USA: News from Simmaron Research foundation

let's switch that around. one desperate need in the m.e. population is knowing the effect of covid on existing pwme. e.g. susceptibility to covid, course of covid, worsening of m.e. recovery time, effect on and of m.e. comorbidities. sleep.

they should have pwme and controls willing to volunteer, stratified by m.e. severity [definitely including housebound and bedridden], m.e. criteria, age, sex.

subjects privately keep track of their possible exposures and health status including sleep quality. they and their carers and cohabitants get tested regularly.

if any get covid, the researchers track their symptoms and signs along with good medical care. as research subjects, they should not be triaged out.

treatment is as medical care and subjects determine necessary.

if simmaron did THAT, i would be pleased.

but m.e. is the dispensible disease. pwme are already considered less worthy as citizens and as humans. this is getting dangerous as i pointed out in https://www.s4me.info/posts/254263/ .

covid is urgent. but to partly abandon m.e. -- and similar -- /if/ that is what they are doing, sends the wrong message, regardless of their good intentions.

in hurricane katrina, bedridden were abandoned. what more abandonment will pwme -- and more diseases than m.e. -- face as the covid pandemic and its political response continues?
 
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Simmaron Research
3 mins ·
Help us put North Tahoe back to work!

Simmaron Research is working with Coppe Laboratories (WI) to conduct COVID-19 antibody testing at no cost for essential North Tahoe workers. Results determine whether an individual is virus naive or has protective immunity, effectively providing the individual - and their employer - with the information necessary for a safe return to work.

The testing effort thus far has been made possible by our generous donor network. However, we are soliciting additional support so that we may continue testing for the next 6-8 weeks and expand our service to include more of the local workforce (teachers, hospitality, and grocery store workers). While we have test kits procured, we are looking to increase the quantity and ensure that our staff members have the appropriate personal protective equipment mandated by the testing protocol. Your donation helps us accomplish these tasks!

Want to help us put North Tahoe back to work?

https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/SimmaronResearch
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Simmaron Research Brings FDA Approved COVID-19 Testing to North Tahoe


May 27, 2020
Simmaron Research, Inc. Brings FDA Approved
COVID-19 Testing to North Tahoe
In partnership with Coppe Laboratories (WI), the Nevada-based nonprofit leads effort to test locals using innovative material re-purposing strategy
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Simmaron Research staff conducts
COVID-19 testing outside headquarters
in Incline Village, NV




Incline Village, NV: Simmaron Research announced today that their clinical research team, in partnership with Coppe Laboratories (Waukesha, WI), is conducting comprehensive COVID-19 testing under the auspices of a new formal Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration. The EUA permits sample collection for both the rapid polymerase chain reaction test (PCR), and Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody test for COVID-19. The PCR based assay identifies active infection, while the IgG antibody test identifies the immune signature that is associated with previous exposure.


Simmaron Research, which has deep roots in the Tahoe area through its Scientific Advisor Dr. Daniel Peterson and his practice Sierra Internal Medicine, specializes in research projects to find diagnostics and treatments for chronic, post-viral disease. Suffice it to say, the foundation’s clinical research team is not new to the field of virology. The work permitted by the new FDA approval allows Simmaron Research to continue serving its community but in a fresh way, testing both essential workers and vulnerable individuals.

The EUA comes rapidly in part due to Simmaron’s longtime partnership with Coppe, an FDA CLIA certified lab with high-complexity clinical testing status. Additionally, from this collaborative partnership emerged an innovative strategy to repurpose soon to be discontinued urogenital swabs for the PCR-based assay. This urogenital swab sample can be frozen in normal saline for transport, while the typically used nasopharyngeal swab requires transport in a viral media that is essentially unavailable due to supply chain issues currently being experienced internationally. These two advantages, as well as an ability to conduct a more robust sample collection and analysis, are what afforded the partners an opportunity to begin testing under the EUA so quickly.

Dr. Gunnar Gottschalk, Clinical Research Director at Simmaron states, “The supply chain crisis has severely hindered the nation’s COVID-19 testing capability. We repurposed materials and sought a creative solution which helped our collaborative team achieve FDA authorization rather quickly for both the PCR and the IgG antibody test. This ingenuity, along with the hard work of our research staff, places us in a position to be the leader for COVID-19 testing in Northern Nevada.”

Sample collection is currently being conducted locally, for residents of the North Tahoe region where Simmaron Research and the foundation’s clinical partner Sierra Internal Medicine are headquartered. Abiding by the Centers for Disease Control guidance, the clinical research team is employing a high standard of safety protocols for staff and test subjects alike. Successfully collected samples are being sent to Waukesha for analysis and results are returned for reporting by Simmaron’s team.

Simmaron Research, as a 501(c)(3), is seeking financial support for future expansion of the testing effort, specifically in an attempt to include economically disadvantaged residents in the area. The team extends an invitation to local philanthropists to help fund testing for those of whom have been most impacted by “social distancing” orders and local business closures. The team is also actively exploring grant opportunities to fund this goal.

“Testing is so important to everyone in our community, especially front-line workers and people who are at higher risk of severe disease,” said Courtney Miller, President of Simmaron’s Board. “Simmaron is excited to serve our neighbors and lead the way to broader testing, so we help keep Nevada safe and learn more about this outbreak.”


