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Dolores Gross has been working quietly behind the scenes so I’m posting for her. Now that we’ve found pols who should be interested, does anyone have any media contacts? Dolores had a phone conversation with head of LLS Leukemia and Lymphoma Society that funded development of Nilotinib yesterday, but last paragraph re Collins and McCaskill got me to email them. To do so you need to go to their websites or to call or snail mail them . A BIG THANKS, DOLORES “I came away from my conversation convinced that the exchanges on the Parkinson's List are so very important and helpful and that the answers WILL be found in research . As a lay person I have a better understanding of how research proposals are brought to fruition. LLS's concentration is on blood cancers. In 2001 Novartis developed Gleevac which inhibited growth in chronic myloid leukemia -Nilotnib is a "cousin" of Gleevac. One development may lead to another. As of yesterday there were no pending clinical trials listed on www.clinicaltrials.gov. for Parkinson's using Nilotnib. In the U.S people carry health insurance- or not. Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent by Pharma in developing a drug - one in ten drugs go on to a clinical trial - Pharma is a for profit industry and controls the cost of drugs. In Canada and parts of Western Europe, unlike in the US (except for VA related meds) governments negotiate and purchase pharmaceuticals and that accounts for lower prices elsewhere. PAN has done a wonderful job in securing congressional help during these past 20 years or so - who we vote for across the country - the expressed views of a candidate re health care -will determine the amount of governmental involvement in funding research, the cost of drugs, and helping individuals. There was an item in the paper the other day re Senators Claire McCaskill of Missouri and Susan Collins of Maine establishing a committee to look into drug pricing. I plan to be in touch with them. Sorry I can't report more concrete positives” Dolores “Sens. McCaskill and Collins head the Senate Special Committee on Aging and will address the recent mergers and subsequent mega price increases of existing drugs. Their first public meeting is in early December. For snail mail Sen. McCaskill is at 730Hart Senate Office Bldg., and Sen. Collins at 413 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg.- Washington DC 20510.” Ray Rayilyn Brown Past Director AZNPF Arizona Chapter National Parkinson Foundation ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn