St. Joseph’s Participating in Clinical Study

St. Joseph’s Participating in Clinical Study to Treat Severe Emphysema

The Center for Thoracic Disease and Transplantation at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center is participating in a clinical trial to evaluate a minimally invasive device for the treatment of severe emphysema. Safety and effectiveness data from the IBV® Valve Trial will be submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval to market the device in the United States.

“Emphysema is a progressive debilitating disease with few treatment options,” says Tony Hodges, MD, FCCP, principal investigator and director of St. Joseph’s Center for Thoracic Transplantation. “Our hope is this study will lead to improving the health of these patients.

“This trial allows St. Joseph’s to be the only regional center providing a comprehensive approach to the surgical management of patients with advanced lung disease. We are now able to offer evaluation for endoscopic (minimally invasive) and surgical lung volume reduction as well as lung transplantation.”

More than three million Americans are living with emphysema, a condition that is chronic and severely impacts quality of life. People with severe emphysema struggle with each breath and as a result they cannot do very simple things like simultaneously walk and talk. Many emphysema patients do not respond well to current medical treatments and are not eligible for major surgery such as lung volume reduction or lung transplantation. The IBV® Valve Trial, which is much less invasive than surgery, may provide a new treatment option for these patients.

St. Joseph’s is actively recruiting patients for the IBV® Valve Trial. The study is open to individuals ages 40 to 74 who have been diagnosed with predominately upper lobe emphysema and severe dyspnea (shortness of breath). Study participants must be able to participate in pulmonary function and standardized exercise tests, cannot have smoked for four months, must be willing not to smoke during the trial, and will commit to at least four visits to St. Joseph’s for health assessment tests. Additional criteria must be met to participate in the study.

The IBV® Valve System was developed and is manufactured by Spiration, Inc. of Redmond, Wash.

If you have questions regarding this information, please call Kimberly Lodge, Director of Communications for St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center at 602-406-6678, 877-547-8839, 602-406-3845 or visit www.emphysematrial.com.

Source: St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center

Stipulation modification for property near 3rd Ave and Indian School Rd

October 14, 2008

Dear Neighbor:

The purpose of this letter is to inform you that Lazarus and Associates has recently filed stipulation modification PHO-1-08-Z-53-06, on behalf of our client, Pache Tang LLC, for the property located south of the southwest corner of 3rd Avenue and Indian School Road.

You may recall that this case was approved in November of 2006 for the development of a residential condominium project. This new request and application do not change the project at all from the previous rendition shown at the neighborhood meetings, or approved by City Council in 2006. This application simply asks for more time to allow for the development to commence.

As you are likely aware, the current market for residential condos is very weak and subsequently, financing options for such a project are difficult at this time. The property owner is still dedicated to seeing this project through, but is unable to do so under these current conditions.

The following times have been set to hear this request:

Encanto Village Planning Committee:

Phoenix College – Willow Conference Center
3310 N 10th Avenue, Phoenix
Monday, December 1, 2008, 6:15 pm

Planning Hearing Officer:

City Hall, 10th Floor, Room 10E
200 West Washington Street, Phoenix
Wednesday, January, 21, 2009, 10:00 am

You are welcome to attend these meetings to learn about the requested time extension and make your opinions known. Please confirm the meeting details with the City of Phoenix Planning Department before attending as they are subject to change. You may also make your feelings known by writing to the City of Phoenix Planning Department, 200 West Washington Street, Phoenix, Arizona 85003 and referencing the case number. Your letter will be made part of the case file.

I would also be happy to answer any questions or hear any concerns that you may have regarding this proposal. Please feel free to contact me or George Pasquel, III at 602.340.0900.

Very truly yours,

Larry S. Lazarus

LAZARUS & ASSOCIATES, PC

(The following information is provided by Phoenix Central Neighborhood Association)

Map of parcel 118-28-002-Q for the above referenced stipulation modification
PHO-1-08-Z-53-06 can be viewed on the Maricopa County Assessor’s Web site at: http://www.maricopa.gov/Assessor/GIS/Map.html

Enter the following:

Book: 118
Map: 28
Parcel: 002
Split: Q

phoenix central news