SPINAL CORD INJURY CLINICAL TRIALS  LAUNCHED IN UNITED STATES

Spinal Cord Injury Network USA (SCINetUSA)  Established

In March 2009 in Austin, Texas, Dr. Wise Young announced the  launching of the Spinal          Cord Injury Network USA (SCINetUSA) to test treatments for  chronic spinal cord injury.            The network is responsible for the organization, administration,  training, development          of protocols, and government approvals of the clinical trial.   Participating centers          select participants and conduct the trials.  SCINetUSA has been  working to develop          consensus for the clinical trials in a series of meetings in  China and New Jersey.

These are among the first clinical trials for people with  chronic injuries.  Projected          to start in 2010, the trials will use umbilical cord blood and a  drug called lithium          in combination with rigorous physical therapy.  The creation of  SCINetUSA means          that U.S. citizens will not have to travel overseas to  participate in clinical trials.

1.3 Million Americans Live with Paralysis

Every 41 minutes another person sustains a spinal cord injury.   Once thought incurable,          researchers now have          reported many therapies that restore walking in animal models.   It is time for these          treatments to be tested in clinical trials.  The trials must  provide credible data that          therapies are safe and beneficial so that they can be applied to  many people.

Working in Partnership with ChinaSCINet

SCINetUSA will collaborate closely with ChinaSCINet, a  consortium of 25 leading spinal cord          injury Centers in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.  Dr.  Young established and trained          the centers to conduct human clinical trials.  By working  together, the two networks,          SCINetUSA and ChinaSCINet, will be able to bring the best  therapies to people on both sides          of the Pacific as quickly as possible.

—— JustADollarPlease Campaign to Raise  Funds for SCINetUSA

Tired of waiting for a millionaire to come to the rescue, a  group of mothers          began a campaign to ask a million people for 'Just A Dollar  Please', once per month ($12),         or per week ($52).  By giving 'a dollar a day', families and  friends can become members of the          'Dollar A Day Support Squad.' For email updates on the clinical  trials and research news,         send your email address to jimbenn@rci.rutgers.edu.           To support SCINetUSA, please donate now at: