Jun 22, 2009; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sometimes it feels like only people with MS understand how complex this disease is. Not only do you have to navigate seeing doctors, taking medications, and working with therapists, nurses and other health-care professionals, you also have to understand ...
Rehab research by phone.(REHAB NEWS)
Jun 22, 2009; ... Rehabilitation research focuses on improving function in people living with MS. Research in this area is rapidly progressing and in subsequent columns we'll report on new developments. We'll also use this column for specific, practical information that may improve your day-today life. We ...
Patient assistance programs can work.(IN BOX)(Letter to the editor)
Jun 22, 2009; ... I had the misfortune to have my insurance cancelled by my recently ex-husband without notification. Here I was, sitting in Boston, having left New York City where I lived for most of my adult life, feeling not only disoriented, but also vulnerable. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...
A running start.(IN BOX)(Letter to the editor)
Jun 22, 2009; ... I started running two years ago, three years after my diagnosis, and after taking 20 years off from the sport. I set a goal: a local 5K road race. It was Mother's Day and also my 40th birthday. I ran it and eight more that summer. I've experienced several exacerbations since then, but a ...
In a flash!(IN BOX)
Jun 22, 2009 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Momentum on the Web has every word and picture in the print edition--plus live clickable links to all Web resources. Read ...
Asking tough questions.(IN BOX)(Letter to the editor)
Jun 22, 2009; ... Your winter issue (Plan for Your Best Life, nationalMSsociety.org/MOMwin0809) was just the boost I needed to get to doing all the dreadful work of lining up things financial and legal in my ...
Three whees for Wii.(IN BOX)(Letter to the editor)
Jun 22, 2009; ... Wii has resurrected me. It was devastating for me not to be able to participate in the sports I once played and coached years ago. Now my husband and I have daily Wii matches. I'm back! Susan Horden, via e-mail [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] I just had my three-month checkup ...
Just the right time.(IN BOX)(Letter to the editor)
Jun 22, 2009; ... The Spring issue's articles about special seat cushions, bladder control, physical therapy, pets, ...
Editor's note: more Botox information.(IN BOX)
Jun 22, 2009 ... Additional information about Botox for bladder problems can be found on our Web site. Type Botox into the search box on our home ...
High-tech solutions for low vision.(Low Vision ALERT)
Jun 22, 2009; ... Living with low vision is not easy. So I feel fortunate to be living at a time when technology can give me access to activities and areas that used to be impossible. Closed circuit TVs (video magnifiers), scanning/reading machines, computer screen magnification software, and ...
Funding the movement: meet Joyce and Andrew Mandell.(Money Matters)
Jun 22, 2009; ... It's not a surprise that Andy and his wife, Joyce, understand needs and respond magnanimously. The Mandells own and operate Data-Mail, Inc. In 1971 the business was a 1,000-square-foot shop employing a staff of one. Today, Data-Mail has expanded to 450,000 square feet of space and employs ...
Meredith gets a ticket and can't get into the courthouse to appeal.(THE LEGAL REALITY)
Jun 22, 2009; ... This is the continuing story of Meredith, a 32-year-old woman who is an ambitious CPA and lives with MS. Meredith has used the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other laws to help her obtain a parking place by her apartment and to battle physical obstacles at her workplace and in a ...
Brain tissue donation furthers MS research.(News Feed)
Jun 22, 2009 ... Less than two years ago, researchers studying the postmortem brains of people with MS uncovered a possible link between the Epstein-Barr virus and MS. It wasn't conclusive proof that the virus is an underlying cause of MS, but it did bring scientists one step closer to answers we need--a ...
Disclosing MS on the job? Society offers online disclosure toolkit.(News Feed)(Multiple sclerosis)(Brief article)
Jun 22, 2009 ... Recently diagnosed with MS and considering telling your boss? There are many reasons you might want to disclose, from explaining visible symptoms to guilt about absences or fear of being found out. But a decision to reveal medical information of any kind in the workplace ...
Identifying barriers to using an MS drug.(News Feed)(multiple sclerosis)
Jun 22, 2009 ... Clinical recommendations on the use of disease modifying therapies (DMTs) for MS are clear. But what's not so clear is why some people with MS stop using them, or never use them at all. To find out more, researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and Abt Associates ...
