Dr. McDonald

[emmy]

If we would all contribute a little amount of money, we would be further ahead in this game.

Dr.McDonald is doing great things in Columbia, and his results will be seen this summer.

So PLEASE, Donate to his trial!!!!!!!!!!! [img]/forum/images/smilies/cool.gif[/img]

This is the real deal and the best thing going for SCI.

[EAA]

bullrider, your on the beam! McDonald was first, many years ago, to work with ESCs and is on the fast track to a real cure. McDonald this summer will be first in primate ESC trials in Columbia, and by this time next year will be first in human NTT cell trials. Money is needed now or this schedule may slip. Let's send a message to doctor McDonald, You swing for the fence and we will buy all the balls.

[CarThief]

Is there really a need to perform primate trials? Why not just move straight from rats to humans? Wouldn't the funds that are set to be used for primate trials be better used for real people who live with SCI?

Money is needed now or this schedule may slip. Let's send a message to doctor McDonald, You swing for the fence and we will buy all the balls.

I think that funding primate trials is sending the wrong message to the whole research community. Its a message that says: "Please, take your time... we enjoy suffering from the effects of SCI everyday."

Perhaps we should be sending a message that creates a little urgency in the research community. A message that underlines the real need to get research to a point where it can benefit real people as quickly as possible.

[lynnifer]

If I am correct, I believe he is speaking at a rehab facility in London, Ontario on Friday at noon. I *think* I have the right doctor .. it's my day off and I thought I might take a gander ...

[dr_bubo]

So PLEASE, Donate to his trial!!!!!!!!!!! [img]/forum/images/smilies/cool.gif[/img]

This is the real deal and the best thing going for SCI.[/QUOTE]
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I aksed them some months ago what would it cost to implant a phrenic nerve stimulator for this 7 yo boy to avoid breathing machine. They wrote that the cost of therapy there is USD 3000/day!

I would rather donate intstitutes where the fruits of scientific discovery would be available not only for the extreme rich.

[Schmeky]

Car Theif,

Rats are quadrapeds (4 legged), primates are bipeds (2 legged). How will we ever know if a biped with SCI can stand, balance, and walk if we don't test on primates? Or would you rather be the first? Primates are the "gold standard", and VERY expensive to use in the USA (full-time Veterinarian on staff, animal rights activists concerns, specialized care and documentation, etc.), which means more fund raising and burning up lots of research time.

In Bogota, Columbia, costs are lower and primates more readily available, so McDonald has done, and will continue to do his homework.

Bubo,

That $3000.00 a day has nothing to do with McDonald, it's called the American Health Care System. 3 and half weeks in the Intensive Care Unit at my local hospital (for my SCI) was $475,000, and I never even saw McDonald!!!

Bullrider makes a good point, we all need to donate. Maybe I'll get to met bullrider some day [img]/forum/images/smilies/wink.gif[/img]

[member412678]

Rats are not at all like humans, however I've heard that a chimpanzee is only one chromosome away from us.
I believe primates are a necessary step for proving this to be a safe therapy. Dr McDonald is stretching his research funds as far as they can go by doing this research in Columbia where they have a primate colony available, and where research dollars are 1 penny on the dollar compared to what they would be here in the US. He isn't needing a great deal, I believe he needs in the neighborhood of $200,000 now. To do this type of research here would probably cost millions. All of this has been discussed elsewhere on this forum (I think it was titled Somatic Nuclear Transfer NTT Project)with not too many people seeming to take interest. Dr. McDonald has always been a source of hope for us. Of course, rather or not an individual donates is a personal decision. Nothing in life is a "sure thing". Personally, we are definately going to be donating to Dr. McDonald's NTT Project.
The donations are tax deductable and can be sent to:
BJH Foundation
600 South Taylor Avenue, Suite 120
P.O. Box 790369
St. Louis, Missouri 63179-9847
.........................................
Bubo Hungary,
The answer you got for the cost of therapy for the hospital/therapy in St. Louis is a reflection on our medical/insurance situation/problem here in the United States. It is not a reflection in any way on Dr. McDonald. He is doing this in Columbia partly because of the money as I explained above. Personally, I believe he is a dedicated, compassionate doctor who is doing everything in his ability to help people suffering from this nightmare.

[emmy]

linnifer,

If you go, please fill us in!!!!!!!!

[emmy]

I heard he is starting on humans in 2 months.

Does this sound right?

How would we contact him?

[CarThief]

Please don't get me wrong, my intention was not to dismiss the need for funding of Dr. McDonald's work. I feel that any research that shows real promise should get the appropriate support from all of us. At the same time I think that we need to be careful not to let what are in many cases, un-necessary and resource consuming procedures become "the gold standard" in research protocol. My fear is that primate studies will set a precedence in research standards and ultimately push the real benefits to humans even further out of reach due to the associated costs, not to mention the extra time it will tack on. We need to keep the momentum going, and not let ourselves get setup to be slowed down. The differences between rats and humans have been well established and are very well understood throughout the medical science and research communities, which (in many cases) makes the need to do studies on primates un-necessary. Not all research will take place in Columbia, so keep future costs in mind. Primate studies could end up being a very costly mistake if they are considered to be the gold standard.

[EAA]

Car Thier, I understand that the Primate testing is only for the doctors to come up with the best way of delivery of the cells and not intended for proof of cure. You are correct in that the rat trials are the main tool in the research process. The primate study is only!! intended to help the doctors understand how best primates (like you and me)can be treated. The doctors only need to work out the delivery details on a few primates, this should not add too much to the time or money.

[Schmeky]

EAA,

You're right. In addition, it gives Drs. a realistic model to work with before human trials start. McDonald, as I understand it, is working towards optimizating, not prolonging any worthwhile therapies.

Compare what he is trying to accomplish for chronics to anything or anyone else from the USA.

[antiquity]

Has this been confirmed through Dr. McDonald directly? Based on the discussion in the SCNT thread where this was initially raised, the conclusion was that we didn't have enough first hand information to know if Dr. McDonald was indeed planning primate and/or human trials anytime soon. Have there been any press releases, has more info. recently become available?

[member412678]

Seneca,
We had the pleasure and honor of speaking with Dr. McDonald. This is for real.

[emmy]

HOPE2FINDACURE,

I WILL BE SENDING MONEY TO DR.MCDONALD VERY SOON.

COULD YOU TELL US MORE WHAT HE SAID WHEN YOU SPOKE TO HIM AND HOW LONG WAS THAT?

THANK YOU