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VIP Dx MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT on Jun 1 !

Messages
87
Wow, this may have been said already, I haven't read all 20 pages of posts, but this is such an elegant move by the WPI and explains why perhaps some of their other PR efforts have appeared haph-hazard. This must have taken a lot of negotiating on all fronts. And it solves a lot of issues. VIPdx's main PR problem was that it was coming across as a fly-by-night, out of nowhere lab, hence would have had a tough time gaining respect from mainstream institutions and doctors. In turn, the new WPI patient care facility would have found itself in the odd position of needing to bypass whatever lab (Quest or other) is housed in the University of Nevada School of Medicine in order to get its patients' samples analyzed. I can't imagine the amount of institutional negotiations all of this must have required. But with one bold stroke, it streamlines and solidifies the key componets of patient care and thorough and reliable on-site diagnostics. Nicely done.
 

Stone

Senior Member
Messages
371
Location
NC
Ahh, I didn't realize their req's were still more manual. That's different. Perhaps that's what the 30 day wait is about, for new, modern, bar coded forms. Oy vey.
 

Rita

Senior Member
Messages
235
Finally, in response to thousands of requests for testing, WP Biotechnologies (WPBio), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Whittemore Peterson Institute, finalized a non-exclusive license agreement with R.E.D. Laboratories N.V. of Belgium(R.E.D. Labs) to provide XMRV, testing of European patients. As part of this agreement, R.E.D. Labs will receive consulting services delivered by VIP Dx to ensure the Belgium laboratory delivers the proprietary tests with the utmost accuracy. “This activity will help implement the delivery and execution of XMRV, tests by virus culture for patients all across Europe, using the WPI technology,” said Carli West Kinne, director of WPBio. “The European market is a significant part of our plan to move the work of the WPI forward on behalf of those who are ill.”

Source: http://www.vipdx.com/index_new.php

Perhaps not only RedLabs in Belgium will be able to do the test in Europe.Another Labs can buy the license also.I hope so.
 
D

DysautonomiaXMRV

Guest
If 400 million carry XMRV................

And only 1% of those people die from XMRV

Then 4 million will have died.

Who is to be charged for global genocide?
Who blocked the research funding?
Who spent over 20 years calling patients 'disgusting', 'neurotic' and 'free from blame and guilt'?

Why are these people allowed to practice as doctors and not arrested and jailed?
 

Francelle

Senior Member
Messages
444
Location
Victoria, Australia
I dunno about all this!

The line "that a multiplex serological assay to detect XMRV antibodies should be available for use within the next 30 days" - I don't like the word 'should'. I believe I've heard that promise before. On the 22nd January didn't Judy Mikovits say in her Q & A session say that within 'the month' there will be a commercial test available? This didn't happen. Correct me if I am wrong please.

Also I am fully cognisant that it is early days , but why shouldn't this test be available globally from any pathology lab? I can rock up to my doctors and get a request for FBE's/CBC's, LFT's, U&E's, Mycoplasma, Ross River Fever ad infinitum and even obscure tests for rare genetic mutations etc. so why not this one?

It seems ludicrous to me that one lab will essentially have the monopoly on this or any commercially available XMRV test within the United States, if my understanding is correct. It's also ludicrous to believe that one lab can manage such a load that may come from this supposedly more accurate test for XMRV.

IMHO there needs to be a more diverse base of labs testing for XMRV so that accusations of stacking the numbers can't be levelled at this lab. What I want to say despite the risk of being shot down in flames is, how do we really know if only one lab is doing these tests, that there is honesty and transparency with test results?
 

HopingSince88

Senior Member
Messages
335
Location
Maine
Francelle,
I think that the operative word in VipDx's statement is 'within' not 'should.' I think it could be sooner than 30 days. And I think that this statement coming as an official announcement on the website is different from Dr Judy making statements during meetings, which I think were her best estimates at the time. She does not run VipDx.

Also, it is clear that the license to Belgium is not exclusive. So it is an arrangement that any lab may pursue. I think putting the test out there through VipDx is not a bad thing, especially now that the association with WIP has changed. This will ensure that the procedures are done properly, and that if there are any bugs in the process they will be seen and addressed quickly. I would much rather the route taken be slow and cautious.

