Canada

on demande la preuve afin de faire les essais! N'importe quoi!!!

Dr. Alain Beaudet and the Pharmaceutical Industy---what you need to know.
par CCSVI in Multiple Sclerosis, 1 septembre 2010, à 22:46

Dear Canadian friends---

I believe it is of the utmost importance that you understand who is making health care decisions for you.

There are several things you need to know about the president of the CIHR---all of this information is public record.

Dr. Alain Beaudet, President , Canadian Institutes of Health Research Ottawa, ON

Canada- What you need to know--part 6---Dr. Alexandre Prat
par CCSVI in Multiple Sclerosis, 3 septembre 2010, à 16:38

Dr. Prat was on the panel of experts for the CIHR in the decision not to fund CCSVI trials. He has received research monies from CIHR.



Dr. Prat is mentioned by name in the Health Minister's message regarding Canada's funding of MS research:

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/minist/messages/_2009/2009_05_12-eng.php

"The Government of Canada has invested close to $40 million in research on MS in the past five years. This includes support for Dr. Alexandre Prat and his team from the University of Montreal, whose innovative research is helping us to better understand MS. Dr. Prat is also working on new treatments that will ultimately improve the lives of Canadians living with this degenerative disease."



Dr. Prat has also received close to a million dollars in research money from the Canadian MS Society. He was winner of the Donald Paty career development award. He has served on the MS Society Biomedical Research Grants Review Panel. He is very involved in the EndMS Summer School program sponsored by the MS Society.



Dr. Prat is a neurologist, neuroimmunologist and researcher at the Centre hospitalier de l'Universite de Montreal (CHUM)

Here is one of his more recent research projects:



"Blocking the migration of immune cells across the BBB has long been considered a promising therapeutic approach to autoimmune diseases of the central nervous system," said Dr. Prat. "This study has given us new insight into the factors involved in the pathogenesis of immune reactions affecting the central nervous system and allowed us to identify potential targets to suppress neuroinflammatory processes."



Pharmacological agents exist that reduce the transmigration of immune cells by specifically blocking leukocyte adhesion molecules, which significantly decrease the extent of CNS inflammation. However, they also impede the immune system's ability to provide protection against chronic viral infections of the central nervous system, such as progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system caused by the JC virus. Since ALCAM/CD166 blockade does not affect CD8+ T cell migration, whose main function is to destroy cells infected by viruses and neoplastic cells, the study results suggest that CNS immune protection against viruses would not be compromised by ALCAM blockade in vivo. ALCAM/CD166 could be considered as an attractive therapeutic target for multiple sclerosis.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/94734.php



His focus is in the immune system and MS. All of his research looks at MS as an immune disorder. Once again, this is not personal. Dr. Prat seems to be a very diligent and talented researcher. My question is, should a doctor whose entire career has been focused on looking at MS as an immune disorder, who is researching pharmacological solutions, who receives grant monies for this research and serves on panels for the MS Society, be deciding if a new paradigm in MS research should be funded? I believe this is a CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

CCSVI a écrit:Canada--What you need to know, part 9--Dr. Anthony Phillips, professor of psychiatry
par CCSVI in Multiple Sclerosis, samedi 4 septembre 2010, à 20:41

One might ask why a psychiatrist was appointed to the panel of experts deciding funding on an MS trial, more specifically a vascular/angioplasty trial.

