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The Parkinson Digest letter again brings up the theme that there should be a single Parkinson Organization. This is WORST idea for making progress unless we know EXACTLY where we are going. Once a cure/treatment is found, this will be a good idea. Right now there are a large number of problems, both for treatment and searching for a cure. Young PDers have very different problems and special needs that are different from the elderly. Interim treatments and solutions are needed while many different paths for a cure are explored. Cancer has American Cancer Society, Ronald McDonald House, Make a Wish, and other organizations working at both the disease and the problems that come with the disease. They each have a different agenda and diffent goals. PD needs the same diffuse and diversity. We need different ideas and different institutions where people with different approaches and philosophies can work. DR. run places tend to be VERY caste driven and stratified (if you don't have MD after your name, you are 2nd class and if you are RN or theropist it can be difficult to get funding). On the other hand having an research institution without strong peer review and resources to perform good statistical DESIGN of tests, the results can be literally fatal. I, for one, want the many institutions and hope they all stay independent. Thank you for your time COLMAN Wendy, Nancy, Debbie or Colman Mullin [log in to unmask]