A Chicago physician is recruiting veterans with PTSD for a study of a medical treatment that erases symptoms in 30 minutes.

With $82,000 in funding from the state of Illinois, Dr. Eugene Lipov (www.ChicagoMedicalInnovations.org), author of Exit Strategy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, plans to treat 10 patients and follow up with biological marker tests that would help prove his theory that PTSD is a medical, not a psychological, condition. He's seeking corporate donations to broaden the study in order to hasten the Veterans Administration's acceptance of the procedure, which has been used to treat 95 patients.

"The Veterans Administration's treatment for PTSD involves intensive psychological therapy and psychotropic drugs that works only about half the time and can take months or years," Lipov says. "My treatment, stellate ganglion block (SGB), involves two injections and works very quickly. In 80 to 85 percent of patients, it completely erases symptoms."

Lipov has treated 50 patients with SGB, an injection of anesthesia into a cluster of nerves in the neck. His success stories date back to his first patient, who remains symptom-free after three years. Another 45 or so veterans have undergone the treatment at four military institutions, including a small study still underway at the Naval Medical Center San Diego.

He theorizes that SGB works because it reduces excessive levels of cortisol, nerve growth factor and norepinephrine in the brain, all stimulated as an organic response to stress.

"This study will be the first that includes checking for post-treatment biomarkers," Lipov says. "If I can show there's a biological change, that the treatment's success isn't just a placebo effect, I can get more acceptance. Right now, part of the problem is credulity - people can't believe there's such a simple solution to a complex problem."

Treating PTSD with SGB is a new application for a procedure that's been safely used to treat other conditions since 1925. Lipov has FDA approval for its use for PTSD and recently it was approved for experimental studies by the Institutional Review Board.

But despite congressional support, he has been unable to secure federal funding for a large study that would hasten the treatment's acceptance by the Veterans Administration. So he's seeking private and corporate donors to match Illinois' contribution to his non-profit, Chicago Medical Innovations, so he can expand the biomarker study. People who buy his book Exit Strategy, about the latest PTSD developments, also help fund veterans' treatments; Lipov donates $5 from each book sale toward the two $1,000 injections.

"The more money I raise, the more patients I can treat, and the more veterans who get better, the more I can publish the results," Lipov said. "Basically, the more impressive the numbers, the more lives are saved."

An estimated 300,000 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan suffered post-traumatic stress disorder or major depression, according to a Rand Corp. report. The debilitating condition is characterized by outbursts of rage, terrifying flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety and other issues that lead to substance abuse, violent crimes, joblessness and homelessness.

About Dr. Eugene Lipov

Chad Pregracke's Quad Cities-based environmental group needs volunteers to help in a project to improve the future of area waterways.  Living Lands & Waters, an East Moline, Illinois non-profit organization is planning to distribute 150,000 free oak tree saplings in April as part of LL&W's "MillionTrees Project."  The goal of the project is to improve the health of rivers in the Midwest, by re-establishing hardwoods that have been depleted by over-harvesting, flooding and disease.

Volunteers, including families with children, are invited to take part in tree wrapping events being held throughout March and April. "Wrapping 100,000 trees takes a lot of work" said Chad Pregracke, founder and President of Living Lands & Waters.  Pregracke adds, "It's a great venue to help the community and educate people on why trees are important."

Trees provide shelter and nut-bearing hardwoods are a viable food source for wildlife and migratory birds.  Slow-growing hardwoods like oaks have a harder time re-establishing themselves without help, and are often crowded out by faster growing species, like cottonwoods, willow and silver maples. Re-establishing hardwoods helps increase biodiversity, reduce erosion and run-off and improve water and air quality.

Individual registration is not required, but strongly encouraged.  Groups of 10 or more should pre-register.   Volunteers can stay for an hour or all day.  Hard working volunteers will receive LL&W MillionTrees Project t-shirts. For questions or to register, please contact Ashley Stover at Ashley@livinglandsandwaters.org or at 309.737.5913.

Tree wrapping events will occur at the following places and locations:

QCCA Expo Center, Rock Island:

March 13, 9am-5pm      March 14, 9am-5pm      March 15, 9am-5pm

March 16, 9am-5pm      March 17, 9am-5pm      March 18, 9am-5pm

Volunteers should show up at the North Hall of the QCCA Expo Center, 2621 4th Avenue, Rock Island.

LL&W Headquarters @ (17624 Rte. 84 N, East Moline, IL)

March 5-10, 8am-5pm

March 26-31, 8am-5pm                           April 2-20(excluding Sundays), 8am-5pm

Volunteers will be asked to help with the following:  bundling trees in newspaper, dipping roots in water, placing trees in bags and/or tying. Participating children MUST be supervised.  Volunteers are asked to wear warm and comfortable clothes that can get dirty.

Trees will be distributed in April to individuals, families, schools, businesses and organizations throughout 8 states.  The saplings will also be distributed to the general public during the QCCA Lawn and Garden Show, March 23-25^th on a first come, first serve basis. The goal of the MillionTrees Project is to grow and plant 1 MILLION trees.

Anyone interested in volunteering may contact MillionTrees Project Coordinator, Ashley Stover at Ashley@livinglandsandwaters.org or at 309.737.5913. More information on the MillionTrees Project can be found at http://www.livinglandsandwaters.org/milliontrees/default.htm

Grassley, Enzi, Hatch, Pitts Seek Details of Discount Drug Program

WASHINGTON - Sen. Chuck Grassley, Sen. Michael Enzi, Sen. Orrin Hatch,  and Rep. Joe Pitts today asked a wide range of stakeholders for a detailed accounting of how they operate the 340B program, a discount drug program that's meant to supply federally funded grantees and other safety net health care providers but whose exploding growth raises questions about program integrity.

A June 2011 Health and Human Services Inspector General report raised questions of program integrity without proper federal oversight of taxpayer dollars.  Likewise, a report from the Government Accountability Office issued in September 2011 said federal oversight of the program is "inadequate" to ensure that covered entities and manufacturers are in compliance with program requirements.

"With the reliance on self-policing among participating manufacturers and covered entities and the increase in the number of new settings in which the program is offered, the risk of improper purchases or diversion of 340B drugs has significantly increased," the members wrote.  "The problems identified by the GAO as it relates to the oversight responsibilities of each party and the expansion of the program need resolution."

Grassley, Enzi, Hatch, and Pitts wrote to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America; the Biotechnology Industry Organization; Apexus, Inc.; and the Safety Net Hospitals for Pharmaceutical Access.  The legislators said that with so many stakeholders involved in the program, everyone must work together to ensure the program is serving the intended beneficiaries.

The members' three letters are available here, here and here.