MEMBERS OF THE MEDICAL ADVISORY COMMITTE AT THE MS SOCIETY OF CANADA

NAME AND LOCATION
RESEARCH FUNDING GRANTS
SINCE 2003

Chair
Dr. V. Wee Yong, Calgary, Alberta PERSONAL RESEARCH GRANTS: $ 657,203
GRANTS FOR STUDENTS: $ 351,000
UNSPECIFIED GRANTS: 7 in total

Dr. Virender Bhan, Halifax, Nova Scotia None recorded in MS Society Documents

Dr. Joan Boggs, Toronto, Ontario
PERSONAL RESEARCH GRANTS: $ 818,677
GRANTS FOR STUDENTS: $ 195,000
UNSPECIFIED GRANTS: 5 in total

Dr. Anthony Feinstein, Toronto, Ontario
PERSONAL RESEARCH GRANTS: $ 144,340
UNSPECIFIED GRANTS: 1 in total

Dr. Mark S. Freedman, Ottawa, Ontario
PERSONAL RESEARCH GRANTS: $ 6,731,165
GRANTS FOR STUDENTS: $ 114,917
UNSPECIFIED GRANTS: 4 in total

Dr. Rashmi Kothary, Ottawa, Ontario
PERSONAL RESEARCH GRANTS: $ 756,580
GRANTS FOR STUDENTS: $ 78,000
UNSPECIFIED GRANTS: 6 in total

Dr. Luanne Metz, Calgary, Alberta
PERSONAL RESEARCH GRANTS: $ 4,047,255
GRANTS FOR STUDENTS: $ 158,582
UNSPECIFIED GRANTS: 2 in total

Dr. Trevor Owens, Denmark
PERSONAL RESEARCH GRANTS: $ 640,562
GRANTS FOR STUDENTS: $ 350,000
UNSPECIFIED GRANTS: 1 in total

Dr. Christina Wolfson, Montreal, Quebec
GRANTS FOR STUDENTS: $ 40,000

Dr. John Richert, National MS Society Liaison (USA) None recorded in MS Society documents.

Dr. Jack P. Antel, Montreal, Quebec (ex-officio)
PERSONAL RESEARCH GRANTS: $ 6,966,651
GRANTS FOR STUDENTS: $ 118,000
UNSPECIFIED GRANTS: 7 in total

Dr. Paul O'Connor, Scientific and Clinical Advisor (ex-officio)
PERSONAL RESEARCH GRANTS: $ 247,940

Wrong--By David H. Freedman
par CCSVI in Multiple Sclerosis, 5 septembre 2010, à 17:45

Wrong---Why Experts Keep Failing Us---and How to Know When Not to Trust Them

Here is a terrific new book, written by a researcher and journalist. I believe this is a MUST-read for any pwMS, caretaker or advocate. We need to understand the mentality behind the decision-making process of medical research. ESPECIALLY in light of the recent CIHR panel of "experts" unanimous decision to NOT fund CCSVI trials in Canada--

The auto-immune bias is keeping doctors from looking at other disease mechanisms in MS.

Here's a quote about the book-



"In the book, Freedman argues, “Experts are rarely interested in getting at the truth, whatever it may be. What they want to do is prove that certain things are true. Which things? Well, whatever they happen to believe is true, for reasons, or whatever will benefit their careers or status or funding the most.



Yes, scientists, even prestigious ones, being human, are subject to pressures to cheat. Getting published. Getting grants. Getting press.



Finally there is the problem of consensus. “There’s a cultural norm of how we’re supposed to behave as professionals, and part of it is that we’re overly trained in consensus,” said Daniel Eisenstadt, director, a Harvard business school graduate quoted in Wrong.



That culture favors building on others opinions rather than challenging them.



Once a majority opinion is formed, even highly competent, confident people are reluctant to voice opinions that go against it, Freedman reports.



Wrong reports that groups amplify bias, squash minority points of view and can even overcome the correct point of view when it’s the majority view. “In most situations, truth doesn’t win out in groups.” Especially when big money, in the form of corporate grants and yes, government grants, is at stake.



For instance, why would a university that depends heavily on government grants go out of its way to condemn a professor who landed government millions for research?”



“Don’t overestimate the expertise of experts.”





Here is David Freedman's (yes, same last name....) website:

http://www.freedman.com/



Check out the NY Times article linked below. Let's get the book and discuss--

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/11/books/excerpt-wrong.html



I think it's time for RIGHT.

Joan