komaroff, harvard, brigham and women's hospital

[Rrrr]

so, long term CFS doctor and researcher dr. komaroff, was involved in helping this study. here he is:

http://anthonykomaroff.gather.com/

and

http://www.brighamandwomens.org/res...e/Researchers_and_Staff/komaroff_anthony.aspx

he is well known to those of us in new england. a good man, pretty conservative. did not seem to be taking any new patients for the last decade, i think...?

he recently gave a lecture to MassCFIDS association and i think there is a video to it, but i can't find it on their website: http://www.masscfids.org/links

it looks like Komaroff was mostly involved in the NIH/FDA study by the use of his old blood samples, right?

i don't know why i'm bringing him up, but just thought i would.

i do plan to see Dr. Paul Sax, head of Infectious Disease at Brigham and Women's hospital in Sept. i had an appt with him before i knew of komaroff's involvement in this NIH/FDA paper. http://www.thebody.com/content/art39695.html

 

[Daffodil]

youre right..kamaroff hasnt taken patients as long as i can remember! he was the one to diagnose gilda radner with CFS. she went on to die of ovarian cancer.

i wonder if gilda's club is in any way involved in XMRV/CFS research.

 

[leaves]

Yeah he doesn't see new patients. Let me know if you find a good idd!!

 

[Anika]

I didn't know whether Komaroff was seeing patients - maybe some ongoing patients? In any case, it sounds like some patients (like the 8 who gave blood this summer for the re-tests in the NIH/FDA study) are still being seen by either Komaroff or colleagues.

The paper notes said that Komaroff was involved in writing the paper. I expect he did the parts describing the cohorts. My impression has been that he is good at seeing the big picture, but also looks at the details.

I don't remember hearing that Gilda Radner had been diagnosed with CFS. If so, and she then developed ovarian cancer, I would think the findings on X-MRVs would be of interest to her groups, as well as us.

 

[Daffodil]

there is a book out called "what really killed gilda radner"

 

[sensing progress]

Rrrr, here's the video you're referring to from MassCFIDS Association: http://www.masscfids.org/videofiles/Komaroff/Komaroff.html
And here's the Q&A from afterwards: http://www.masscfids.org/videofiles/Questions/Questions.html

It's interesting, someone asked if he knew of any XMRV studies in the Boston area, and he said I believe something like "not that I know of". The lecture was given back in February so either the Alter/Lo study hadn't started yet or he purposefully didn't mention the study he was providing patients for.

He is scheduled to repeat his CFS & The Viral Connection presentation for the CFIDS webinar series coming up on Thursday, September 16, 2010. I am sure this time he will have more to say on XMRV and MLVs.

 

[camas]

I was so happy to see Dr. Komaroff's name on that study and am eternally grateful to the handful of doctor/researchers who have stood by us over the decades. This breakthrough could not have come at a better time with all of them retiring or close to retiring. I wish they and Dr. Alter, who is 75, were all 20 years younger. Of course I wish I were 20 years younger too...

 

[firefly]

I emailed Dr. Komaroff yesterday to ask if he would be doing any new studies. Haven't heard back yet, but if he ever replies I'll post it on here.
I'm scheduled to see Dr. Felsenstein in Oct. If anyone finds a good ID doc in Boston, let us know.

 

[CBS]

Dr. Komaroff is going to be presenting on the 9/16 CAA webinar: http://www.cfids.org/webinar/series2010.asp

CFS & The Viral Connection
Date: Thursday, September 16, 2010
Time: 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM EDT
Registration page:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/302219616
Because some cases of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) begin with a flu-like infection, several viruses and other infectious agents have been studied as possible causes of CFS. Although none of them have yet been proven to cause CFS, several have been associated with CFS, and the development of CFS following infection with several infectious agents has been well documented.
The October 2009 publication of the paper in Science linking the gammaretrovirus XMRV to CFS is the subject of intense scientific inquiry and heated debate. Yet, most doctors and researchers who think that infectious agents can trigger CFS believe it is unlikely that a single infectious agent will explain all cases.
Join CFS researcher and clinician Dr. Anthony Komaroff of Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital for an exploration of some of the infectious agents and illnesses connected to CFS, including Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), Human Herpesvirus (HHV)-6, Q-fever, Ross River virus, Lyme Disease, Parvovirus, Borna disease virus, Influenza A (H1N1) virus (swine flu), retroviruses, enteroviruses and mycoplasmas.

Way to go CAA - Nice timing!

 

[Rrrr]

I emailed Dr. Komaroff yesterday to ask if he would be doing any new studies. Haven't heard back yet, but if he ever replies I'll post it on here.
I'm scheduled to see Dr. Felsenstein in Oct. If anyone finds a good ID doc in Boston, let us know.

firefly: i will see Brigham and Women's Hospital's ID doctor, Dr. Paul Sax. It is my hope other PWCs will try to see him too. he is familiar with PWCs but treats mostly HIV, i think. a good combo!

 

[Rrrr]

Rrrr, here's the video you're referring to from MassCFIDS Association: http://www.masscfids.org/videofiles/Komaroff/Komaroff.html
And here's the Q&A from afterwards: http://www.masscfids.org/videofiles/Questions/Questions.html

It's interesting, someone asked if he knew of any XMRV studies in the Boston area, and he said I believe something like "not that I know of". The lecture was given back in February so either the Alter/Lo study hadn't started yet or he purposefully didn't mention the study he was providing patients for.

He is scheduled to repeat his CFS & The Viral Connection presentation for the CFIDS webinar series coming up on Thursday, September 16, 2010. I am sure this time he will have more to say on XMRV and MLVs.

so far i have watched komaroff's lecture, but not yet the Q&A. in his lecture, he calls for clinical trials of antiretrovirals. it is a good lecture. i recommend it.

 

[Rrrr]

hmm. i take it back! in the Q&A he says he does not give anti-virals to patients because they don't have proof that they have a virus.

so he has contradicted himself, in his lecture vs his Q & A.