Further information:

• Website: www.mareproject.eu
• E-mail: infodesk@mareproject.eu

• Download MARE June 2009 newsletter

Brussels, 5 May 2009 - EFPIA, the voice of the pharmaceutical industry in Europe, acknowledges the European Parliament’s adoption of a report on the welfare of laboratory animals. The report places the emphasis on scientific justification and ethical review as the basis for decision-making on animal studies. Whilst the decision of the Parliament as adopted represents a compromise, it is a step in the right direction. It goes some way towards a balance between the protection of animals, the reality of biomedical research, and the needs of patients.

• Read full EFPIA Press Release (5 May 2009)

LSVT Global specializes in the development of treatments for the speech communication and physical / occupational therapy needs of individuals with Parkinson disease as well as other neurological conditions.

• Download LSVT LINK Spring 2009

Worldwide, a team of researchers is evaluating an investigational medicine for the changes in thought, behaviour, and judgement that can occur with Parkinson’s disease. This study will assess the safety and effectiveness of an investigational medication in people with behavioural symptoms related to Parkinson’s disease.

About 280 people will participate in this study at approximately 65 research centres around the world. Participants will be asked to make 7 visits to the study centre. This will include six weeks of treatment and one month of follow-up. It is possible that at the end of the initial 6-week treatment period, the person you care for may have the opportunity to receive extended study treatment with the active investigational drug. The duration of this extended study treatment could be for as long as the study doctor believes the person you care for is benefiting.

Participants will receive at no charge:

• Monitoring of their health as it relates to the clinical study
• Ongoing study-related medical care by Parkinson’s disease medical staff
• Study medication or placebo (inactive substance)
• The opportunity to talk to a medical research team that understands what you and the person you care for are going through

Also, compensation for time and travel will be provided.

For more information contact:

UK
Website: www.ParkinsonsConcern.org

France
Contact a study centre for more information:

Hôpital Guillaume et René Laënnec, Nantes
02.40.16.52.86

Hôpital Purpan, Toulouse
05.61.77.92.97

CIC-UPCET Hôpital de la Timone, Marseille
04.91.38.75.63 ou 04.91.38.75.69

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About MediciGlobal

MediciGlobal is a firm assisting the study sponsor in finding Parkinson’s patients for this study.

Formally known as MediciGroup, MediciGlobal is a speciality patient recruitment - retention firm serving the clinical trials industry and is based in the U.S. and U.K. It's President and CEO, Liz Moench’s founding vision in 1991 was to create a company that addressed the primary cause of clinical trial delays: ineffective patient recruitment.

MediciGlobal launched its first patient recruitment programme for an oncology trial in 2001. The company continues to develop innovative patient recruitment-retention programmes around the globe.

• Read the online FAQ on the clinical study
• Download French language informational flyer

 

 

The project MARE is a joint initiative of EBA, an Italian consulting company operating in the sector of ICT and eInclusion and IAE (The Inclusion Alliance for Europe), a Romanian European Economic Interest Group.

This 18 month project that was launched on the 1st September 2008, is co-financed by the European Commission through the 7th Framework Programme (Accessible and inclusive ICT– Grant Agreement No: 224482).

MARE is the acronym of a market oriented study Market requirements, barriers and cost-benefit aspects of assistive technologies.

Further information:

• Website: www.mareproject.eu
• E-mail: infodesk@mareproject.eu

• Download MARE March 2009 newsletter

"

My target is to raise at least £2,000 for charity, split between three very special charities.

Amongst many special people that I know, there are three that I am doing this challenge for.

The first is an amazingly brave boy, Daniel, who has cystic fibrosis. Daniel is 12 years old and is a real inspiration to me. If I have a bad day (which generally isn't really a bad day in the whole scheme of things!), I complain and feel sorry for myself, and then maybe I'll go for a run to 'pick myself up'. Dan never appears to complain or feel sorry for himself, and he can't run away from his disease. Dan is an amazing boy, and I want to help raise money for research into Cystic Fibrosis. One third of the money I raise will go purely towards research into this disease via the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

The second person I am running these races for is my Dad. He has border-line diabetes, and to be honest the thought scares me to death! My Nana had diabetes, and we lost her to this dreadful disease several years ago. So I am also doing this challenge in memory of her, along with my Grandpa and Grandad. Hopefully, research will one day provide us with the answers to prevent, halt, or reverse complications associated with this disease.

The third person who is very special is a lady called Silvana Mirella Rossi. Mirella lives in Pradamano, Italy, and she is one of the most hospitable and kind people that I know. She has Parkinson's Disease, which is a very cruel disease. She copes remarkably well and shows such bravery, and for this I want to run these races for her.

To pick just one of these charities would be impossible, and for that reason I am running for all three. The sponsorship that I gain will be split equally between the three charities, and hopefully we can make a small difference in fighting these three terrible diseases.

I would like to raise as much money as possible and to do that I really need your help. Please help me achieve this challenge and sponsor me to run these three races in 2009."

For further information and to sponsor Cara's Challenge visit www.caraschallenge2009.info

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (February 17, 2009) – The Medpedia Project today announced the public launch of the beta version of a technology platform for the worldwide health community. Harvard Medical School, Stanford School of Medicine, Berkeley School of Public Health, University of Michigan Medical School and other leading global health organizations, are contributing in various ways to Medpedia. The goal of the Medpedia project is to create a new model of how the world will assemble, maintain, critique and access medical knowledge. It will, over time, be a repository of up-to-date unbiased medical information, contributed and maintained by health experts around the world, and freely available to everyone..

• Read full Press Release on Medpedia launch

According to this important call, the European Union should promote pan-European research and collaborate in order to improve early diagnosis and the quality of life of people with dementia and their carers. Furthermore, the Declaration explicitly recognises the important role of Alzheimer associations and asks for their activities to be supported.

• Read full Press Release on MEP call

The Mental Capacity Act (MCA) provides support and legal safeguards for vulnerable people. This new user friendly guide for patients, relatives, carers, residents in care homes and for and health and social care staff provides information about the MCA and its impact on end of life care, and explains how people can use this legislation to express and protect their choices about their future care should they lose the capacity to make decisions for themselves, for example through advance care planning and advance decisions to refuse treatment.

Please call 020 7697 1520 or go to www.ncpc.org.uk for more information.

• Download NCPC Good Decision Making Press Release

"

Two years ago I was choosing what volunteer medical work to apply for. Looking back at it now, I feel very lucky that I chose what I did. I became an honorary research fellow at a Parkinson’s Disease (PD) research clinic based at hospitals in South London.

Unfortunately, it would require a sea-change in the philosophy of funding bodies to realise the potential of [our research on the role of infection in causing and propagating PD].

Over the last year my response to this has shifted from one of frustration to one of clarity; if we cannot raise the funds required quickly enough through conventional channels, then we must try something else! Dynamic and unique research requires an equally singular fundraising proposition.

In April 2009 I will set off from London to break the world record for cycling around the globe, with the intention of raising £1.8 million. This money will enable the research to proceed immediately to its next stage – a five-year multi-disciplinary groundbreaking programme into ‘Parkinson’s: What’s driving it?’

My route will traverse Western and Eastern Europe, Iran, Pakistan, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA. I intend to break the recently-set world record for this journey by at least three weeks, by cycling 120 miles a day for 150 days. £100 needs to be raised for each mile I cycle.

We are looking for people who can support the challenge, either financially or through advice and assistance on route."

Contact james@globecycle.org to offer support or advice.

• Read more