[ExI] Bad medical news for your Nanogirl

[Bryan Bishop]

On Sunday 06 April 2008, The Avantguardian wrote:
> I am sorry to hear about your condition, Gina. It may cheer you up to
> hear that science is making pretty good progress in understanding it.
> It seems to be far more environmental than genetic although some
> genetic backgrounds such as the eskimos are very resistant to it. The
> biggest buzz in the medical journals lately is the link between MS
> progression and vitamin D deficiency caused by living in high
> latitudes and/or dietary insufficiency. Living in the Seattle area as
> you do, it would probably benefit you to get some sunlight or UV B
> action going on. If you can't relocate southward than maybe tanning
> booths are a doable alternative. In any case summer is coming so try
> and soak up whatever sun you can. I expect you to post bikini photos
> as proof that you are following my advice. ;-) Also rituxamab
> (generic for Rituxan) has been showing some preliminary promise as a
> treatment, but I'll leave recommendations for drugs per se to your
> doctor.

I looked around and it looks like 'old' (90s) treatments experimentally 
involved bone marrow transplants to reboot the immuen system. But the 
problem with this is that it killed the patients since it involved so 
many immunosuppressants. It may be beneficial to look into the latest 
research of blood rebooting and bone marrow transplant. The example I 
can cite off the top of my head is in sickle-cell disease, recently 
cured in a rat through these methods, without the need of 
immunosuppressants. Here's how: a cheek swab was taken from a mouse, 
DNA was extracted, the fix to the red blood cells were made (a very few 
genes), and then from there the researchers grew new bone marrow and 
injected it into the rat. From what I recall, everything was fine after 
that. So, if there's similar immune system problems implicated in 
multiple scelerosis, let's see what we can do. 

There's also a good amount of information on Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Therapies_under_investigation_for_multiple_sclerosis

Most of them are chemical, which makes me wonder what these people are 
thinking. Blood transfusions and rebooting the immune system is a one 
time thing. Chemical treatments do not guarantee diffusion nor do they 
guarantee that there will not be some times in the day when the B or T 
cells get to start attacking. Any doctors around to comment?

- Bryan
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