Amazing Achievements Through Gene Therapy: Destroys Leukemia In 3 Patients

Scientists are reporting the first clear success with a new approach for treating leukemia — turning the patients' own blood cells into assassins that hunt and destroy their cancer cells.

They've only done it in three patients so far, but the results were striking: Two appear cancer-free up to a year after treatment, and the third patient is improved but still has some cancer. Scientists are already preparing to try the same gene therapy technique for other kinds of cancer.

"It worked great. We were surprised it worked as well as it did," said Dr. Carl June, a gene therapy expert at the University of Pennsylvania. "We're just a year out now. We need to find out how long these remissions last."

It involved three men with very advanced cases of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, or CLL. The only hope for a cure now is bone marrow or stem cell transplants, which don't always work and carry a high risk of death.

Scientists have been working for years to find ways to boost the immune system's ability to fight cancer. Earlier attempts at genetically modifying bloodstream soldiers called T-cells have had limited success; the modified cells didn't reproduce well and quickly disappeared.

That resulted in armies of "serial killer" cells that targeted cancer cells, destroyed them, and went on to kill new cancer as it emerged. It was known that T-cells attack viruses that way, but this is the first time it's been done against cancer, June said....

Fox News

Turd Burger. No. Rly

A Japanese scientist has created a patty made from human feces and he's got a reason. As a solution to the global food crisis, human feces (lab-processed, of course) is 10 times cheaper to produce, lower in fat and just as nutritious as beef.

More importantly....Where did he get that pointer? I waaaaaanit!
h/t to Hot Air

A Little Help From My Friends

Lance Armstrong is among the greatest athletes of all time - an American hero who beat cancer to win the Tour de France, the Super Bowl of cycling, seven times. But now Armstrong is the focus of a federal investigation into performance enhancing drugs. A grand jury in Los Angeles has been hearing secret testimony from some of Armstrong's former teammates on the U.S. Postal Service team.

One of the prime witnesses is Tyler Hamilton. Under oath, behind closed doors, Hamilton has told a story that may change the history of sports. Over the years, some former teammates have accused Armstrong of doping. But, it's been said in professional cycling that if Hamilton broke his silence, then the full story of the legendary U.S. Postal Service team would be known.

Hamilton does that now, in public, for the first time.

It's one thing to come clean with authorities. Using performance enchancing drugs will eventually catch up with you. It's another thing to be a snitch for the world to know of Tyler Hamilton's doping experience with Lance Armstrong and his ex-team mates. I don't know what advantage this gives for Hamilton to sit with Scott Pelley of 60 Minutes to give a detailed account of doping with Lance Armstrong. It was actually making me nauseous listening to his slander. This really wasn't any of our business to know. Just my opinion. And you know what they say about opinions...

What If It Actually Worked?

U.S. doctors have begun treating the first patient to receive human embryonic stem cells, but details of the landmark clinical trial are being kept confidential, Geron Corp said on Monday.

I have to wonder how much of the truth is being told to the MSM.

However, the patient did not receive an injection of actual embryonic stem cells -- because scientists have still not been able to overcome significant problems in their use with animals.

Specifically, the cells, once injected, cause tumors and are rejected by the immune system.

But that didn't stop Geron from announcing today that it injected the cells into the first patient ever under the first clinical trial authorized by the Food and Drug Administration and the Washington Post, in a story posted today, repeated the false claim.

Where Are The Parents?

A question was asked by an official as to why there weren't more parents of Special Needs children involved in the local PTA and other issues. Sue Stuyvesant, mother to her special needs daughter gives a poignant reply:

Where are the parents?

They are on the phone to doctors and hospitals and fighting with insurance companies, wading through the red tape in order that their child's medical needs can be properly addressed. They are buried under a mountain of paperwork and medical bills, trying to make sense of a system that seems designed to confuse and intimidate all but the very savvy.

Where are the parents?

They are at home, diapering their 15 year old son, or trying to lift their 100 lb. daughter onto the toilet. They are spending an hour at each meal to feed a child who cannot chew, or laboriously and carefully feeding their child through a g-tube. They are administering medications, changing catheters and switching oxygen tanks.

Where are the parents?

They are sitting, bleary eyed and exhausted, in hospital emergency rooms, waiting for tests results to come back and wondering, "Is this the time when my child doesn't pull through?" They are sitting patiently in hospital rooms as their child recovers from yet another surgery to lengthen hamstrings or straighten backs or repair a faulty internal organ. They are waiting in long lines in county clinics because no insurance company will touch their child.

