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12The Global PerspectiveHEMOPHILIA TODAY SUMMER 2002orally, as much as 10% of the amountingested can be absorbed into the bloodstream through the intestinal wall. Whilethis is an inefficient method of deliveringthe factor and is certainly wasteful atexisting cost levels, this may be a realpossibility if the pigs can produce thefactor at only pennies per unit. As well, itmay be a much better therapy fordelivering immune tolerance therapy tothose individuals with inhibitors, bothbecause it doesn’t involve injections, andbecause the intestinal route may alsoincrease the chance of successful immunetolerance. It may even be possible to startfeeding the factor to babies as soon ashemophilia is diagnosed and reduce therisk of inhibitor formation throughtolerization.Some potential problems were raised byquestioners. Some people, for religiousreasons, may not wish to use productsderived from pigs. Dr. Velander pointedout that production may be possible inother animals and that in any case, this ishuman factor VIII or IX, and the animal ismerely the vehicle for its production, andso this fact may successfully circumventsome religious restrictions. Anotherconcern was the potential transmission ofporcine viruses. In response, he pointedout that the epidemiological record ofmedicines derived from pigs has been anextremely safe one. This is also true withrespect to the safety of individuals whowork quite closely with pigs in the farmingindustry. Moreover, the product producedwould be purified and put through thesame antiviral steps as the currentrecombinant products. In any case, itwould seem to me that the same questioncould be posed today with respect tomouse/hamster viruses, as these types ofcells are used in the current production ofrecombinant products.If this prediction were borne out, itwould be a substantive advance inhemophilia care. I remember being told asa child that some day there would be a pillfor factor VIII, and for the last thirty years,many of us have waited for that dream tocome true. It may now be at hand. Dr.Velander predicted that he may be able toaccomplish this in the next five years (atleast bring his work to the clinical trialstage). This was an extremely interestingpresentation, and William Velander seemedto be eminently credible. He was hoping totest the product in hemophiliac dogs thissummer, and report his results at a futureconference. We can only wish him well.Kathy Mulder, Guest Editorof the feature “PhysicalFitness and BleedingDisorders”on pages 13 to20, practicing what shepreaches. Is Flamencodancing a recommendedactivity?These painted parasolswere presented todelegates at theCongress to promotethe XXVI Congress ofthe WFH to be held inBangkok, Thailand inOctober 2004.Canucks in SevilleIn front of the Congress Centre in Seville,site of the XXV Congress of the WorldFederation of Hemophilia in May, are left toright: JoAnn Nilson, physiotherapist,Saskatoon; Greig Blamey, physiotherapist,Winnipeg; Nora Schwetz, nurse, Winnipeg;Kathy Mulder, physiotherapist, Winnipeg;and Nick Zourikian, physiotherapist,Montreal.CANADA AWARDED XXVII CONGRESS OF THE WFH IN 2006The General Assembly of the World Federation of Hemophilia choseCanada as the host country for its XXVII Congress to be held in 2006.Canada won out in a close vote over Sweden. The medical, scientificand psychosocial conference will be organized by the WFH in closecollaboration with the Canadian Hemophilia Society. In its presentationto the General Assembly, the CHS proposed Vancouver as theideal city for the Congress.The last time Canada hosted the biennial Congress was in 2000 inMontreal. In 2004 the meeting will take place in Bangkok, Thailand.