World MS day: a call to action.(News Feed)(multiple sclerosis)(Brief article)
Jun 22, 2009 ... A minimum of two million people worldwide live with MS. This year, for the first time, 80 MS organizations around the globe are taking part in World MS Day on May 27, 2009. In the United States, with the opportunity for essential health care reform a real possibility, the ...
Seeing the big picture: a national MS registry.(News Feed)(multiple sclerosis)(Brief article)
Jun 22, 2009 ... MS activists nationwide are working to establish a permanent national MS registry in collaboration with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The National MS and Parkinson's Disease Registries Act was introduced in March 2009 to ...
Raising money their way: volunteers create unique events.(News Feed)
Jun 22, 2009 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Bike MS and Walk MS events are a great way to get involved and raise money to fight MS. But some people fundraise for the Society "their way." They organize their own community or "third-party" events, with proceeds benefiting the Society. From ...
Domestic abuse and MS.(News Feed)(multiple sclerosis)
Jun 22, 2009 ... Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women in the United States. Abuse affects men as well, but to a lesser degree. And abuse occurs at higher rates to people with disabling diseases, including MS. This is not a pleasant subject, but it needs to be discussed. To ...
Going to the dogs.(ON MY MIND)(Brief article)
Jun 22, 2009; ... Three years ago, people affected by MS helped create a document to describe how they expected the National MS Society to respond to multiple sclerosis. One of those expectations is that we will "mobilize the talents and resources of the millions of people who want to do something about ...
Social networking, offline and on.(Our Space)
Jun 22, 2009; ... When Lauren Hansen, 28, was diagnosed with MS four years ago, she contacted the Society's Michigan Chapter right away. Soon she was volunteering and participating in Walk MS events. But Hansen, who is pursuing a master's degree in public health from the University of Michigan, didn't find ...
Bringing it home: MS researchers take novel ideas from the lab to clinical trials.(Research Now)(multiple sclerosis)
Jun 22, 2009; ... A major goal of MS research--second only to finding a cure--is bringing new therapies to people with MS. It might start in the lab with the discovery that one molecule targeted under an atomic microscope can decrease immune cells or increase the cells that make nerve-sheathing myelin ....
Research shows the way to healthy living with MS.(Research Now)(multiple sclerosis)
Jun 22, 2009; ... In my former life as director of the Georgetown MS Center, I tried to help people with MS navigate the maze that includes trying disease-modifying therapies, addressing both the numerous symptoms of MS and conditions unrelated to MS, and normal preventive healthcare. We often tend to focus ...
Trimming the fat: are lipids contributing to MS?(Research Now)(multiple sclerosis)
Jun 22, 2009 ... What triggers the immune attack on the brain and spinal cord in MS? We talk a lot about proteins, but myelin--the substance that ensheathes nerve fibers and is a main target of the attack--is primarily composed of lipids. These fatlike molecules are harder to work with than proteins ...
Oral cladribine reduces MS relapses in phase 3 clinical trial.(In the news and on our Web site)
Jun 22, 2009 ... Oral cladribine (EMD Serono) reduced the relapse rate significantly more than inactive placebo in the phase III "CLARITY" study of 1,326 people with relapsing-remitting MS. These initial results--the first from any phase III study of oral therapy for MS--were reported in a press release ...
Results from small study of stem cell therapy to "reboot" immune system.(In the news and on our Web site)(Report)(Brief article)
Jun 22, 2009 ... Northwestern University researchers reported on the safety and benefits from an early phase study of experimental transplantation of individuals' own blood stem cells to turn off the immune attacks in MS. Unlike some of the previous studies of this procedure, this one involved people with ...
FDA expands labeling for Copaxone.(In the news and on our Web site)(Food and Drug Administration)(Brief article)
Jun 22, 2009 ... The FDA has extended the labeling of Copaxone (glatiramer acetate) to include people with MS who have experienced a first clinical episode and have MRI features consistent with MS. The FDA based its decision on the findings of the "PreCISe" study, in which Copaxone reduced the risk of ...
Researchers need your help.(In the news and on our Web site)
Jun 22, 2009 ... MS Trial Alerts have been posted on new clinical trials recruiting volunteers across the country and in Europe to test the next ...