Where are the parents?

They are sleeping in shifts because their child won't sleep more than 2 or 3 hours a night, and must constantly be watched, lest he do himself, or another member of the family, harm. They are sitting at home with their child because family and friends are either too intimidated or too unwilling to help with child care and the state agencies that are designed to help are suffering cut backs of their own.

Where are the parents?

They are trying to spend time with their non-disabled children, as they try to make up for the extra time and effort that is critical to keeping their disabled child alive. They are struggling to keep a marriage together, because adversity does not always bring you closer. They are working 2 and sometime 3 jobs in order to keep up with the extra expenses. And sometimes they are a single parent struggling to do it all by themselves.

Where are the parents?

They are trying to survive in a society that pays lip service to helping those in need, as long as it doesn't cost them anything. They are trying to patch their broken dreams together so that they might have some sort of normal life for their children and their families.
They are busy, trying to survive.

That's about it in a nutshell for me as well.

Black Tar: How To ....

The Big Apple’s Health Department is under fire for using tax dollars to publish a guide for addicts instructing them on the proper methods for shooting up. Some have called the $32,000 booklet “Heroin for Dummies.”

The booklet offers helpful advice such as:
- Find the vein before you try to inject. Tie off to make your veins visible.
– Shoot correctly to avoid infection and collapsed veins.
– If you don’t “register,” pull out and try again.

No. You're doing it wrong.
Sometimes government is so lame, you have to laugh.

November - Epilepsy Awareness

November is the month of Epilepsy Awareness. I do wish that more people were aware of that. My daughter has epilepsy. Although we're fortunate she doesn't have 100 a day like so many children. But when she does have an episode, it's a grand mal seizure. The kind that brings me to my knees and takes my breath away. As a parent with a child with epilepsy, it's the most helpless feeling when there isn't anything we can do to make it better. It's maddening that we can't comfort our children while they scream during a seizure.

Perhaps one day they will find a cure for epilepsy. Maybe one day there will be more awareness.

CURE Epilepsy Facts:

* Epilepsy affects over 3 million Americans of all ages – more than multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, and Parkinson’s disease combined. Almost 500 new cases of epilepsy are diagnosed every day in the United States. Epilepsy affects 50,000,000 people worldwide.

* In two-thirds of patients diagnosed with epilepsy, the cause is unknown.

*Epilepsy can develop at any age and can be a result of genetics, stroke, head injury, and many other factors.

*In over thirty percent of patients, seizures cannot be controlled with treatment. Uncontrolled seizures may lead to brain damage and death. Many more have only partial control of their seizures.

*The severe epilepsy syndromes of childhood can cause developmental delay and brain damage, leading to a lifetime of dependency and continually accruing costs—both medical and societal.

*It is estimated that up to 50,000 deaths occur annually in the U.S. from status epilepticus (prolonged seizures), Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP), and other seizure-related causes such as drowning and other accidents.

*The mortality rate among people with epilepsy is two to three times higher than the general population and the risk of sudden death is twenty-four times greater.

*Recurring seizures are also a burden for those living with brain tumors and other disorders such as cerebral palsy, mental retardation, autism, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, multiple sclerosis, tuberous sclerosis, and a variety of genetic syndromes.

*There is a strong association between epilepsy and depression: more than one of every three persons with epilepsy will also be affected by depression, and people with a history of depression have a higher risk of developing epilepsy.

*Historically, epilepsy research has been under-funded. Federal dollars spent on research pale in comparison to those spent on other diseases, many of which affect fewer people than epilepsy.

*For many soldiers suffering traumatic brain injury on the battlefield, epilepsy will be a long-term consequence.

Epilepsy: The Forgotten Disease

My daughter has epilepsy. I can handle all the other disabilities she has. But it's the seizures that brings me to my knees and shatters every beat of my heart. Grand mal seizures that will cause her body to stiffen and her eyes will roll up into the back of her head. When she was younger she would have seizures that caused her to hold her breath til her lips turned blue and her fingertips purple. Epilepsy is a bitch. Really.

60 Minutes had an interesting story on Epilepsy. David Axelrod has a daughter with epilepsy which is controlled at this time. But with 28 years of hell, I know of all too well too.

More Americans are suffering from epilepsy than Parkinson's, cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis combined.

Watch CBS News Videos Online

Obama's Declared The Swine Flu A National Emergency - But Won't Get His Daughters Vaccinated!

Betty's declared the swine flu outbreak a national emergency, but he won't get his daughter's the H1N1 vaccine! That's rich.

