Company Research Policy
Electromedical Products
International, Inc. makes every
attempt to encourage research with
its Alpha-Stim technology. While we
do not fund research, we have
developed several important ways in
which we can support research in
which our devices are used. They are
as follows:
• We can assist researchers by
making available to them a
bibliography of past and ongoing
studies, both published and
unpublished. This can comprise the
review of the literature prior to a
study, and will provide researchers
with knowledge of prior subjects
studied and how they fared.
• We are in daily contact with
clinicians around the world and can
share research ideas that might
answer the most frequently asked
clinical questions that have not
been researched, and the most
interesting clinical observations
that might be proven through
research.
• We are knowledgeable regarding the
needs and requirements of Alpha-Stim
studies. We can assist in preparing
your study design, especially the
materials and methods section.
• We can arrange to have a
statistician complete your study’s
statistical analysis for you at our
cost, if you wish.
• Upon receipt of an approved
protocol we can lend you a
reasonable number of Alpha-Stim
devices set up as necessary
including double-blinded (with the
key provided in a sealed envelope)
at no cost to you. We will also
provide all the accessories, even
batteries, you require to complete
your study.
Alpha-Stim therapy is
dosage-dependent, so the higher the
current the quicker the treatment.
For double-blinding, we set up the
devices at only 100 µA which has
proven subsensory in many studies
completed to date. To compensate for
the low current, the time must be
increased to one full hour. Half the
devices will be modified so as not
to conduct any current at all. Since
the active treatments are subsensory,
this method allows for
double-blinding as good as a pharma
study using a placebo pill. Research
has also shown that there is no
reliable “washout” period. In some
cases, continued improvement is seen
as much as two years after a series
of treatments. Accordingly, only one
way crossovers are possible, from
the sham treated group to an active
treatment. This can be done
maintaining the original subsensory
criteria of 100 µA which would
increase the N and allow for half
the subjects to serve as their own
controls. Alternatively, this
optional second arm can use the
original sham group in an open
clinical trial where the current is
raised to a comfortable level in the
same way as it would be done in
actual practice. This usually
achieves better results while still
allowing for the original sham
subjects to serve as their own
controls. We need a few weeks notice
to build sham devices. Then we can
either mark half with a dot and note
which are which in the sealed study
key, or we will simply mix them up
and the only differentiation would
be by serial number if the study
allows for randomization by simply
picking a device out of a box.
We are very pleased at your interest
in possibly using Alpha-Stim
technology in your research. Please
do not hesitate to contact me at the
telephone number or email address
below at the first opportunity that
we can be of assistance to you in
this process.
Daniel L. Kirsch, PhD, DAAPM, FAIS
1-800-367-7246 x 110
email:
dan@epii.com