I just saw an advertisement for grant money that Pepsi is giving out for "good" causes that people vote on by going to their website at http://www.refresheverything.com. The grant money is in amounts of $5K (10 per month), $25K (10 per month), $50K (10 per month), and $250K (2 per month).

I started entering the idea under their health section to "Promote the medical cure for alcoholism using the Sinclair Method" and then went through several pages of registration, before realizing I didn't have a plan for using the money, if it the highest votes in a particular month and category.

Can other people hear take a look at these grants at the above site and perhaps recommend a plan for promoting TSM? Any ideas will be helpful.

Bob

Hi Bob,

You're a genius.

Idea: fund a clinical trial. According to Ameisen, "A randomized trial with a statistically significant number of patients would probably cost around $500,000." I feel confindent that a decent trial could be funded for $250k.

Ideas for a trial include:
1. TSM
2. High dose Baclofen
3. TSM + high dose baclofen

My preference would be for 3. Note that there has been one trial for naltrexone + baclofen, but it was hopelessly flawed in that it only involved low doses of baclofen. Ameisen has conducted a high dose baclofen trial, but it did not include TSM.

I think the time is right for a clinical trial of TSM + high dose baclofen. The methodology should propose a way to achieve extinction of both the endorphin and the GABA(A) connection to alcohol addiction.

I'm not sure who the money would come to; here things get a little murky. Perhaps if succesful, Pepsi would extend an RFP and this site would contribute reviews? This part would need some thought. Maybe a call to Pepsi would be in order to see what is possible.

I am a professor with a bit of experience in submitting proposals, and would be pleased to help if you like.

-wort

Your response is the reason I wrote the post! I was hoping for someone with Proposal experience to take the lead.

This idea just struck me as I was watching a Pepsi television advertisement featuring some people telling the "interviewer" about the good causes they would like to have funded. Most of them that I heard were far less worthy than helping the millions of people with alcohol addiction, thus the idea. When you go to the site, there are many "good causes", but still all pale in comparison to curing alcoholism.

I hope you feel up to the task of creating a proposal in the format that the Pepsi site requires. I got half way through it, before I realized I was not experienced or competent enough to complete it, thus the post.

Another idea struck me. Pepsi certainly is not the only company, foundation, government program, etc. that provide funding for such research. Yet, I don't know where to find these other sources. Perhaps, others here do.

One other benefit the Pepsi grant program does in addition to request money, is that since the general public votes on causes they deem worthy, a TSM based proposal will provide some free advertisement to a wider audience that medical treatments do exist that are not 12-step based.

Bob

Gosh wort -I know you are super busy, but I LOVE this idea. Wish we could meet and have a coming of the minds. I think #3 is a wonderful idea!

Hi Bob,

Maybe we could contact Dr. Eskappa and Dr. Ameisen to see if they would be interested in submitting a proposal. Since naltrexone and baclofen are both out of patent, they are less likely to attract funding for clinical trials, since such funds usually come from pharmaceutical companies with vested interests. That's why the Pepsi fuding is so perfect.

Houtx: wow - meeting would be fun! Someday we should have a TSM convention.

Best,
-wort

I have no doubt there will be a TSM convention in the future. Seriously hoping & looking forward to it! :-))