President Obama's school age daughters have not been vaccinated against the H1N1 flu virus. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs says the vaccine is not available to them based on their risk.

The Centers for Disease Control recommend that children ages 6 months through 18 years of age receive a vaccination against the H1N1 flu virus. At this time only children with chronic medical conditions are receiving the vaccination because their immune system is not strong enough to fight off the strain. The CDC also says a regular seasonal flu shot does not protect against the virus.

Obama Announces Swine Flu A National Emergency

President Barack Obama declared the swine flu outbreak a national emergency, giving his health chief the power to let hospitals move emergency rooms offsite to speed treatment and protect noninfected patients.

The declaration, signed Friday night and announced Saturday, comes with the disease more prevalent than ever in the country and production delays undercutting the government's initial, optimistic estimates that as many as 120 million doses of the vaccine could be available by mid-October.


More...

Video: Woman Disabled By The Flu Shot

What are the chances that you would get a rare disease if you decide to get the flu vaccine? Chances are you'll be fine. Afterall, this is just your regular flu shot. But just what if...this happened to you? Can you be sure that it won't?

~click~

General Petraeus Treated For Cancer

Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in February and has since undergone two months of radiation treatment.

Petraeus, 56, was diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer, which was not publicly disclosed at the time because Petraeus and his family regarded his illness as "a personal matter" that "did not interfere with the performance of his duties," said his spokesman, Col. Erik Gunhus. President Barack Obama and top members of his administration were informed, he said.

As commander of a region running through the Middle East and across Central Asia, Petraeus did make at least one overseas trip during his treatment.

The Pentagon termed Petraeus' treatment "successful." He was treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
There's more...

Prayers....

@ Gateway Pundit

Quick Hide The Kids, It's The Swine Flu Pandemic

Seriously, would anyone believe what the Obama Administration has to say at this point?

Swine flu may infect half the U.S. population this year, hospitalize 1.8 million patients and lead to as many as 90,000 deaths, more than twice the number killed in a typical seasonal flu, White House advisers said.

In a report by the President’s Council of Advisers on Science and Technology, President Barack Obama today was urged to speed vaccine production and name a senior member of the White House staff, preferably the homeland security adviser, to take responsibility for decision-making on the pandemic. Initial doses should be accelerated to mid-September to vaccinate as many as 40 million people, the advisory group said.

There's more...

1976: Fear of a great plague.

...Two weeks after the recruit's death, health officials disclosed to America that something called "swine flu" had killed Lewis and hospitalized four of his fellow soldiers at the Army base in Burlington County.

The ominous name of the flu alone was enough to touch off civilian fear of an epidemic. And government doctors knew from tests hastily conducted at Dix after Lewis' death that 500 soldiers had caught swine flu without falling ill.

Any flu able to reach that many people so fast was capable of becoming another worldwide plague, the doctors warned, raising these questions:

Does America mobilize for mass inoculations in time to have everybody ready for the next flu season? Or should the country wait to see if the new virus would, as they often do, get stronger to hit harder in the second year?

Thus was born what would become known to some medical historians as a fiasco and to others as perhaps the finest hour of America's public health bureaucracy.

...Within days, however, several people who had taken the shot fell seriously ill. On Oct. 12, three elderly people in the Pittsburgh area suffered heart attacks and died within hours of getting the shot, which led to suspension of the program in Pennsylvania.

There's more...

Decisions..decisions...

Swine Flu Vaccine 'Tamiflu' Linked To Deadly Nerve Disease

A warning that the new swine flu jab is linked to a deadly nerve disease has been sent by the Government to senior neurologists in a confidential letter.

The letter from the Health Protection Agency, the official body that oversees public health, has been leaked to The Mail on Sunday, leading to demands to know why the information has not been given to the public before the vaccination of millions of people, including children, begins.

It tells the neurologists that they must be alert for an increase in a brain disorder called Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), which could be triggered by the vaccine.

GBS attacks the lining of the nerves, causing paralysis and inability to breathe, and can be fatal.

The letter, sent to about 600 neurologists on July 29, is the first sign that there is concern at the highest levels that the vaccine itself could cause serious complications.

It refers to the use of a similar swine flu vaccine in the United States in 1976 when:

.More people died from the vaccination than from swine flu.
.500 cases of GBS were detected.
.The vaccine may have increased the risk of contracting GBS by eight times.
.The vaccine was withdrawn after just ten weeks when the link with GBS became clear.
.The US Government was forced to pay out millions of dollars to those affected.

Concerns have already been raised that the new vaccine has not been sufficiently tested and that the effects, especially on children, are unknown.

