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THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday March 21, 2001 Doctor principal investigator > for new osteoporosis therapy By Wilma Blokhuis BEAVER FOCUS EDITOR Dr. Aliya Khan may have stumbled upon a wonder drug for osteoporosis parathyroid hormone therapy. "All of the other drugs treat osteoporo sis by preventing bone loss," says Dr. Khan, who is the principal investiga tor in the Southern Ontario region for the three-year North America wide research study into this new medication. "Parathyroid hormone ther apy actually builds bone. That make this drug so exciting. It works on the cells that build bone, the `osteoblasts.' All o f the other drugs work on the cells that remove bone, the `osteo clasts.' "This could be a major breakthrough in medicine." Dr. Khan began researching patient reactions to parathyroid hormone therapy at the Oakville Bone Centre last September, in conjunction with McMaster University where she is an associate clini cal professor of medicine in the Divisions of Geriatric Medicine and Endocrinology. This study has been approved by McMaster's Ethics Review Board. Although this study is still in its begin ning stages, she has already found favourable results. "Since this study began, there's been a lot of interest from my patients." All participating patients are given this medication, plus calcium and Vitamin D at no charge. Participants must have bone density tests every six months, and a blood and urine test every three months, "just to make sure they're building blood," explained Dr. Khan. "Parathyroid hormone therapy is a very powerful treatment for osteoporosis," she said of the early results. "This is a two-part study. For the first 18 months, half of the patients receive the drug and the second half are monitored, but if the patients who are being moni tored are losing bone, we start them on the This illustrated book, titled A Patient's Guide to Osteoporosis, can be found in the Debbie Howe Osteoporosis Library at the W omen's Centre at Hopedale Mall. It explains how osteoporosis affects bone. File photo by Riziero Vertolli medication as well. For the second 18 months, everybody received the parathy roid hormone therapy." Dr. Khan said the medication is only available through this study, which will form part o f the approval process of this drug in Canada. " "It has also been extensively studied in Europe, and it's been shown to be very safe and very effective in building bone, alone and in combination with estrogen. In Europe, they found that parathyroid hor mone therapy, in combination with estro gen, was even more effective." Dr. Khan said parathyroid hormone therapy com bined with estrogen may be studied here in the future. The study participants must administer the drug themselves, similar to how dia betics inject insulin, and are shown how by an Oakville Bone Centre nurse. Dr. Khan is still looking for more study subjects, and to be eligible, a woman must be post-menopausal and have stopped having her period for at least a year. Woman who are taking prednisone, or have liver disease, or cancer in the past five years, cannot participate. And, women who abuse alcohol will also not be accepted. Women accepted into this study must have a complete physical examination and complete medical history prepared "to make sure there is no other cause for their bone loss (except osteoporosis.) A number of other diseases can result in bone loss," warned Dr. Khan, "including cancer, thy roid and bowel problems." For information, or to participate in this study, call the Oakville Bone Centre at 905-844-5677. There' s still time to enter CARP essay contest Each of the 24 secondary schools Church, Burlington; plus M ema Dack The Halton Chapter o f Canada's Association For The Fifty Plus -- within Halton are asked to submit one and Ken Laramie of the Halton CARP announces its second annual entry to the Halton Chapter CARP by Chapter CARP. The three winners, representatives Intergenerational Essay Contest, open March 31. The judges will select the first, sec of the staff of their respective schools, to all secondary school students in ond and third place winners. The parents, and grandparents will be invit Halton. Students are asked to write an essay judges are: Joyce Savoline, Halton ed to the Halton Chapter meeting on of approximately 750 words outlining Region chair; Rev. M ami Nancekivell May 23 when prizes of $300 for first, an experience or discussion with a of St. Aidan's Anglican Church; Rev. $200 for second, and $100 for third grandparent or other `50-plus' person. Donna Howlett of Tansley United place will be awarded. This contest should be o f special Dusty Papke and Fred Sweeney o f the interest to the over 11,000 members of Halton District and the Halton Catholic District School Boards respectively as CARP residing in Halton. Entries can be sent to Halton well as St. Mildred's Lightboum and Chapter CARP, c/o Harry D. Bowers, Appleby, the two independent schools 2389 Hereford Cres., Burlington, ON, in Halton. They were requested to L7P 1X2. For more information, call relay details of the contest to the sec 905-335-5717 or e-mail shb@icom.ca ondary schools, and encouraging the In September 2000, details were staff to motivate the students to partic given to the directors of education Dr. ipate. 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