Fund Raising--question for Dr. Fett

[Special K]

I just wanted to see if Dr. Fett, or anyone else for that matter, has tried requesting a research/educational grant from some of the pharmaceutical companies that make some of the CHF meds, like Astra Zeneca, who makes Toprol XL. I work for a pharmaceuticals company and I am going to ask them to donate something. We don't make any heart meds, but we have a foundation that I can request support from. I will also ask someone I know who works for Astra Zeneca and see what I can find out. I think it is worth a try.

[JAMESFETT]

Thanks for the suggestion. Up to now, we have not been successful in securing any quantity of beta-blockers from any pharmaceutical on a grant trial or gift basis, although we have approached makers of metoprolol (Toprol). We would take any quantity we could get our hands on. My colleague, Len Christie, MD, cardiology, is working with Roche--do they make Coreg?--to do a clinical trial with carvedilol. Our number one choices in beta-blockers [never available in 23 PPCM mothers who died of their PPCM in Haiti in the past 5 years] would be carvedilol and metoprolol succinate. Thanks again for your thoughts. We need several thousand tablets of either/both for an annual supply at Hôpital Albert Schweitzer in Haiti. And that is just for treatment of PPCM, to say nothing of treatment of other heart failure patients, men, women, adults, children.

James

[Special K]

Hi Dr. Fett,

I think Roche does make Coreg, but not 100% sure. One way to get the samples is to have the doctors sign for the samples from the representatives for the meds and most often they are willing to give extra samples for charity causes. Then you can see if you would be able to transport the samples to Haiti. I remember a doctor asking for a similar request, but he was going to Mexico. I hope this is helpful info.