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Peter Dawkins said in part: > ---Just to let you know that sometimes you can beat city hall. For all > those that have been following the Tasmar adventures downunder I'll recap- > The Government passed the drug for use but another group of "experts" called > The Pharmaceutical Advisory Board knocked it back for subsidy by the > pharmaceutical benefits scheme on the basis it was another enzyne blocker > like Eldepryl(Deprynll), which was cheaper and already available. As we all > know they act entirely differently and can not be compared. They reviewed it > three times, giving it the thumbs down each time putting it out of the reach > of most patients($220 to $300 for a months supply). > I encouraged a letter writing campaign and finished up taking three > prominent neurologists to Canberra last week to explain to the health > ministers department the importance of the medication for some pd sufferers. > The letter writing(over 300 were received) a press campaign with two > prominent TV news shows picking up on it seemed to show the politicians we > meant business and last Friday the PBS reversed its decision. Never say > never! > Peter Dawkins Here is a pat on the back for you and the over 300 letter writers. There is force in numbers of pwp acting as a unit to get something important corrected. I just wrote another letter to the KCStar, a large metropolitan newspaper in Missouri, USA re: good fiscal management for congress to pass research $$$ for pd. If any subscribers/readers see any comments in Laura Scott's editorial column, please comment to list or to my e-mail address. Her column runs every other Thursday. For those KCStar readers who want e-mail addresses of editors, colomnist, etc. at the Star try the URL<http://www.kcstar.com/opinion/opstaff/staff.htm> When a letter I wrote to the Star in June via e-mail was received, I was called to confirm that I had e-mailed a letter, but was not told the letter would be or was published. I also mailed a hard copy of the letter along with information about where Parkinson's data could be confirmed ie. NPF, PAN, APDA numbers and referred to the famous Dr. Koeller of KUMed Ctr., KC, KS as a resource. That letter was published on June 26, 1998 in the letters section of the paper along with a host of letters about the expansion of UMKC. That letter was sent to the e-mail address<[log in to unmask]>. Peter's post confirms what I already believed, many voices are better heard than one alone. Send in the letters, e-mails and keep calling your congresssional reps. or any person or group who can/should help pwp. Jeanette Fuhr 47/10mos. <[log in to unmask]>