Risking Rebound for Drug Study
from Steve T.

I have severe P (over 50%) and am considering participating in a clinical study using Avandia that is going on here in Southern Cal. While Dr. Mirkin’s claim sounds promising, I have one huge problem. What if I am only receiving a placebo instead of the actual drug?  I'm told I won't know. Does that mean I could have to go 13 months with no improvement? Methotrexate works well for me, but makes me very ill.

After 20 years of nothing working, I would give anything for a 'near' cure. Should I just go for Enbrel and forget the study? Any response would be appreciated. Thank you.  -Steve T.

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Ed’s First Response:  As I understand it, Steve, to keep the study valid they can't know and you can't know if you're getting a placebo or the actual drug.  If you've been on MTX, and they're telling you to stop taking it to participate in the study, you may be subject to a pretty nasty P rebound. You should discuss this completely with the research physician and your own derm. 

Also discuss Enbrel with your derm.  Do you also have psoriatic arthritis?  I've received an email just the other day from a fellow who's been on Enbrel for a number of years for his rheumatoid arthritis and also has P.  He writes the drug has never had an impact on his skin lesions, for which he follows other regimens, including MTX!  So ... there seems to be a lot of unknowns about that one, too. 

Amevive's available now.  Ask your derm about that one, too. 

Final comment:  What you're facing is the exact reason why I, personally, have not attempted to participate in any double-blind drug studies of P medications.  It can take so bloody long to overcome a bad rebound.....  But that's me.   Let me know what you decide.  -Ed

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Steve T.’s Follow-up:  Hello Ed.  I decided to do the study. I had already stopped MTX last year and have been dealing with the rebound since then. I tried Soriatane for a few weeks, but the dryness was too much to handle. I've been taking the Avandia for about 2 weeks now. I could be getting the placebo, but I have noticed some side effects and am hopeful I'm getting the real thing. If I am getting the placebo, the study does put me on the actual drug after 26 weeks.

After 20 years of this damnable disease, 6 months doesn't seem like very long. So how is the Enbrel going?

Best of luck in your own P battle. –Steve T.

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Ed’s Response:  Avandia (rosiglitazone maleate) is a drug approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Dr. Gabe Mirkin, an M.D. from Maryland, claimed several years ago that the drug also cleared three of his patients of their psoriasis. (See Dr. Mirkin’s New “Cure”.) 

Avandia is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline and, at their web site, I was able to find one article about a current examination of the drug for alternative therapies — but it wasn’t about psoriasis.  (http://science.gsk.com/press/press_avandia.htm)  My inability to find information about the study Steve T’s participating in isn’t, it itself, meaningful.  However...

Steve:  If there is specific information about the particular study in which you are participating, please let me know.  Best of luck.  -Ed

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