New Medicine  

According to the Alzheimer's Association (www.alz.org), as many as 5.3 million people in the United States are living with Alzheimer's Disease, a debilitating illness and the 7th leading cause of death. Our featured guest today is Marwan Sabbagh, M.D., board-certified neurologist and the chief medical/scientific officer of Sun Health Research Institute in Arizona. Dr. Sabbagh has dedicated his career to finding a cure for Alzheimer’s and other age-related neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Sabbagh is a leading investigator for many prominent national Alzheimer’s prevention and treatment trials, including Alzheimer vaccine studies. He is associate editor for the Journal of Alzheimer's disease and Clinical Neurology News, has authored and co-authored more than 90 medical and scientific articles on Alzheimer’s research. On today's show, Dr. Sabbagh will share insights from his book "The Alzheimer’s Answer," published by John Wiley & Sons, with a forward by Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. In addition to his clinical work and private practice in Sun City AZ, Dr. Sabbagh is associate director of the Arizona Alzheimer’s Disease Core Center, a clinical instructor in the Banner/St. Joseph’s Geriatric Fellowship Program, and a visiting scientist in the Department of Neurology at Mayo Clinic Scottsdale. He also is an adjunct professor at Midwestern University and Arizona State University. Dr. Sabbagh earned his undergraduate degree from the University of California Berkeley and his medical degree from the University of Arizona in Tucson. He served his residency in neurology at Baylor College of medicine and a completed his fellowship in geriatric neurology and dementia at the UCSD School of Medicine. To find out more about clinical trails for Alzheimer's Disease visit www.clinicaltrials.gov. To learn more about current studies being conducted at Clinilabs' research unit in Manhattan, or to learn about global clinical trials underway, visit www.clinilabs.com.

According to the Epilepsy Foundation, approximately 200,000 new cases of epilepsy are diagnosed each year, making epilepsy an important health concern. Today's guest is Professor Emilio Perucca, an expert in the field of epileptology and an editor of the book: "The Treatment of Epilepsy." Prof. Perucca obtained a M.D. degree at the University of Pavia in 1975, a Ph.D. Diploma at the University of London in 1980, and a Specialization in Neurology at the University of Pavia in 1982. Between 1976 and 1981 he was Research Registrar in the Department of Clinical Pharmacology of St. Bartholomew's Hospital and in the National Hospital for Nervous Diseases, London. Between 1981 and 1987 he was Lecturer in Medical Pharmacology at the University of Pavia, Italy. In 1988 he was appointed Associate Professor of Clinical Pharmacology at the same University. He is currently Full Professor of Pharmacology at the same University and Director of the Clinical Trial Centre at the Institute of Neurology IRCCS C. Mondino Foundation in Pavia. In 1997, Professor Perucca received the Ambassador for Epilepsy Award from ILAE and from the International Epilepsy Bureau. In 1999 he was awarded honorary membership to the Polish Epilepsy Society. Professor E. Perucca was responsible for establishing the Unit of Clinical Pharmacology at the University of Pavia. His main research interests have been focused on the treatment of epilepsy, with special reference to clinical pharmacokinetics, therapeutic drug monitoring, clinical trial methodology and outcome assessment. He has also an interest in the use of drugs for the treatment of other neurological disorders and psychiatric diseases. He Editor of numerous books and author or co-author of more than 350 publications in the field of clinical pharmacology and epilepsy therapy. For more information, visit clinicaltrials.gov, clinilabs.com, ilae.org, aesnet.org, epilepsy.com, and ibe-epilepsy.org

This episode of New Medicine focus on mood disorders, specifically bipolar disorder, a condition in which a person's mood can alternate from low to high. Our guest is the internationally renowned psychiatrist and psychopharmacologist, Ronald R. Fieve, M.D., the pioneer in the use of lithium for the treatment of bipolar illness in America. A graduate of Harvard Medical School, extensively trained in psychopharmacology and psychiatry, he served his residencies at New York Hospital in internal medicine, and in psychiatry at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center and the New York State Psychiatric Institute in New York City. Dr. Fieve is professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University, chief of research at the department of lithium studies at the New York State Psychiatric Institute, founder of the former Foundation for Depression and Manic Depression Inc. and executive director of the new Foundation for Mood Disorders. Dr. Fieve is the author of the best-selling book, Moodswing: Dr. Fieve on Depression (Bantam, 1997), Prozac: Questions and Answers for Patients, Families and Physicians (Avon, 1994), Second Opinion on Lithium Therapy for Depression and Manic Depression (1996), Bipolar II (Rodale, 2006) and Bipolar Breakthrough (Rodale, 2009). To find clinical trials for Bipolar Disorder visit www.clinicaltrials.gov. To find clinical trials being conducted at Clinilabs clinical research unit in New York, or to learn more about projects under management worldwide, visit www.clinilabs.com.

“New Medicine” is hosted by Dr. Gary Zammit, a Clinical Associate Professor at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. The show provides educational information about medical illnesses and their treatments, with a special focus on new drugs in development. The target audience is the lay public, not healthcare professionals. The format is a 30-minute interview of a medical researcher who will give people information about disease states and their latest treatments. This episode welcomes Dr. Kenneth Sprenger, Vice President of Clinical Development and Operations at the Neurogen Corporation. Dr. Sprenger will discuss Restless Legs Syndrome and treatments in development for this condition.

“New Medicine” is hosted by Dr. Gary Zammit, a Clinical Associate Professor at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. The show provides educational information about medical illnesses and their treatments, with a special focus on new drugs in development. The target audience is the lay public, not healthcare professionals. The format is a 30-minute interview of a medical researcher who will give people information about disease states and their latest treatments. This episode welcomes Ms. Christine Hildebrand, Assistant Director, Phase I Clinical Operations at Clinilabs. Ms. Hildebrand will discuss Type II Diabetes Mellitus and treatments in development for this condition.