Ms Breakthrough: Replacing Diseased Immune System Halts Progression and Allows Repair (IMAGE)
Caption
A clinical trial published in The Lancet, a top medical journal, shows that an intensive procedure that completely wipes out the immune system and then regenerates a new one using blood stem cells can eliminate all signs of damaging brain inflammation in people with early, aggressive multiple sclerosis (MS), and facilitate lasting recovery. Led by Dr. Harold Atkins and Dr. Mark S. Freedman of The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa, the trial included 24 participants who were followed for up to 13 years. The $6.47 million trial was funded by the MS Society of Canada and its affiliated Multiple Sclerosis Scientific Research Foundation. The research was also supported by The Ottawa Hospital Foundation, The Ottawa Hospital Department of Medicine and Canadian Blood Services. From left, Dr. Mark S. Freedman, a neurologist and senior scientist at The Ottawa Hospital and professor at the University of Ottawa; Dr. Harold Atkins, a stem cell transplant physician and scientist at The Ottawa Hospital, and associate professor at the University of Ottawa; clinical trial participant Jennifer Molson, and trial coordinator and advanced practice nurse at The Ottawa Hospital. Marjorie Bowman.
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The Ottawa Hospital
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