Isn't the whole GDNF thing about Amgen's bottom line? i remember a member here (Paula, was it you? I have forgotten who sent it to me, and where I stored it!)) who unearthed a video showing the vice president of Amgen speaking at a gathering about GDNF during the early days of the trials. If I remember correctly he spoke about the cumbersome, involved delivery system--and that there were not enough surgery suites and neurosurgeons to install the delivery system into all the parkinson's patients in the US (and the world). he emphasized the need to find a new delivery system--expect that is exactly what they are working on right now....I for one will be unsurprised if the same GDNF formulation with a new delivery system is brought to trial by Amgen in the not too distant future (one can only hope, since they are unwilling to allow any academic institution or another pharmaceutical entity to use amgen's formulation of the factor). with the participants willing to sign any waiver the amgen lawyers could devise, worry about litigation from this small number of victimized individuals seemed moot.
and as my husband can readily attest--the worst side effect of drugs is not litigation----