The WPI criticises UK Retrovirus XMRV study

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ie Vigil

R & R Partners for

Whittemore Institute

frankie.vigil@...

Official Statement from the

Whittemore Institute

Regarding UK Study

The Whittemore Institute (WPI) has

reviewed the paper entitled:

" Failure to Detect the Novel Retrovirus XMRV in

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. "

[~jvr: see: http://bit.ly/7QwkF5]

This study did not duplicate the rigorous scientific

techniques used by WPI, the National Cancer

Institute and the Cleveland Clinic, therefore it

cannot be considered a replication study nor can

the results claim to be anything other than a

failure not just to detect XMRV, but also a failure

to suggest meaningful results.

The scientific methods used by WPI are very exact

and require specific techniques to ensure accuracy.

Differences in techniques employed by Erlwein et al.

not only explain their failure to replicate the WPI

study, but also render the conclusions meaningless.

These differences include, but are not limited

to the following:

1) blood sample volumes and processing;

2) patient criteria/population differences;

3) number and type of tests done to

assure accurate results, including white

blood cell culture;

4) use of a molecular plasmid control in

water versus a positive blood sample; and

5) different primer sequences and

amplification protocol used to find the

virus, which were not validated by a clinical

control.

The WPI study was published after six months of

rigorous review and three independent lab

confirmations, proving that contamination had not

taken place and that infectious XMRV was present in

67 percent of CFS patients diagnosed according to

the Canadian and Fukuda criteria.

In contrast, this latest study was published online

after only three days of review.

Significant and critical questions remain as to the

status of patient samples used in the UK study as

those samples may have been confused with

fatigued psychiatric patients, since the UK has

relegated CFS " patients to psychiatric care and not

traditional medical practices.

Little is known about the prevalence of XMRV

world-wide, much less the incidence of XMRV in

ME/CFS or prostate cancer " emphasizes Dr. Judy

Mikovits.

" WPI and its NCI collaborators are actively

engaged with international research teams to

investigate these important questions. "

WPI does not recommend the use of anti-retroviral

drugs that have yet to be proven to be effective in

treating XMRV infection.

However, several large pharmaceutical companies

have expressed interest in developing anti-retroviral

and immune modulating drugs that will effectively

treat XMRV associated diseases.

WPI looks forward to the results of other scientific

groups around the world, serious about replicating its

scientific results, by using the same techniques as

WPI and its collaborators.

The fact that XMRV was detected in 67 percent of

the CFS samples in the U.S. study determined a

significant association between XMRV and CFS,

demanding a much more serious inquiry by

responsible health agencies around the world as

to the cause of this debilitating disease.

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Whittemore Institute

The Whittemore Institute for

Neuro-Immune Disease exists to bring discovery,

knowledge, and effective treatments to patients with

illnesses that are caused by acquired dysregulation

of the immune system and the nervous system,

often results in lifelong disease and disability. The

WPI is the first institute in the world dedicated to X

associated neuro-immune disease (XAND), and other

X associated diseases, integrating patient

treatment, basic and clinical research and medical

education.