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Just returned from a very interesting meeting of our PD support group, where a nurse from the excellent clinic at U. of Cincinnati hospital (Dr.Fred Samaha in charge) spoke mainly about new drugs. (No idea when pranipexole will be out, she said, though the "guys in silk suits" from the drug companies are pushing it...) It was most interesting that in her preliminary remarks she spoke of the need for the national organizations to get their act together and find unity... she is with an APDA affiliated group, but recognizes the "ego problems" that keep the big shots from being able to unite their efforts. (Told of a meeting where they were screaming at each other over how to design a letterhead!!!) She pointed out that this infighting/disunity is a BIG obstacle to passage of the Udall bill, and that even when it passes there will be struggles over who gets what money-----this makes us look pretty silly in the eyes of Congress and undermines all our efforts. What to do? Try to pressure the organizations to get together---maybe we should tell them, "no more money from me till you guys unite"?? I really agree with her that this is a core problem for the PD community, and one that has kept us from the success of advocates for MS, Cancer, etc where efforts are more focused in fewer vested interests. Is this an issue that the PAN folks are trying to deal with? Somehow we need to get the message across that, as Ben Franklin(?)said, "If we don't hang together we'll hang separately". I'll get off my soapbox now, but it really infuriates me that all the effort we PWPs and CGs expend can be diluted by this bureaucratic smallmindedness! Camilla Flintermann, CG for Peter, 78/7, Oxford,Ohio [log in to unmask] * * * * * * * * * * * * * * "Ask me about the CARE list for PD caregivers!" * * * * * * * * * * * * * *