Charles Chapman's video: Darcy Doherty Needs Experimental Cancer Treatment or He Will Die

Credit with sincere thanks to Global Toronto: http://www.globaltoronto.com/cancer-stricken+toronto+dad+fights+for+use+of+experimental+drug/6442651994/story.html Petition: Bristol-Myers Squibb: Help save our dad http://www.change.org/petitions/bristol-myers-squibb-help-save-our-dad Twitter: Facebook: Help Save Darcy https://www.facebook.com/HelpSaveDarcyNow From Facebook: "To help Darcy get access to this new drug, please sign his online petition at www.change.org/HelpSaveDarcy and contact Bristol-Myers Squibb at 800-332-2056. My name is Darcy Doherty. I am a 48 and father of Ganden, Reid and Cian. My family and I am are seeking compassionate access to a new cancer treatment in an attempt to extend my life. The experimental drug, BMS-936558, is in Phase 1 clinical trails at research locations in Canada and the U.S.A. In April, I was excluded from one because of new marginal cancer growth in my brain. "Darcy has led a brave and heroic struggle against this disease for the past five years," explains my wife, Rebecca Cumming. "And now, the kids and I are devastated that a promising drug is out there and proving successful in patients with Darcy's diagnosis, yet we can't get to it." Doherty's oncologist, Dr. David Hogg, Attending Physician at Princess Margaret Hospital and Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto, believes that his patient can benefit from this new treatment. "Mr. Doherty had a fantastic response to the then-experimental immunotherapy drug, ipilimumab (Yervoy®), in 2007. That drug has given him four years of life, and I believe that he may experience a similar benefit from BMS-936558." The manufacturer of Yervoy, Bristol-Myers Squibb whose Canadian head office is in Montréal, also produces this new drug. The company has repeatedly blocked Cumming's appeals for access over the past weeks explaining that it does not have a compassionate use program. "I respect the company's trial criteria," Cumming states, "but cannot accept that we are not able to get compassionate access to this potentially life-saving drug. We've all come so far and worked too hard to be prevented from this new treatment." Dr. Michael Giordano, Head of Development, Oncology and Immunosciences at Bristol-Myers Squibb explains his company's position. "We strive to develop promising drugs as quickly as feasible while remaining mindful of protecting patient safety. [This drug] currently does not have an established benefit/risk profile, given [its] limited experience in humans. We are not in a position to allow [its] use outside of a highly controlled trial." For a devastated and discouraged Cumming, "it doesn't add up. Darcy has absolutely nothing to lose." Given his previous success with immunotherapy when his brain cancer reduced significantly, "We see no risks at this point; without this drug he will die," she declares."