To learn more about Simmaron Research’s
COVID-19 testing effort:

Email: covid19@simmaron.com

Visit: simmaronresearch.com


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Simmaron Research, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Incline Village, Nevada. The foundation’s primary work advances translational science through pilot studies that play a key role in the diagnosis, treatment and understanding of post-viral and neuro-immune disease, specializing in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
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Kitty said:
In the middle of a pandemic, isn't testing the flipping government's job? Even in the US?
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It's down to the states, the federal government has checked out of it. Not sure if it will happen this time, there was an attempt a few weeks back that was cancelled, but all federal testing funding will run out at the end of the month. The direction at the top is that it will disappear like magic. Everything flows from that.

Cities and county-level actually have to do most of the work since the US does not have a public health system, it has dozens of disparate and disconnected systems, some are up to the task, many aren't. In rural areas there will typically be a network of a few, maybe 1-2 or up to a handful, private for-profit hospitals. There is no other layer that will step in. Otherwise it's large private insurer-type of companies, Health Management Organizations, that are effectively in charge of hospital networks. Some are structured as charities but many are strictly for-profit.

The major issue is that elective surgeries in the US system are the money-maker, emergency medicine is an expense. In a public health system elective surgeries are an expensive cost. In the US when they are stopped all major income stops. There was stop-gap funding a few months ago but it was only enough to buy time while building up capacity. Capacity was not built and because of costs patients are going in much later and sicker, requiring extensive labor.

Communities are rising to the task as best as they can. But the government has checked out of the issue and is working to reopen "the economy" ASAP, oblivious to the fact that "the economy" includes public health.
 
Thanks & Giving Tuesday!
Dearest Friends of Simmaron:

Happy Thanksgiving
to our wonderful supporters! It has been a roller coaster year and with the twists and turns of COVID-19 were able to withstand, a loss in giving, and a loss in staffing. However, we persisted and defied the odds! We are still here! Not only are we here, but we were very busy this year. During the pandemic we were able to launch a COVID-19 testing site here on our campus, that allowed us to test 1300 people at no cost to those in our community who would not have been able to afford the testing otherwise. These front line workers, were able to stay at work patrolling our streets, working in our grocery stores, in our medical practices, and keeping our local businesses open. With an additional gift of $175,000 we would be able to continue this testing through the winter!

Exciting News
We are conducting an antibody study to determine how long a COVID-19 antibody sustains within a patient who had a positive COVID-19 PCR test. We are also very excited to announce that we have 7 research projects in the works with major universities and researchers from around the globe (please find more details about these projects in our Year End Report). In addition, we are beginning a new Ampligen Study called "Long Haulers Study" where we will study those individuals who contracted COVID-19, and have yet to fully recover, possibly leading them to suffer from ME/CFS.

With all of the work we want to accomplish in 2020/2021, and with our giving down this year by 50%,
GIFTS RIGHT NOW are more vital than ever! It is our great hope you will commit to giving, as we thank you for your ongoing support over the years. There is so much to look forward to in 2021.

Lastly, we have been approached AND WE ARE CONSIDERING, becoming a COVID-19 Vaccination distribution site. However, to provide this critical service to the community and all of the patients we see from around the world, we need to be able to hire new staff, continue to pay staff, as well as, continue paying our operating costs. This new venture in combination with our current and upcoming research projects, makes giving even more urgent. I will have detailed information in the Annual Year-End Report on our new staff and all of the research projects we are taking on, which will be out December 5, 2020.
Please request a copy of the Year-End Report at: sfobare@sierrainternalmed.com

Please consider donating TODAY at http://simmaronresearch.com/
Or click the button below.

FOR CHECKS, SEND TO:
Simmaron Research Foundation
Sheri Fobare
Director of Philanthropy
948 Incline Way
Incline Village, NV 89451

DONATE NOW CLICK HERE

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Research Staff
COVID-19 TESTING


FIND MORE RESEARCH INFO HERE

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Dr. Brielle Bjorke
JOINS SIMMARON


LATEST NEWS CLICK HERE
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Merged thread

Simmaron Research Newsletter Summer 2023

Here is the most recent Simmaron Research newsletter…..

……………
Simmaron’s mission is to change the game for ME and Long-Covid drug research, so we can finally have treatments!

We are resolving key roadblocks that prevent our entire research community from moving forward: lack of an animal model and poorly defined subsets.

These key components will not only enable our team to develop treatments, it will blow the door open for outside researchers and pharmaceutical companies to invest in ME/CFS and Long-Covid research.

Read our mid-year review to learn about our goals and progress, and stay tuned for new publications coming this Fall!

https://static1.squarespace.com/sta...tent&eId=56994532-23b6-4116-ba04-873b7524965f
 
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Merged thread

Simmaron’s Rapamycin ME/CFS Trial Moves Forward: The Goal – FDA Approval Cort Johnson

https://www.healthrising.org/blog/2025/02/01/simmarons-rapamycin-chronic-fatigue-fda-approval/


  • Gunnar Gottschalk, the primary investigator, reported that with most of the results in, a significant percentage of patients were considered responders. He stated that the responders “were seeing a significant number of changes in key symptoms, including reductions in PEM, improved energy, and reduced brain fog.
 
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"people with other subsets (autoantibodies, MCAS, etc.)" doesn't inspire too much confidence in the article for me.
 
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