I find it interesting that some drugs which have been around for years as have
several of those used to prevent tissue rejection in organ transplant
patients, and were found to restore some brain function in patients with
certain brain diseases would need FURTHER "human testing" to see if they'd
work in restoring brain function in PD sufferers, Alzheirmers patients, and
certain other brain disorders.
Since the drugs ARE already approved by the FDA, and ARE already in use
nation-wide (and world-wide, presumably), IF they DO work in restoring some
brain function to those with certain disorders of the brain, why not just go
whole-hog and do a mass testing with several thousand persons having the
particlar brain disorders the drugs seem to work for?
Admittedly, I recognize such mass testing would require a significant ongoing
committment on the part of not only the medical community but the partients as
well. I also know that because of the toxidity of these anti-rejection drugs
that they can come with their own set of medical problems. However, those
problems ARE known due to previous testing prior to the original FDA approval,
and transplant patients today use the drugs on a daily basis with careful drug
monitoring. Can't the same kind of monitoring be done on those who'd use the
drugs for brain disease control?
IF anti-rejection drugs have ALREADY been seen to benefit those of us who
suffer so from the misery of various brain diseases and the drugs are here
NOW, let's GO FOR IT NOW!
ASIDE: Errrrrr... and I DO know this is a simplistic viewpoint of the
situation and the anti-rejection drugs, but every day when I read the messages
of our PD list members, it just breaks my heart to see the terrible suffering
that so many warm and caring folks live with each day. And that includes the
caregivers and families who come to us here praying for an answer... some
magic pill which will bring relief to their loved one.
Sooo...... IF the drugs are here NOW, why not USE them now? And if NOT
now.... WHEN?
Barb Mallut,
[log in to unmask]
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From: PARKINSN: Parkinson's Disease - Information Exchange Network on behalf
of David B. Silverman
Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 1996 5:19 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN
Subject: Report of promising use for transplant drugs--- brain tissue
regeneration
Today's NY Newsday (P.A21) contains an article to the effect that animal
experiments have been done in which nerve and brain tissue damage is
deliberately caused and that resultant brain tissue damage can then be
partially cured by administration of drugs that prevent tissue rejection.
The article reports that "surprising new evidence" now exists that some of
the drugs used to keep transplanted organs from being rejected may also help
overcome brain damage caused by strokes, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's
disease. The scientist giving the report (Dr. Solomon Snyder) explained that
it only takes partial restoration of dopamine-producing cells to get near
normal function in the animals tested.
The article ends, however, with a note of caution, namely,
that caution is needed about extrapolating results of animal tests to humans,
and also that years of testing the drugs used (cyclosporine and FK506) will
be needed before they are approved for use in nervous-system disorders.
The article was based on a report of Dr. Solomon Snyder,
"who has long studied the nervous system and its biochemistry at the John
Hopkins Medical Institutions." He is stated to be leading brain research
scientist.
I am promptly posting this article because it offers
considerable encouragement, and opportunity for Parkinson list members to
really follow up on this and certainly to use this research report and others
like it to prod certain
Congressmen.
I trust that we will be learning more soon and that we
can share the information with each other.
David Silverman (caregiver for a dear friend)