I too am anxious to have this test available at my local lab and covered by insurance. But until it is approved by FDA, I think we will be waiting a bit longer for that.
 

Stone

Senior Member
Messages
371
Location
NC
I dunno about all this!

The line "that a multiplex serological assay to detect XMRV antibodies should be available for use within the next 30 days" - I don't like the word 'should'. I believe I've heard that promise before. On the 22nd January didn't Judy Mikovits say in her Q & A session say that within 'the month' there will be a commercial test available? This didn't happen. Correct me if I am wrong please.

I know what you mean. I don't like the word 'should' when I'm watching and waiting for something important to happen, after all, I 'should' be rich and thin, as hard as I've worked at them both, but I'm not. :) Lot's of things 'should' be that aren't.
 
D

DysautonomiaXMRV

Guest
Makes me laugh how Americans can or plan to claim this XMRV test on their insurance policy once it's FDA approved.

In UK we aren't even allowed private health insurance for chronic disease, never mind ME CFS - so we never can
make a doctor's appointment, never mind get a test. Roll on the wild west, I say. :cool:
 

JT1024

Senior Member
Messages
582
Location
Massachusetts
Ahh, I didn't realize their req's were still more manual. That's different. Perhaps that's what the 30 day wait is about, for new, modern, bar coded forms. Oy vey.

Stone, I meant their testing process not the requisitions. The 30 wait has more to do with their testing procedure...culture would take longer than a serological test.

Automated testing in most labs utilizes barcodes for patient/specimen identification and bi-directional interfaces to determine what tests need to be done on each sample. Early lab testing is manual or semi-automated. As the testing process is refined and standardized, large scale automation becomes possible.

At this point, VIPDx is probably manual or semi-automated. Abbott Labs has produced large scale automation for many years and already produces the PRISM for testing donor blood for HIV, HTLV, HepB, HepC, etc.

Once VIPDx or Abbott get FDA clearance on a test, the first customers will be the blood processing centers (like the Red Cross). I suspect the large reference labs (Mayo, ARUP, Quest, etc) will obtain an automated test. Many tests are done locally due to the costs of sending tests out.

Large lab vendors produce similar testing products so perhaps VIPDx will license their test to another diagnostics company for worldwide production and distribution. This should be a good source of income if it is done right!

This should be interesting to watch as it unfolds.

~ JT
 
Messages
49
I just called VIPdx (775-351-1890) and they do have a "waiting list" for people interested in getting the new XMRV serological test. They are taking names, addresses & phone numbers, and the kits will be sent out in the order in which the requests were received. I didn't think to ask how long the waiting list was though, just wanted to get my name on it.
 

Kati

Patient in training
Messages
5,497
Gu3vara, when I tested for XMRV in January, you don't get billed until they complete the test. So they will send you the testing kit with a Fed EX return envelope (I know you're in Canada, be careful with custom rules for biological samples), VIP will test and when the test is completed they will charge your credit card and fax results to your doctor (maybe to you as well but they didn't do it for me, I had to deal with my dr)
 
Messages
49
Do you have to pay in advance Dorothy?


Oops, I forgot to ask about that!! But I think Kati just answered that question. I was mainly just calling to get on the list so that I could get the test ASAP. They didn't ask me for my credit card number or anything like that, just name, address and phone number.
 

jackie

Senior Member
Messages
591
dorothy...anybody! the cost, please!? (thread moving too fast for me to keep up, so if someone already said..sorry!) thanks, jackie
 
Messages
44
I was told there was a 4-week wait list and they will call you to let you know when they are sending it out. I wonder if the 30-days also has to do with them maybe rerunning negatives.
 

Otis

Señor Mumbler
Messages
1,117
Location
USA
After trading emails I was forced to call. The one tidbit I got from the email was that they were adding a 'serology tube' to the test kit. That left me with the impression they will still be offering multiple tests (I'm hoping for a cheaper test, that may not be the approach).

I just called and got added to the list as well. Megan indicated a 4 week wait. That's perfect if the new test stays on schedule.
 

Rrrr

Senior Member
Messages
1,591
they have not yet decided the cost, they said, when i emailed to ask. nor the turn around time for getting test results after you submit yr blood.