I have an appointment scheduled for a Flora-Dopa Pet Scan at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research affliated with the Long Island Jewish Hospital. I will be getting this scan to formally dx. PD, because of my hard to dx. but very suspicious symptoms that have been long standing. I descided to do this to achieve an answer once and for all and to end the mental anguish I have been in, also to be able to access the possibility of some neuro-protection (Azilect) or others as they become available.

Now, with this situation that was just reported by the FDA in another well thought of Research Center, it is brewing a lot of fear and questions for me.....should I really go ahead with this!? I realize this is an entirely different center, the one I am going to also make their radio tracer on site, I can't help but wonder what corners they have cut!!

What would you do?
Some opinions would be appreciated..........thank you.

You might want to start with the FDA. I forget what i've read so far about your symptoms but are you having trouble with getting a diagnosis? If you have symptoms are you on meds yet? if so are they helping? We could have pd from some of what we've allowed to be shot into our bodies. You asked what i'd do, i think i would avoid it for now. But FDA can tell you if there are previous complaints. These people at Columbia continued for years after failing FDA inspection. Maybe you don't have to have a PET scan.

that's the problem. in good conscience, who can recommend a pet scan to anyone right now?

good luck and keep us posted please.

Well, even without the bad media reports coming out, did you knolw that a PET scan is not a sure way to diagnose PD? Added to that is the fact that Azilect has not been proven to be neuroprotective. Teva repored it as being neuroprotective after only a 1-year follow-up. One year (or I believe it was 18 months) is not nearly enough time to show efficacy in neuroprotection. (Read this statement by the Parkinson's Disease Foundation http://www.pdf.org/en/science_news/r.../pr_1216150598 )

I would not have the PET scan, but if it would help settle your anxiousness, then go for it. You could have this done now as a baseline marker, then re-scan later to see if there are significant changes in scans.