ME RESEARCH in NORWAY - UPDATE
Fundraising Campaigns to Support Haukeland University Hospital Research in Bergen
In our December newslet (click here) we reported on the Norwegian ME-association having launched a website for a fundraising for the continuation of the Rituximab-study by Drs Mella and Fluge of Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen - http://me-forskning.no/
Two Norwegian oncologists had, with immune modulating medicine given to ME-patients, seen a remarkable improvement in 2/3 of the patients in the study. Before any final conclusion can be made, a larger study is needed to be done by the Norwegian oncologists.
As we stated "Invest in ME wish to give this campaign our support and we will attempt to help as best we can, recognising how important this is for future research and developments of treatments for ME".
There are now a numberof initiatives being made in Europe to make this happen.
Apart from the Norwegian ME Association there is Maria Gjerpe, a Norwegian medical doctor and an ME patient, who herself has had good experience from the effects of Rituximab and now feels completely healthy. She had her last injection of Rituximab in March 2013. For a period of time, she has been healthy. During this latest period, for 90 days, she wants to crowd fund a larger clinical trial on Rituximab. Maria is the Founder and Chairman of the board at MEandYou.
EMEA members RME from Sweden and Verein ME/CFS from Switzerland have also begun funding campaigns.
This is not a competition - all groups are raising funds for the same clinical trials. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the total could be reached by the time of the 8th Invest in ME International ME Conference in London on 31st May, at which Professor Mella and Dr Fluge are speaking?
A great opportunity for positive news and publicity for people with ME and their families.
Let us hope.
Norwegian ME Association - Click Here
ME and YOU - Click Here
EMEA Member Sweden RME - Click Here
EMEA Member Switzerland Verein ME/CFS - Click Here
Further Reading:
IiME December Newslet: Fundraising Campaign to Support Haukeland University Hospital Research in Bergen Click here
What is Happening with the Research into ME and Rituximab? Click here
IiME 2012 International ME/CFS Conference DVD click here
IiME 2012 International ME/CFS Conference Report click here
A presentation of the Rituximab-study by Haukeland University Hospital where the research is taking place: Click here
Article from BBC from about the study (Oct. 2011): Click here
Further information on the Rituximab trial by RESEARCH 1ST + more relevant links in English Click here
The publication in PLoS ONE from 2011 by the Norwegian oncologists and their team:
«Benefit from B-lymphocyte Depletion using the Anti-CD20 Antibody Rituximab in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. A double-blind and placebo-controlled study» Click here
