This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

I really don't sit around contemplating disaster, but this has been on my mind since before the Gadolinium issues came up. Since I have been in this trial, my trial days have been set up like this; I have an MRI and get injected with contrast then I go to my site for tests, injections and BLOOD DRAWS. My common sense alarms have been going off about the blood used for my vaccine being full of Gadolinium or whatever my Lab site uses. I can't help but think that vaccine should be made with uncontaminated blood. I also can't help but wonder how this has slipped through the cracks given the attention to everything else in our systems. Hmmmm.
Lars

Lars,
This is exactly what happens when I go for my visits. I thought they still make the vaccine from that first bag of blood we gave them at the beginning of IIb. I thought that the vials of blood we give is only for them to get an idea of how our follow up "booster" vaccines should be formulated with MRTC's. When I go to give my next bag of blood for the extension study I will question it if they have an MRI scheduled right before the blood collection.

Do you think my thoughts are on track?

Marcia

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Marcia

Marcia,
Maybe that is true, I hope so. I guess I always assumed that each draw was to create more vaccine. Any one?
Lars

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As far as I can remember, the tubes at each visit are for different screens and to see if you still have MRTC's. I could definitely be wrong, but that is what I remember. I think ssmee is correct in that the vaccine is made from the bag and the vials are not used for the vaccine at all. That leads me to believe why so many of them, and maybe they will use it as part of the vaccine process if something has changed. This is a hell of a good question for Dr. Garces at Opexa. I'm going to try and find out.

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Dissipate or no, I would still rather have my vaccine made with "clean" blood. As is the case so often, I would rather not find out later that there was in issue.
Lars

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Bob,
Why didn't I think...........hail to the Chief.
Thanks Bob
Lars

Lars, the Gadolinium they use in our MRI Has a fairly short half-life, 1.25-1.6
hours. By the time it gets to Texas I am sure it is all depleted. Other wise they would ask for blood prior to MRI. The cone heads I work with didn't feel it to much of a concern. See http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/fe ... .Me.r.html

Also, they didn't feel the the Cesium 137 they use to irradiate the MRTC's was a problem either. They use Cesium 137 to sterilize food stuffs in the U.S. for years, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_irradiation.

Did the fires in Durango affect you? Hope you are well.

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TWG,
Nice to hear from you. You have been doing your homework. I feel much better now, thanks. The fires, explosions, etc. didn't affect us too much other than blowing up our favorite restaurant. The snow on the other hand has worn us out. Hope to see you soon.
Take good care,
Lars