Pharmaceutical Research

Misc.

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD: Better Living
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT: Prescriptions
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: March 2007
Kudos to Action
Kudos to Volunteers
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: MS Awareness
NEWSROOM: March 2007
Employment Discrimination: The ADA Needs You!
President’s 2008 Budget Hurts Domestic Programs
VETSFIRST: March 2007
New Fiscal Year VA Budget: Same Old Problems
RESEARCH FRONT: March 2007
Uric Acid […]

There is no doubt that most of the advancements in health care, and in spinal cord medicine, have been made possible by the ability to manage and control pain. We are forever indebted to our researchers and pharmacists in both the VA and civilian sector for making our lives more livable.
Of course, being able […]

In this issue of Action, we focus on the advances in pharmaceutical research that improve our quality of life. One undeniable obstacle faced by many of our members is affordable access to these life-altering medications.
For instance, a prominent physician from a world-class rehabilitation center recently contacted me to express his concern that Ditropan (Oxybutynin), […]

Kudos to Action
Just want to congratulate you on what you’ve done with Action. I get several disability-related publications and this one always provides interesting and useful info in a short, snapshot format—I have recommended it to several people. I like your editorial plan.

As about half of our members have multiple sclerosis (MS), we strive to ensure that this demographic is represented and addressed in every issue of Action. But as we also strive to bring relevant information to people with all sorts of spinal cord injuries and disorders, by necessity, our monthly dosage of MS news is […]

Employment Discrimination: The ADA Needs You!
Many people with disabilities want to work and are able to work, but they find that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) does not protect them in the workplace. While the ADA was intended to protect people from employment discrimination, the courts have eroded its employment protections. At press […]

New Fiscal Year VA Budget: Same Old Problems
For many veterans, bringing a successful claim for VA disability compensation is the gateway to receiving critical VA health care. The longer it takes for the VA to make a decision over a veteran’s claim, the longer it will take that veteran to receive VA health care, […]

Uric Acid and Spinal Cord Injury Treatment
A novel approach by researchers at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, holds potential for the treatment of central nervous system damage. Uric acid is commonly associated with the excruciatingly painful joint disease known as gout, but it can also play a crucial role in the treatment […]

Now that research has shown its positive effect on neuropathic pain and even spasticity, some people with spinal cord disorders are joining the fight to legalize medical cannabis.

Julie Falco (Photo by Paul Meredith)

By Lori A. Wood
Proponents of medicinal marijuana have credited it with the alleviation of everything from chemotherapy- induced […]

A California biotech company hopes to boost the immune system without side-effects.
by Rob Ingraham

Descriptions of the body’s built-in defenses against disease––our immune system––abound in military terms. For example, a recent article in Scientific American entitled “Peacekeepers of the Immune System” described multiple sclerosis (MS), insulin- dependent diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis as the work […]

Research progresses, slowly, into the causes of and treatments for neuropathic post-SCI pain.
By Alan Krawitz

In life, there are various types of pain that run the gamut from minor inconvenience to disabling. And then, almost in a class by itself, is neuropathic pain, a severe, crippling type of pain that many people with spinal […]

By Tom Scott

Skin damage is a common secondary condition that many individuals with spinal cord injuries and disorders (SCI/D) encounter. This damage is usually caused by pressure sores, also referred to as pressure ulcers, ischemic ulcers, decubitis ulcers, or bed sores. Pressure sores occur when an excessive amount of pressure is placed on […]

Taking Care of the People Who Take Care

Cathy R. Parsa, MA, RN, is in the first year of her term as president of the American Association of Spinal Cord Injury Nurses (AASCIN). She is the education coordinator for the SCI/D Health Care Group an Educator for the SCI Series […]

By Tamar Asedo Sherman
Myth 1: A common misconception is that people with disabilities get preferential treatment in applying for jobs, thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This erroneous thought could lead others to resent people with disabilities, thinking that we are not qualified for our jobs and were hired only because we […]

Participate in the RediAuto Track Challenge Autocross races on April 12, 2007 at Irwindale Speedway, Los Angeles. Both disabled and nondisabled competitors will need to supply their own cars for the race, and all level of drivers are invited. Race participants will have the opportunity to win a NASCAR test drive, a RediAuto Sport Soft […]

By John M. Williams
How would you like to have a single device that turned on your lights, changed the channel, regulated your home temperature, opened automatic doors, answered your phone, checked your e-mail, and helped you balance your checkbook? How would you like it if the device could be operated by voice, eye […]

By Ed Lash
As was mentioned in last month’s conclusion to Relaxation and MS, it would be a serious error to suppose that relaxation techniques are the only antidote to stress and illness. But, together with good medical care, eating properly, exercising, good sleep habits, as well as living a moderate and varied life-style, learning […]

By Rosemarie Rossetti, PhD

Building a new home is a daunting task. The investment is large and no one wants to make a mistake that you end up living with day after day for many years to come. There will be things that you notice after you move in that you wish you had […]

by Kathleen M. Muldoon

Happy March! I love March, don’t you? There’s so much to celebrate this month. For one, my favorite season, spring, starts in March. I love it when everything starts to bloom, the grass turns green, and birds start to build their nests—all the creatures in the world seem to be in […]

By Tom Scott
United Spinal Participates in SCCA National Convention
United Spinal Association Motorsports representatives Bill Hannigan and Jeff Bressler were given a warm welcome at the Sports Car Club of America’s 2007 National Convention, which took place at the Crown Plaza Riverwalk in San Antonio Texas, from February 1-3. Hannigan, director of Sports […]