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:

We've got to start human clinical trials now. It's a promise we made that we can, and must, keep. - Dr. Wise Young