Latest News from MD Support

Opportunities for Stargardt Families

Families whose young people are affected by Stargardt disease have another opportunity to learn and connect with others. The newly-developed outreach, Family Connect, is now online, sponsored by the American Foundation for the Blind and the National Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments.

Add this opportunity to MD Support's Stargardt Team and the recently-announced Stargardt TeleSupport Group (see below), and you will be fully in touch as never before!

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Gene Therapy Breakthrough

According to two studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine, doctors have, for the first time, used gene replacement therapy to restore vision in patients with Leber's congenital amaurosis. More about the gene therapy results . . .

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New Outreach for Stargardt Community

MD Support and the Jewish Guild for the Blind have partnered to offer telephone support groups for teens and young adults who are affected by Stargardt disease. The outreach will begin in June with weekly toll-free meetings moderated by Daria Zawadzki, J.D., L.M.S.W. Learn how to join a "Stargardt Tele-Support Group."

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CABERNET Trial May Expand to 30 Sites

On April 17, 2008, NeoVista, Inc. announced that the FDA has granted the company's request to expand the number of sites participating in its pivotal Phase 3 trial from 10 to 30 in the United States.

The CABERNET trial is designed to investigate the effect of low dose radiation combined with Lucentis for treatment of the wet form of AMD. According to NeoVista, the benefits of radiation therapy over drug therapy alone are that the treatment is effective over a longer term, it mitigates the inflammatory and fibrotic responses, it is minimally invasive, and it can be performed in a single out-patient treatment. More about the CABERNET trial . . .

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More Benefits of Omega-3

The benefits of omega-3 (EPA and DHA) fatty acid dietary supplements for maintaining vision are well-known, and more positive effects in related areas continue to be found. One recent discovery is that omega-3 may help with symptoms of depression, and another study links prenatal omega-3 to increased visual acuity and cognitive development in babies.

A double blind study published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry compared omega-3 to fluoxetine (eg. Prozac) and a combination of the two. Sixty participants were given either 1000 mg EPA, 20 mg fluoxetine, or a combination for 8 weeks. Patients were analyzed every 2 weeks, and 48 patients who completed at least 4 weeks of the study were included in the results. Using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), researchers found a decrease in baseline 50% in the fluoxetine, 56% in the EPA group and 81% in the combination group. EPA and fluoxetine combination, therefore, was concluded to be superior to either of the two alone.

Another study, published in the Journal of Pediatrics, has reported that omega-3 supplementation in the last months of pregnancy may increase cognitive and motor skills in infants. U.S. and Canadian researchers tested 109 babies at six and 11 months of age, finding that their visual acuity and cognitive and motor development were closely linked to the level of DHA in umbilical cord blood at birth.

These findings further confirm the value of omega-3 in our diet. Further information about omega-3

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Learn About Assistive Devices and Software

The April session of the International MD Support Group provides an overview of virtually every type of assistive device and software for the blind and visually impaired. Viewing is free to the public in MD Support's Audio/Visual Library.

The presentation was delivered by webcast on April 10 by Ike Presley, National Project Manager for the American Foundation for the Blind. Mr. Presley was the 25th presenter for the 2-year-old MD Support outreach program, which has now grown to 112 affiliate groups in 36 states and 7 countries.

For complete information on the IMDSG and how to register a group for free programs, newsletters and a starter kit of books and other educational materials, visit the IMDSG home page.

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Approval of Lucentis Growing Globally

According to a BBC report on April 2, AMD patients in England and Wales will soon be getting Lucentis through the National Health Service (NHS). Until now, the reporter said, some primary-care trusts in England and Wales made treatment available only to patients who had already lost sight in one eye. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) is now preparing a final appraisal document ensuring that all trusts fund the drug. (More about anti-angiogenic drugs for wet AMD...)

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"The First Year: Age-Related Macular Degeneration"
An essential guide for the newly-diagnosed and anyone else affected by diseases leading to central vision loss.

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