Flanders brain foundation focuses on coma treatment

MOUNT OLIVE TWP. - Daniella Rellas brother was nearly killed by a drunk driver and she said he has made amazing progress because of treatment pioneered by neuroscientist Philip DeFina.

But Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center fired the Chester resident last November and he has been removed from consideration for a seat on the N.J. Commission for Brain Injury Research.

Joseph Domalewski said he feels absolutely blessed that DeFina became involved in the treatment of his son after the Wayne youth was struck by a baseball and fell into a coma.

But for unclear reasons, DeFina was discharged in 2005 as a consultant by the Matheny School and Hospital in Peapack-Gladstone.

DeFinas work has taken on a particularly critical importance with the return of many veterans suffering from traumatic brain injury suffered during fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. His research has been considered so vital that he and his associates received a $6.4 million research grant from the U.S. Department of Defense in September 2009.

DeFina formed his International Brain Research Foundation in 2005 and recently relocated the office to Flanders. He has been involved in brain research since the late 1980s and has developed a controversial protocol for treatment of people in various states of coma.

Some people who know DeFina and his work said he has a genius for collaborating with world class scientists to arise at his cutting edge protocols.

Families understand that theyre dealing with a population that statistically will die in eight to 10 years, said Dr. Jonathan Fellus, an associate of DeFina. We pull out all the stops.

But the foundations work has failed to gain acceptance by the neuroscientific community and his works have never been accepted for publication by any of the leading medical journals.

DeFinas work also is non-traditional because it is so costly and is not covered by insurance plans. DeFinas requires upwards of $150,000 for payment for his services. He said he has no choice but to charge until the medical and insurance industries accept his protocols, something that is a very difficult task when it comes to non-traditional medical methods.

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Flanders brain foundation focuses on coma treatment