This is in response to the note from Mr. Hoffheimer.
It is true that many medical/clinical breakthroughs come from the private
sector, but the governmental work is just as important - and maybe moreso.
Your note also seemed to limit the "private sector" to the US sector.
The primary medication we Parkies take is levodopa - The discovery of the
dopamine deficit was made in Sweeden. Application in Austria. Canada
contributed. The ldopa differentiation was I believe done partially with
government funds and part from private grants.
I take Eldepryl. That was developed in Hungary.. Comunist Hungary at the
time.
I have participated in two drug trials. Lazebemide was Swiss and a failure
so far as I can see. I am now on Entacapone from Finland and find that it
functions as a levodopa agonist fairly well.
As a Parkinson's patient, I will accept help from wherever it is available.
I would like to see more "developed in America"
Parkinson's products, but, again, I will take help from wherever it comes
from. We need to work together and independently. We need basic and applied
research. We need government and the private sector. The private sector is
people. Government is people. We need more dedicated people and their ideas.
Will Johnston in Salisbury,
Maryland
