ALS  & IVIG

Joe is the only patient I;ve known who is responding to any form of treatment, and the goal of this and other ALS events is to find a treatment for everyone," said Scott Edelstein, director of events and public relations for the ALS Association, Massachusetts Chapter. "My mother has a classic case of ALS. At age 50, she went from being completely healthy to completely paralyzed within a year and a half. ALS is a disease where there is no cure. So it;s great what Joe is doing -- he knows he;

of Browns work at MGH

Our research program is two-pronged: One set of studies attempts to understand how ALS arises, focusing on genetic factors that predispose to this disease," said Brown. "The other set of studies focuses on strategies for treatment. The latter includes efforts in drug discovery, inactivation of toxic genes and use of gene therapy.

Virtually all elements of this program can be enhanced with more funding. Over the coming year, we are emphasizing a new program to study ALS genes and another that addresses the general problem of how to enhance delivery of treatments into the spinal cord and brain," said Brown. "We are also helping to organize a national database that will allow collection of DNA from a target group of 2,000 ALS patients and at least that many control individuals."

He added that Massachusetts is considering establishing an ALS state registry, the first in the country, and that it would be helpful for people to contact their state legislators to support this program.

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