A fight for life - the Internet in action

This story/post is new ground for Champoli but I believe it falls in the category of positive media.  If we can help save a life through this website then I would think it falls within our mission statement.  Please tell me otherwise through the feedback link at the bottom of the page.

TechCrunch highlighted a breaking story this afternoon - RocketBoom Founder Fighting For Father’s Life.

RocketBoom founder Andrew Baron’s father, Frederick Baron, is dying of multiple myeloma, a particularly nasty form of cancer. Last week doctors gave him days to live - as of this morning he’s still fighting.

According to a blog post by Andrew, the family was preparing for the worst. And then a possible miracle cure: one of Frederick’s doctors discovered last week that a multiple sclerosis drug called Tysabri, produced by Biogen Idec, may cure the cancer.

The drug was not FDA approved for treating multiple myeloma, but Baron’s father has friends in the right places - Lance Armstrong, President Bill Clinton, Senator John Kerry, Senator Tom Harkin and Senator Ted Kennedy all personally requested that the FDA approve the use. FDA head Andrew von Eschenbach ok’d it, and the drug was moved to Baron’s hospital.

But then things get crazy. The CEO of Biogen Idec, James Mullen, has apparently refused to approve the experimental use of the drug for Baron, despite personal telephone calls from all of the individuals above.

Andrew Baron is aggressively pursing Biogen to get permission and a release of the drug and is clearly fighting the clock.  This is a story of a possible cure and the potential use of media and the Internet for good in rallying support for a dying man.

To find out more read an Open Letter to James C. Mullen, CEO of Biogen from Andrew Baron.

Individuals can help by doing the following:

1. Call Mr. Mullen or anyone at Biogen and ask them to please say yes (or provide a justification for whynot). Speak with anyone in the company in any department that you can find: http://www.biogenidec.com/site/contact.html

2. Contact an elected official and plea with them to call Biogen to seek approval:

http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml

I look forward to a succesful outcome to this story.