The Tumor: A Non-Legal Thriller (5 page)
Regulatory approvals from the government, reimbursement from insurance companies, and acceptance by physicians are barriers that must first be overcome (
table 4
).
Research is ongoing in more than 225 academic institutions around the world, including Stanford, University of Virginia, Sunnybrook in Toronto, Royal Marsden in London, and Brigham and Women’s. Thirty medical device manufacturers, in partnership with public institutions and patient organizations, are making tremendous progress in understanding and utilizing the mechanisms by which focused ultrasound affects tissue. This knowledge is being converted into laboratory studies and clinical trials which are critical for the ultimate goal—adoption.
The field is growing more rapidly than anticipated, but the amount of work remaining to move this early-stage research into widespread adoption is still great. Additional resources are needed to bridge the gap between research and trials and treating millions of patients with disabling or life-threatening disorders.
Meet three people whose lives have been dramatically
improved by focused ultrasound therapy.
Six years after her Parkinson’s disease diagnosis, Kimberly suffered from involuntary shaking and could no longer ride her bike or enjoy other forms of exercise. She was successfully treated in a focused ultrasound clinical trial at the University of Maryland. She is now back on her bike and says the clock has been turned back on her life.
Canadian teenager Jack was able to resume his favorite sports after having focused ultrasound treatment for a painful and disabling bone tumor. Before treatment, Jack required heavy doses of pain medications and couldn’t sleep through the night. After treatment, his pain went away and he hasn’t looked back since.
Elizabeth suffered from uterine fibroids that made it hard for her to leave the house and work with her interior design clients. Thanks to a focused ultrasound clinical trial, she was able to retain her uterus, eliminate her symptoms, and get back to living.
Focused Ultrasound Foundation
In 2006, Dr. Neal Kassell started the Focused Ultrasound Foundation, and headquartered it in his hometown of Charlottesville, Virginia. The Foundation’s mission is simple:
“To accelerate the development and adoption of focused ultrasound.”
The Foundation is a unique medical research, education, and advocacy organization whose stated goal is to shorten the time from laboratory research to widespread patient treatment with focused ultrasound. Its principal role is to coordinate the activities of the major players: researchers, doctors, patients, manufacturers, insurers, regulators, and donors. There are now 75 research centers in the U.S. and at least 150 scattered around the world, as well as 30 clinical trials taking place in 11 countries, along with 750 doctors and scientists involved in research and 28 private companies working to perfect the technology. The Foundation is fully engaged with all of these stakeholders.
The Foundation provides resources that are critical to fostering collaboration and generating evidence of the safety and efficacy of focused ultrasound treatments. By doing so, it creates knowledge and allows medical professionals, patients, insurers, and countless other organizations to overcome obstacles, resulting in solutions that help accelerate the development and adoption of focused ultrasound. The metrics of improving the outcome of diagnoses and reducing the cost of care are hard to calculate. But we can estimate that the benefits are immense—particularly when applied to an individual life (
table 5
).
The Foundation’s annual budget is $8 million,
90 percent of which comes from individuals.
Table 5
The Ask
Focused ultrasound is a new, revolutionary, groundbreaking, non-invasive therapeutic technology. In the future, focused ultrasound therapy could be routinely used to treat patients like Paul. Until then, though, millions will suffer and die. “Acceleration” is the operative word, and the Foundation needs your help to speed things along.
A patient with essential tremor celebrates the return of the use of his right hand after undergoing focused ultrasound treatment.
Visit
www.fusfoundation.org
> the Foundation website to:
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And discover how you could help improve the lives of your friends, loved ones, children—and maybe even your own.
Please remember: Time = Lives.
