NOTE: This message was originally in conference "INTERNET - E-MAIL AREA"
      and was copied here by Tom Mckeever.
From:         WSOP 
To:           Multiple recipients of list POLIO 
Date:         Tue, 15 Aug 1995 15:09:37 -0400
Subject:      Participants for Post Polio/HGH Study
Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364)
 
I will be new to most of you, as I have not been posting much, but I have
been lurking for about six months and have learned much. I'm glad this
group is here.
 
I attended a siminar on HGH (Human Growth Hormone)  in Las Vegas,
sponsored by Eldorado Clinic, about 4 weeks ago.
The following week I started on HGH therapy. Cost for the therapy is *not*
cheap, usually about $13,000 a year.
 
I was the first PPS in Vegas to start the treatment, and maybe the first
in the country. My doctor (Dr. Yee), was very excited about the
possibilities of this treatment, considering my condition, so I suggested
that he check out the possibilities of a federal grant, as he is also a
professor at UNLV ("always nice to be published" I thought). I indicated
how good this could be for his career. He was even more excited and is
looking for funding for a study now.
 
He asked me if I thought I could contact enough interested PPS's to select
about 12 males who meet the criteria (no cancer, low HGH levels, no
diabetics, etc.) This is all very preliminary so forgive me if I don't
provide all details now. They will come later once the funding is in
place. I said that I thought that I could find  sufficient interest
through an Internet PPS group.
 
BTW, I have been on the hormone, and have prepaid  for 13 weeks. They
generally suggest that patients take the hormone for at least that period
of time. I will, therefore, not be a part of the study group. This is
because my experience would not be objective having taken HGH already and
having formed an opinion. In fact, it would be improper for me to even
discuss my opinion here so please don't ask until the study is complete.
 
The study would be a double-blind or a double-blind-switch. Six
participants would receive the real thing while six would receive placebo
treatment. Participants would have to be available for an initial testing
in Las Vegas and some follow-up testing later (EMG and the like). It is
undetermined at this point, but the follow-up testing could be in your
home town.
 
Dr. Yee's initial plan was to offer half price to the participants and I
indicated that I could not be part of that (due to the fact that half
price is still too much for most people), and would only assist if the
treatment was free (outside of travel expenses for participants). I
suggested that if the drug company could fund some, there might be other
groups willing to fund the remainder. I went on to suggest that I could
make a strong case that the drug company would be crazy not to fund the
whole thing. He agreed to try for that, and asked that I test the Internet
waters for interest now.
 
So you will know, some HGH studies show:
 
Improved Sleep
Lower body fat %
Higher lean muscle %
Reduced fatique (increased exercise tolerance)
Improved bone density
Improved muscle strength
Thicker skin (skin thickness declines with age, normally)
Increased sex drive
 
There are others, but this should be sufficient until I am able to put
together a detailed information package (listing the specific studies) for
interested parties. I will also pass on the details of the proposed PPS
study, once this is all formulated by Dr. Yee. The primary purpose of the
study is to determine whether, through HGH therapy, muscle strength and/or
endurance can be improved in people with PPS.
 
Also, I want to state that I am not going to be paid for my assistance in
finding participants for this research. I only want to see the research
happen. I can afford it, but many can't. If this research proves effective
and insurance carriers are eventually required to pay to the treatment
(and obviously this could take years - FDA approval and all), then I will
have the reward of knowing that I helped other PPS people (not to mention
I will then get mine through insurance coverage). If it proves
ineffective, then I've wasted a little of my time and yours. Seems like a
great bet to me.
 
If you have interest in participating in this study please Email me
directly so as not to waste bandwith on something that may not interest
everyone in this group.
 
Any funding suggestions, or other helpful comments would also be
appreciated.
 
Thanks,
 
Jim Albrecht
wsop@aol.com
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