WHEN 10:30-11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 5

WHERE Drake Center; Cincinnati, Ohio (Media: Meet in West Pavilion Lobby)

WHO * Lori Shutter, MD, Director of Neurocritical Care at the UC Neuroscience Institute at University Hospital
* Brendan Wiese, traumatic brain injury survivor and support group member. Since his car accident in 2004, Brendan has been passionate about helping others with traumatic brain injury. He is available for an interview to share his feelings about the possibility that future patients with TBI could be helped by this new clinical trial.

WHAT Dr. Shutter will speak to a traumatic brain injury (TBI) support group about an important new clinical trial that will help determine whether administering the hormone progesterone to patients within hours of a moderate to severe TBI can reduce brain damage and swelling and improve mental and physical outcomes.

The trial, called ProTECT, is national in scope. It is important because there is no effective medical treatment for traumatic brain injury, the leading cause of death and disability among people aged 1 to 44.

UC is required to inform the public about the trial because people who are enrolled will be unconscious and unable to give their consent.

Here is a link to a news release about the trial. http://healthnews.uc.edu/news/?/9745/

UC is one of 17 academic medical centers nationwide involved with the Neurological Emergencies Treatment Trials (NETT), a permanent research framework that investigates promising new treatments for traumatic brain injury, seizures, and stroke. A brochure about this research framework can be e-mailed upon request.

CONTACT Cindy Starr
Media Relations Specialist
The Mayfield Clinic
UC Neuroscience Institute
(513) 558-3505 (o)
(513) 378-6125 (cell)