Apologies to all for being slow - a day off work means more to come back to, and it's our year end so I have been busy tidying up invoicing (and being shouted at for being the last one
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Markku will likely have access to the raw footage tomorrow morning, my fault. Sorry again... I'm out all day tomorrow at a conference so I won't be able to address any questions in a hurry - although if anyone wants to volunteer to boil subsequent posts and key things you want to know down into an easy to digest set of questions I'll happily answer them.
I haven't read everything but I wanted to say a few things based on some of the things I have read.
This isn't a cure, and they aren't promoting it as one. The most improved of the participants have reported a large effect on their tinnitus, to the point they can barely hear it. The numbers we discussed are better than those I've seen from other treatments, though we do have to wait for the peer reviewed paper to confirm everything. They are reporting based on 12 weeks of treatment then following up at 12 months to measure the lasting effect. There is another trial just completing that will be reported in time, they have to get the 12 month follow up date for this so it will take a while.
The hypothesis is based around lack of auditory input - hearing loss and associated processing in the brain. The tinnitus tone or pitch does not affect the eligibility. The device is calibrated to your audiogram, which needs to be performed by the audiologist. After this you have the device at home and use as required. Because it's to your hearing it's highly unlikely to ever need recalibration. They recommend being in the same country so you have access to the audiologist. If you have profound hearing loss you currently wouldn't be able to use the device.
They have recruited some of the best people in tinnitus research to conduct their trials - Berthold Langguth, Deborah Hall, Hubert Lim, Richard Tyler. I'm confident that the conducting of the research is legit and the results can be trusted. I'm not a fan of getting sued so I won't explicitly point out a different product that enlisted the help of some top people and then (allegedly) suppressed the results - which were not flattering. What we have here to date is an open process, with some of the largest numbers of patients seen in tinnitus trials, ready to be peer reviewed and reported.
I am personally all for any company that enters the tinnitus space and tries to do things properly. One of the things we talked about off camera was the difficulty in getting investment for tinnitus treatments. Investors aren't big on new fields, they like to know there is a proven market (and of course the lack of an objective measure is a sticking point). If this device works then, from a selfish point of view, it makes the tinnitus space something an investor will be more likely to become involved with and increases competition. All good for us patients.
Disclosure: I accepted a sandwich and some hot beverages from Neuromod, which don't bias my views
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Always good to lighten the mood a bit.
