Glasgow LDN Conference 2009

We have had several requests from delegates to speak at the conference. As the current agenda is already set, it has been difficult to accomodate these requests. We are lucky to have some of the most experienced practitioners and patients among the audience and are keen to harness this experience on the day.

In an effort to do this, we have added a plenary session at the end of the day where we hope to have an expert panel who will respond to questions from the audience. It will also be an opportunity for those who wish to speak to make their points. The session will last approximately one hour although this may not be enough time to accomodate everyone.

Next years conference will be over two days and will include small group workshops so this will not be the only chance to contribute to the LDN debate.

There has been much discussion recently on LDN fora about the correct timing for LDN dosing. In my experience of treating patients over the past five years, the timing of the LDN dose not affect it action and as such is down to individual preference. In treating chronic fatigue syndrome we always advise a morning dosing as these patients tend to have very poor sleep. In MS I tell the patient to vary the time to suit their needs and sleep requirements. There has been no obvious difference in response to the drug with these varying times but the preference is now usually for day time dosing.

Dr Chris Steele the resident doctor on the This Morning programme has registered to come to the LDN conferenece in Glasgow. Dr Steele has an interest in MS and attended the MS life conference in Manchester. He is a long time supporter of The Essential Health Clinic in Glasgow which he opened in 2007. He is also very interested in LDN as a treatment and has seen improvements in patients on LDN which have increased his curiosity about the drug. We are delighted to have him on board for the conference and hope that he will be able to use his considerable influence to further the knowledge and interest in LDN.

Thanks to Linda Elsegood of the LDN Research Trust for supporting the conference by contacting thousands of their supporters by email. This went to intersted parties in both the UK and abroad and Linda reports interest from France and elsewhere. We already have a very international audience for the conference with delegates from the USA, Ireland, Hong Kong and now France planning to attend. It is developing into a really exciting conference and with the commitment to making it an annual event, a  momentum is builiding.

We were delighted to receive our first sponsorship for the conference in April. Our thanks to Lorna and Terry McDevitt and all those at McDevitt Engineering for their support. I am sure this will be first of many and will make this conference a great success with the potential to be an annual event. Any excess funds will go towards next year’s conference.

Prof Jill Smith has announced the start of a new study into the use of LDN in children with Crohn’s disease. The success of the pilot study in Crohn’s where 60% of patients went into remission and 80% reported improved symptoms has inspired the team at Penn State University to apply successfully for funding for full studies in this disease. The trial is now recruiting patients and will be completed by July 2010. It is hoped that Prof Smith will be persuaded to present some preliminary data at the second European LDN conference in Glasgow in 2010.

The proposed trial into the use of LDN in Multiple Sclerosis is making progress. We have passed the second round of peer comment from outside experts and have now been invited to submit a full application to the Chief Scientists Office. This is a very positive step and indicates that the trial is viewed as being viable. We have several other hurdles to cross including gaining approval from the MHRA and ethics but things are well on there way and hopefully we will have secured funding by the time the conference takes place in April.

I am delighted to report that the Chief Scientists Office in Scotland have requested that we apply now for full funding of our MS trial. This has taken almost one year to get to this stage as the process is slow and involves two sets of opinions from six external experts but we are getting there. This is virtually the green light for the trial and we will get the application processed as soon as possible. I am hopeful that we will begin the study before the conference in April and be able to report the findings in our second conference next year.

We are delighted to advise that another speaker for the conference has been confirmed. His name is Joseph Wouk, son of the famous author Herman Wouk ( Caine Mutiny etc) who is also an author and a man on a mission. He suffers from MS and has had a very good response to LDN so much so that he has written a book about his experience called ” Google LDN”. This should be available in the UK by the time of the conference and for those interested in a preview, there is a half hour blog on www.googleldn.com. Joseph spoke at the 4th LDN conference where I was lucky enough to meet him and invite him to the UK. We look forward enormously to his input.

Dr Burt Berkson, an internationally renowned medic and author of several case studies regarding the use of LDN in Cancer, has confirmed that he will be address the first European LDN conference in Glasgow in 2009. Dr Berkson has a wide knowledge of natural treatments in addition to the use of LDN and is the author of the “Alpha Lipoic Acid Breakthrough”.