Hey Wiz, I was thinking about this after answering your other post already ...

We don't know if the 23 (+ perhaps the three from the trials) is an accurate number; it could less, or it could be more. Going with the numbers we have though, I don't know there would be any advantage what-so-ever in them publishing this information.

So long as no one "knows", this might work best for them ... don't you think?

Let's <say> that close to 20 patients of the 13-thousand-odd patients who've used it more than 24 months (or maybe 15 patients out of the 6,000 that have used it for 30+ months) .... NOTE: just making up numbers for demonstration purposes ..... have come down with PML. The risk factor for that number of infusions might be as high as 1:100, 1:300 or 1:500.

My question is what useful purpose would it be for Biogen to release that information? So long as no one knows, it's all just "speculation" ... which might anger some people, but it MAY be better than revealing the truth too.

They want to focus on the positives of this med, as they said in June when they told us they don't intend to share the numbers any more. They also said they had hoped they would have a better idea of the cause of PML (from the use of Tysabri) by the time they stopped telling us the PML patient numbers (although that doesn't seem to have happened yet). They are getting closer to maybe identifying a test that will help with mitigating risk though.

In the meantime, I think it was apparent that they intended to keep the PML cases as low-key as possible, now that they are up there with patient numbers/number of infusions.

Ten in one month is crazy, especially if they are ALL in the "high number of infusions category", no matter how many are on the drug right now. For all we know, it might only be 5 though, in which case most everyone would likely sigh with relief at that news (at least compared to 10).

If it really is 10 in the last month though, I would be suprised if they would change their policy of telling people, as I just don't see how that could work for them to do so.

Has anyone noticed exec's cashing in their shares lately?

Cherie