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INTERNATIONAL LDN AWARENESS WEEK

October 19 – 25^th, 2009

an old drug
a controversial treatment
successful across a range of diseases linked
by immune system dysfunction
BUT
 YOU won't hear of it, and YOU won't be offered it
 

     Bethesda, MD (PRWeb) October 1, 2009 -- International LDN Awareness Week begins when researchers, physicians and advocates convene on October 19, 2009 at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD, for the Fifth Annual Conference on Low Dose Naltrexone. There is no charge for the conference; participants register at ProjectLDN.com.

     The aim of International LDN Awareness Week is to bring LDN out of the shadows, so more disease sufferers may benefit from the off-label use of this inexpensive generic drug.

     Thousands of patients worldwide now enjoy improved health due to LDN. Most learn about it through word of mouth, success stories, Internet research, online forums, and a growing number of doctors who prescribe it for patients with autoimmune diseases. The LDN protocol employs approximately 1/10 the dose of naltrexone, a drug approved in 1984 by the FDA to treat alcoholism and drug addiction.

Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) is changing patients' lives.

     “Before I started taking LDN in 2003, I was an invalid,” says Linda Elsegood, one of the founders of the LDN Research Trust, a non-profit charity in England, which was formed in 2004 to raise both awareness of and research for LDN. “I had just about every symptom of Multiple Sclerosis that a person could have. I was constantly fatigued, I had numbness over much of my body, a loss of hearing, twitching muscles, vertigo. You name the symptom, and I had it.” Now, thanks to LDN, Linda is almost back to normal, and works tirelessly to raise money and awareness of LDN. “This drug has saved my life,” she says. “Along with hundreds of other people, I am working hard to get the word out about LDN. Many patients who don’t yet know about this drug, desperately need it.” Linda adds that LDN has virtually no side effects – unlike most of the much costlier, highly toxic medications doctors routinely prescribe to treat the disease.
 

     Vicki Finlayson, of Auburn, California, tells a story of a life that was filled with 9 years of side-effect-laden medications approved by the FDA for MS. “I was on just about every one of these medications,” she says, “and often, I was on several at one time – along with medications for the pain. Yet, my MS was getting progressively worse, until I was virtually bedridden.” Happily, in 2005, she found LDN, and she hasn’t looked back. “I felt improvement in two days,” she says. She is now back to normal, and all of her symptoms are gone. In fact, in May, 2008, she walked 53 miles to the State Capitol Building in Sacramento to meet with state officials to raise awareness about LDN. She will be back on the Capitol steps this October 21^st, as part of the ongoing effort to educate the public, doctors and government officials about the importance of this inexpensive, effective, patient-driven treatment. “LDN gave me my life back. I feel that it’s very important to spread the word about it.” Because low dose naltrexone treatment represents an inexpensive, off-label use for a drug approved long ago by the FDA, pharmaceutical companies -- who carry out most of today’s research on medications -- aren't much interested in funding research on LDN.  

     But the incredible thing is that hundreds of patients – and several doctors, too – who have experienced remarkable results in themselves and in their patients, are conducting research and raising money and awareness on their own. In fact, one group of patients in the US raised enough money to help fund a successful trial at the University of California in San Francisco, and there are now trials being conducted in Mali, Africa, as well as in Milan, Italy.  

     In addition, Dr. Ian Zagon and his colleagues at Penn State are doing both animal and human trials for several disorders, including multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease and various cancers; and Stanford University is entering into a Phase II trial for fibromyalgia. It is estimated that hundreds of doctors throughout the United States, the UK and Canada, as well as in countries as far-reaching as Italy, Israel, Australia, and even Nigeria, prescribe LDN for their patients.

LDN - CLINICAL PRACTICE AND RESEARCH:  

     The low dose naltrexone protocol has a long history of success treating autoimmune diseases. Over 20 years ago, naltrexone was approved by the FDA to treat addiction, at much higher doses. But in 1982 Dr. Ian Zagon and other researchers at Penn State University discovered its ability to normalize a dysfunctional immune system, when used in very low doses. Bernard Bihari, MD, a Harvard trained neurologist in New York City, observed positive clinical results using LDN for HIV, MS and other immune system disorders. His observations led to years of devoted work with patients, treating every kind of immune disease -- including HIV/AIDS – with extremely positive results, and virtually no side effects.

     According to Dr. Bihari’s friend and colleague, David Gluck, MD, who also works tirelessly to get the word out about LDN: ““Low Dose Naltrexone may well be the most important therapeutic breakthrough in over fifty years. It provides a safe and inexpensive method of medical treatment by mobilizing the natural defenses of one's own immune system.”

     Doctors throughout the US, UK, Canada, Italy, Israel, Australia and Nigeria prescribe LDN for their patients.

     The aim of International LDN Awareness Week is to bring LDN out of the shadows, so more disease sufferers might benefit.

LDN RESESOURCES, WEBSITES, BOOKS & RADIO SHOW:  

     There are several key websites devoted to LDN, including Dr. David Gluck’s site, www.lowdosenaltrexone.org; and the websites of patient advocates, Linda Elsegood and SammyJo Wilkinson, www.ldnresearchtrust.org, and www.ldners.org. All three of these websites are dedicated to helping patients and funding research.

The following books & video have been produced on the topic of LDN:

1. International LDN Awareness Week eBook - 100 Testimonials.
2. Cris Kerr’s freely shared resource, Those Who Suffer Much KNOW MUCH, featuring a large collection of LDN testimonials as case studies.
3. Up the Creek With a Paddle by Mary Boyle Bradley.
4. Free ebook by Julia Schopick, The Faces of Low Dose Naltrexone.
5. Denial of Treatment movie trailer & LDN conference playbacks.
6. The Promise of Low Dose Naltrexone, by Elaine Moore and SammyJo Wilkinson

In addition, Mary Boyle Bradley hosts a radio program on the very popular Blog Talk Radio which is devoted solely to discussing low dose naltrexone. Mary’s guests include researchers, physicians and patient advocates, and the show gets thousands of downloads per month.

CONTACTS:  

     For more information on the USA Conference, go to www.ProjectLDN.com, and for more information on International LDN Awareness Week and LDN, please contact the following patient advocates:
 

PATIENT ADVOCATES IN THE USA:

These contacts will gladly put you in touch with physicians and patients who are eager to be interviewed about LDN.

Organization of the inaugural International LDN Awareness Week (October 19-25, 2009) has been spearheaded by:

 - Linda Elsegood of the LDN Research Trust, in the UK

and internationally supported by:

 - SammyJo Wilkinson, of LDNers.org
 - Julia Schopick, of HonestMedicine.com
 - Malcolm West, of Practical Communications Group
 - Cris Kerr, Advocate for the value of Patient Testimony

Thanks to Skip's Pharmacy for supporting the First International LDN Awareness Week. Dr. Lenz will be presenting at the 5th Annual LDN Conference.