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I am enrolled in a Phase 111 Clinical Trial of the above referenced drug
which if effective, could prove to be neuroprotective against Parkinson's
disease as well as effective in 'rescuing' injured dopamine nerve cells and
promoting their survival. The study is still recruiting volunteers to
participate from their home with scheduled visits to the study office in
Philadelphia. I am from Norwalk, CT. and Have met people enrolled from
'Florida, California and Louisiana. Aside from two, in-person evaluations,
applicants must have been on a stable meds regime for three months prior to
evaluation and remain on an unchanged regime for the first six months of the
study.
The study is double blind, placebo controlled, with patients to receive the
actual drug randomly chosen. The initial period is 6 months and those
electing to continue thereafter are guaranteed to receive 2 years of the real
(not placebo) drug. Two consecutive years if the first 6 months were placebo
and another year and a half if the first six months were actual drug.
Evaluation is threefold. Each participant self evaluates on each visit to
Philadelphia; Similarly, two Drs'. conducting the study perform evaluations
on each visit; and every six months, a SPECT scan is read. In simple lay
terms (all I'm capable of), this machine counts the neurons in the brain so
once a baseline is established, the results of these tests should indicate
disease progress or lack thereof. I believe this SPECT scan is also under
test simultaneous with the drug test.

So if anyone's appetite is whetted, call the study administrators (excuse me
ladies if I have your titles wrong) Stephanie Ferraro and Judy Hillman at
215-955-8700. The study is being run by Jay S. Schneider, Ph.D., Professor
Depts. of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, and Neurology at Thomas
Jefferson University

Paul H. Lauer