It is being developed by pharmaceutical companies and will be given to about 13million people during the first wave of immunisation, expected to start in October.

...There are concerns that there could be a repeat of what became known as the ‘1976 debacle’ in the US, where a swine flu vaccine killed 25 people – more than the virus itself.

A mass vaccination was given the go-ahead by President Gerald Ford because scientists believed that the swine flu strain was similar to the one responsible for the 1918-19 pandemic, which killed half a million Americans and 20million people worldwide.

Within days, symptoms of GBS (Guillain-Barre Syndrome) were reported among those who had been immunised and 25 people died from respiratory failure after severe paralysis. One in 80,000 people came down with the condition. In contrast, just one person died of swine flu.

...The swine flu virus in the new vaccine is a slightly different strain from the 1976 virus, but the possibility of an increased incidence of GBS remains a concern.

Shadow health spokesman Mike Penning said last night: ‘The last thing we want is secret letters handed around experts within the NHS. We need a vaccine but we also need to know about potential risks.

‘Our job is to make sure that the public knows what’s going on. Why is the Government not being open about this? It’s also very worrying if GPs, who will be administering the vaccine, aren’t being warned.’

GBS attacks the lining of the nerves, leaving them unable to transmit signals to muscles effectively.

It can cause partial paralysis and mostly affects the hands and feet. In serious cases, patients need to be kept on a ventilator, but it can be fatal.

Death is caused by paralysis of the respiratory system, causing the victim to suffocate.

There's more...

Other links:

Squalene: The Swine Flu Vaccine’s Dirty Little Secret Exposed

Tamiflu causes sickness and nightmares in children, study finds

Europe Fast-Tracking Swine Flu Vaccine

Brand Name Drugs vs. Generic Drugs (video)

I received an Epilepsy newsletter that I found pretty interesting. There was a segment on the Today Show (video) referring to Brand name drugs vs. Generic drugs and the consequences of using generic.

Awhile back our pharmacy/insurance gave us the generic brand anti-convulsant Tegretol for my daughter's seizures. I took notice of the change but didn't think anything of it. Until she started seizing. Thank God her seizures were petit mals and not grand mals. She just had the eye twitching, staring, etc. Course that scared the hell out of me anyway, so we immediately got her back on the brand name. Even to this day, our pharmacy/insurance will still try to pull that generic stuff on us every so often so I have to call and make a fuss. Even with doctors orders that it has to be Brand name, the pharmacy will find a way to sneak in the generics.

I knew it was the generic brand that was the culprit that caused her seizures but no one (professional) ever confirmed my suspicions. No one ever questioned it either. So what I once believed to be true but no pharmacist or doctor would confirm it, is now validated! I suppose we would have never known either, unless we tried it. It's just unfortunate that no one ever warned us of the possibilities of such side effects. Just as they don't educate parents on the dangers of vaccines. But that's another story for another time. Oh well, trial and error, eh? It's just ashame our children have to be the guinea pigs in all this.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

California School Board Will Allow Students To Leave Campus For Abortion Without Notifying Parents

The Modesto City School Board on Monday voted to allow junior high and high school students to leave campus during the school day for “confidential medical services,” such as abortions, without the consent or knowledge of their parents.

The school board adopted the new policy in a preliminary vote of 4-3, the California Catholic Daily says. The board members will take another vote on the issue on July 13th.

Karen England, executive director of the pro-family lobbying group Capitol Resource Institute, attended the meeting and reported that four people testified in favor of “excluding parents.” Three were from Planned Parenthood while one was described as an “activist.”

There's more...

Karma

A new Gallup poll shows that the majority of Americans self-identify as pro-life on the issue of abortion for the first time in 15 years. The Gallup survey shows the percentage of Americans saying they are pro-life at its highest point since 1995 and those saying they are "pro-choice" at its lowest.
Read it all...
H/T to Ace

Photo of the Day

First Celebrity Swine Flu Fatality

And we all know who the carrier is.

Stay Vigilant

H/T to Lisa-Loo

LEVEL 5

The World Health Organization has raised its pandemic alert for swine flu to the second highest level, meaning that it believes a global outbreak of the disease is imminent.

WHO says the phase 5 alert means there is sustained human to human spread in at least two countries. It also signals that efforts to produce a vaccine will be ramped up.

WHO has confirmed human cases of swine flu in Mexico, the United States, Canada, Britain, Israel, New Zealand and Spain. Mexico and the U.S. have reported deaths.

Read it all...
H/T to Drudge