Ampligen

[Guest guest]

Has anyone heard of this?

NBC25

Experimental drug may help Chronic Disease Syndrome

By Mark Kraham

HAGERSTOWN, MD DECEMBER 27 - It is estimated that a million Americans

suffer with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. It was once known as the Yuppie

Flu because it knocked normally hard working, educated people off

their feet. Today, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a recognized disease,

but one that still puzzles experts. While there is no cure and no

specific treatment, there is hope from an experimental drug.

In this hundred mile per hour, twenty-four seven world we live in, it

is no wonder that people are tired. However, there is tired, and

there is this. " We're talking about fatigue where you're barely able

to lift a tea cup up, and I was pretty well confined to bed, "

explained Colvin, a Chronic Fatigue Patient.

Like , Alice Badler was also bedridden by the overwhelming

tiredness that was diagnosed as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Like many

CFS patients, she also suffered from a variety of associated

maladies. " I had horrible memory loss, violent migraines, light

sensitivity, allergies, smell sensitivity, severe weakness in my

legs, I couldn't carry my own weight, horrible pain in my joints, "

stated Badler.

Doctor Podell treats many patients with Chronic Fatigue

Syndrome, which is why, despite some public skepticism, he is

convinced it is a real disease. " What we are lacking at this point is

a single simple lab test that says you have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

and you don't. But what we do have is a lot of lab tests that on

average, people with CFS are more likely to be abnormal than others, "

explained Doctor Podell.

This may explain why this drug appears to help ease the symptoms of

CFS. It is called Ampligen, and it is in a Phase Three clinical

trial, which means that neither patients nor doctors know whether

they actually got the active drug at first, although in the second

stage of the study, all patients got Ampligen.

It is a twice a week IV for up to 14 months, which is a major

commitment for both and Alice, but one they feel was worth

it. " The limits of my energy have expanded outwards, and, yeah I

just, I trust that, that's going to continue to happen, " stated

Colvin.

" I am 80% probably towards the kind of life I'd like to have, " stated

Badler.

For more information on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, go to

www.cfs-news.org/ampligen.htm.