HALT-MS Study Update: 22 of 23 show no progression at years 2.5+

[ActiveMSers]

I just heard from a friend in the study who is being seen at the Seattle site (HQ for HALT-MS) and his docs gave him an update on the study as a whole. Of the 24 original patients in the study, one person has died of issues unrelated to the transplant (as I've already reported) and one person has had changes in her MRI (self reported on her blog) and has restarted therapy although reportedly she is doing well. (Jamie's blog has not been updated in some time.) It is unknown whether the person who passed away had any MS progression, but my thinking is no.

The other 22 in my study? No disease progression. The last transplant was done in late March or early April 2010 (around my time). Fingers crossed this sort of success continues.

[ActiveMSers]

The earliest the HALT-MS team would be updating their study would be at the 65th American Academy of Neurology conference being held March 16-23, 2013. That would put all participants 2+ years out (technically 3, but 3-year appointments would take place in March at the earliest, too early to add to reporting). If not then, then at the ECTRIMS conference that fall in Denmark. I know for the docs that waiting is the hard part and patience harder.