[mamafigure]

MJF will be on CNN tonight on the Anderson Cooper show.
Mama

[paula_w]

This was the best put together interview thus far IMHO. Anderson Cooper was fair, and in the 'it's a small world arena,' the man who presented the anti- ESCR stem cell viewpoint is the author of the Prentice list of 65 Purported Adult Stem Cell Treatments, a less than credible list that people are believing. He is the man who is claiming on that list that Amgen's synthetic GDNF pump infused treatments were successful adult stem cell treatments.

We agree that the GDNF was successful, but not that it was an adult stem cell treatment! It is a synthetic substance. Letters to CNN en mass would be helpful, explaining that this man is making false claims about the treatments, but that he is right about one thing - GDNF was successful. Profit motives keep it sitting on the shelf. Safety concerns have been debunked.

This is the only treatment, minus stem cells, that has years of evidence that it is safe and effective for some patients. Until we know what causes Parkinson's - and by some chance learn that it is caused by the same thing in all people [unlikely from what we know now]. the best any treatment can do is help some people...and the suffering is great enough for patients to be provided with even temporary relief while waiting and hoping for something else to come along.

This makes the anti-ESCR claims less true than the honest "We don't know yets but want to find out - it looks promising" ESCR advocates. Honesty doesn't make anything work on serious illness, but it is the right way to be and preferable to false claims. The physician on CNN was excellent. i felt he was given the opportunity to explain what Michael was demonstrating physically to a very accurate degree.

In the end though, I have to also agree with Bill O'Reilly. This issue is about beliefs. All we can do is try to get the facts out. Then it's an individual decision.

My personal choice is still GDNF. It has the most successful research behind it, a high percentage of patient success, has not shown side effects, and is available now. Gene therapy is catching up on the timeline, but has many unanswered questions and has to get over the Phase II hump. Spheramine is moving at a snail's pace.

ESCR is for the future and Mike Fox is trying to get there. Oh the irony.

Paula

[mamafigure]

I think that the most powerful part of the show was its simplicity.

Its format allowed Mike to be able to truly speak, not just produce little soundbites. It also let everyone see the continuity of of his dyskinesias. Anyone able to carry on the kind of thoughtful dialogue that he was doing while being physically so animated, either had to be a member of cirque du soleil or truly was not manipulating himself.

It was a testament to his honesty and to his commitment to us and to keeping the hope alive.

I am in his debt.

Mama

[Thelma]

You have said it perfectly Paula.

I have just read the other forum and am amazed that there still are people out there who share the writers views. Look and see what I mean.

I have not been tempted till today to post on that forum but this one of Vickys and the one of Lorraine in the Als forum tempt me enough to be a hypocrit and do so. I have said I wasn't ever again going to, but these two tempt me.

Takilng your post above and altering it into a letter to send if that is allright with you.

[paula_w]

No problem and thanks Thelma....paula