[ExI] good bexarotene article

[spike]

>... On Behalf Of Jeff Davis
Subject: Re: [ExI] good bexarotene article

On Wed, Feb 15, 2012 at 11:12 AM, spike <spike66 at att.net> wrote:

>...> I have been studying up on this, and my intuition was right: there is 
> in fact a complete field of study dedicated to finding this kind of 
> signal, and they

>...They?  They who?  Help us out here with a link, Spike, organization
name, something...

I am told by one who has a masters degree in this field that it is a
subcategory of a discipline called Public Health.

>> ...are on this bigtime.

>..."This"?  The bexarotene thing? or mining medical data in general?

Both, but the Alz organizations are buzzing about specifically Bexarotene as
we expected.  Apparently there was already at least some awareness in the
medical community that bexarotene might have other therapeutic uses besides
skin cancer, which is perhaps why a company had applied for off-label
manufacturing and marketing rights on a temporary basis last October.
Perhaps I should have thought of it: there were researchers who were giving
a skin cancer medication to Alzheimer's mice.  Why were they doing that?

>>  ...I am following it, and will post as there are interesting things to
report

>...I would recommend calling a major hospital Oncology Dept, and
enlisting their help...

Ja!  Anyone here have friends who are doctors or have foafs who are doctors,
do encourage them.


>...   Discuss with them the nature of your inquiry,
and ask them what they suggest regarding getting at the data which they and
other Oncology folks possess.  I suspect that like you they would be very
interested...

I have an appointment with my own medic coming up, so I will mention it to
her.  What I am doing now is trying to find out if there have been other
medications which have reduced amyloid plaques in mouse brains, then been
tested on humans and found not effective in treatment of humans.  If so,
that will be a clue.  A discouraging one, but a clue.

>...One other thing, I recommend calling some large drug retailer and
inquiring about Targretin sales.  Are they spiking (no pun intended)?

In fact they are, this one I can answer.  We found that any licensed doctor
can legally prescribe off-label.

>...In any event, the interest in this has to be huge. I suspect we will
know shortly what effect if any bexarotene has on human Alzheimer's.

I suspect you are right Jeff.

>...If I had a loved one with Alzheimer's and I couldn't get the drug
"conventionally", I'd be puttin' on my black Ninja gear and Balaclava and
headin' down to the local Walgreens at three in the morning.  A man's gotta
do etc.

We are looking at a run down to Mexico.  I hear they can get a lot of stuff
a lot easier than we can.  You run a high risk of counterfeit medications
that way.

>...But calling your doctor and saying "Will you write me the prescription,
or should go elsewhere to find someone who will?",...
that should work.  jeff


Ja, the doctor in question has our messages in her inbox, we are waiting to
hear back.  Do stand by.  She is a good doctor, so we don't want to lose
her, but our patience is wearing thin.  If Targretin is even partially
effective, this could be the biggest game changer since the Polio vaccine.  

spike