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-- [ From: Seymour Gross * EMC.Ver #2.5.3 ] -- I had an exchange of letters with Kevin J. Donnelllan, Director of Advocacy and Management, Legislative and Public Policy, AARP, urging their support of the Udall bill. On February 10 1997 Mr. Donnellan wrote, "AARP supports a broad range of medical research through the congressional appropriations process. We are also supportive of preventive health care initiatives - such as expanding Medicare's coverage of prevention services... AARP will evaluate the legislation in the event it is reintroduced.". I sent a copy of the Udall bill when it was reintroduced and information re Parkinson's. Further communication included Margaret A. Dixon, President of AARP, However, they would not budge from their position, which was stated by Mr. Donnellan in a letter dated July 29: "Rather than endorsing a disease-specific approach to research funding, AARP generally supports adequate (omission) for all of the diseases, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, which impact older Americans. Appropriate funding for the ten national Alzheimer's Centers, the National Institute of Arthritis, and Muscolosketal and Skin Diseases, and especially the National Institute on Aging is vital and is a top priority for the Association. We also endorse adequate public funding for the Agency for Health Care Research and Policy, the focal point within the federal government for research on the appropriateness and effectiveness of medical care." AARP invites suggestions re subjects to be written about. An article dealing with Parkinson's would probably not be terribly informative to those who have it, but possibly if the article included details about grass roots efforts and the resulting Udall Act, along with the names of the major Parkinson's organizations, it could be a positive. Dolores Gross [log in to unmask]