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CURRENT EVENTS:


Dec.2014 LauraHillenbrand FaceTheNation
ME+Unbroken Interview HERE -

AND
Dec 2014 ~ "NIH"P2P4ME"

NIH="InsufficientResearch"=DUH !
Treatment= more"SELF Management"
DraftReport HERE
AND
Nov.2014- "Plague"-Published !!
VOA-PodcastAudioInterview HERE
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Tuesday, November 30, 2010

#95~ CDC Website Reply = more bupkiss, Part 2

HOW MANY CDC OFFICIALS DOES IT TAKE TO ANSWER A SIMPLE QUESTION?

 I was SO Impressed by THIS fellow blogger's post that I asked and 
was granted permission to rePost  their last blog so that it could get even WIDER Coverage because THIS issue is of IMPORTANCE to us  
and this kind of treatment "Can NOT Stand." Period.
I have added the Underlining and Color for Emphasis. 

It is MY Hope that your reading of this interaction will AGAIN show you
just How Much we need to Concentrate on the CDC and their usage 
of the WRONG Definition of Our illness ~ NEXT !!! 

************************************************

Question: 
 How Many CDC Officials Does it Take to Answer a Simple Question?
Answer: More than 10
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           The Question

The question that I posed to the CDC was:
“Do these treatment and management options for CFS 
apply to ‘Canadian Consensus Criteria’ CFS patients or 
only ‘CDC criteria’ CFS patients?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     I have perpetually posed this innocuous question to the CDC since July. 
After sending over 40 emails containing this question to more than 10 different CDC personnel over the period of 125 days, I have today finally received an ‘answer’ to my question.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  I should not have needed to pose the above question to the CDC as their website should have stipulated who the treatment and management options detailed on their website were aimed at. The hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of people worldwide who fulfill the Canadian Consensus Criteria (CCC) for CFS should not have to go to the lengths that I have gone to in order to get this question answered. The CDC has a hegemonic status in relation to CFS authority and research. Patients should not have question such a fundamental issue relating to whether the CDC’s ‘treatments and management’ options apply to CCC CFS patients.

Without this clarification, a large number of patients remain uncertain of the nature and application of the CDC’s ‘Treatment and Management’ options for CFS. It is not only a case of omission of information but also potentially a case of hundreds of thousands of CFS patients’ trialing an inappropriate treatment regime based on the CDC websites inadequacy through lack of stipulation. In essence, my question was necessary due to the inadequacies and omissions on the CDC website.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Catch 22

This is a quote from the Switzer et al. XMRV paper that I believe alludes to the CDC’s potential contingency plan that entails playing the ‘different illness’ card:
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  “The physical findings in persons meeting the Canadian definition may signal the presence of a neurologic condition considered exclusionary for CFS and thus the XMRV positive persons in the Lombardi et al. study may represent a clinical subset of patients.”
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            The main purpose of my email was to clarify what is a contradictory perspective on CFS by the CDC. I asked whether   the CDC believes that these treatments http://cdc.gov/cfs/general/treatment/options.html are useful for those fulfilling the Canadian Consensus Criteria.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                If they answer “yes” then they are grouping all CFS cases together. If XMRV turns out to be the ‘major player’, the CDC won’t be able to claim that Canadian Consensus Criteria CFS is a different illness to CDC criteria CFS. In essence, they will still be held accountable for their past actions and will not be able to avoid the long overdue accountability factor.

If they answer “no” then they are admitting that people satisfying the CCC don’t apply to their own recommended CFS treatments. This has the secondary effect of an admittance that the entire CDC CFS program doesn’t apply to CCC patients. Consequentially, patients fulfilling the CCC would be distanced from the CDC and no longer fall within their domain.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              My original question should not be perceived as a trap for the CDC but rather a question that seeks clarification of their position relating to the CCC.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Obtaining an Answer

It has almost been a full-time job seeking an answer from the CDC to the above question. This journey began in July and has involved 42 out of my 43 emails sent to different CDC officials being ignored and unanswered. I have even created pseudonyms and ulterior email addresses in the hope that an email from one or both of these variables will result in an answer to my question however I still received no reply. After receiving no answer to my question for more than 2 months and more than 25 emails, it became evident that the CDC was either grossly incompetent and/or purposely avoiding answering my question.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     During September, my fourth email to CDC-Info containing my question resulted in this reply:
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               “We escalated your inquiry to the appropriate CDC program. If you would forward us your phone number, they would like to call and discuss your question with you.”
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Rather than detailing a simple written reply to my question, I became skeptical of a more involved reply method by the CDC. After ignoring my repeated question for several months, I wondered why they wanted to provide a laborious phone conversation answer as opposed to a standard email reply. Several possible explanations for this atypical phone conversation answer became apparent to me.
  1. It was possible that the CDC did not want to provide a quoted answer to my question which is what a written response may entail however a phone response would not due to legal restrictions.
  2. The CDC may have been aware that I am from Australia (possibly through the means of googling my name or email address or locating my IP address) and hence may have cunningly played the ‘phone call card’ as a means of avoiding answering my question (or not being required to answer my question) due to the international nature of it.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  I considered my options and momentarily felt as if I would never receive a reply to my question due to the several logistical prohibiting factors preventing an international phone conversation with the CDC. I was still determined to receive a written response from the CDC. I then sent multiple emails to the CDC detailing the nature of my disability which encompasses my inability to partake in phone conversations. I emphasized that I expected my disability to be accommodated for and I asked for a written reply to my question. After countless emails to multiple CDC officials asking that my disability be accommodated for, I still received no reply.
I then compiled this letter and emailed it to the CDC:
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            My Letter

“I have recently been on the receiving end of disability discrimination due to actions from CDC officials. I originally emailed this question to CDC-info on the 9/22/2010
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                “I am emailing CDC-Info to seek clarification on an article on the CDC website regarding “Treatment and Management Options” for CFS: http://cdc.gov/cfs/general/treatment/options.html
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             My question is “Do these treatment and management options for CFS apply to ‘Canadian Consensus Criteria’ CFS or only ‘CDC criteria’ CFS?”
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Thank you for taking the time to read my email and I am eagerly awaiting your response.”
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          CDC-Info informed me that my email was forwarded to “subject matter experts” within the CDC. It was requested that I email my phone number so one of these experts could answer my question by phoning me: “We escalated your inquiry to the appropriate CDC program. If you would forward us your phone number, they would like to call and discuss your question with you.”
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   I responded to this request:
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               “I appreciate the offer of discussing this question over the phone however the nature and severity of my CFS makes this impossible for me. I am unable to hold a phone or talk for even short periods of time. Considering the nature of my disability, I’d be very grateful if my question was answered through other means such as an email. My reference number is SR #:1-112150438”
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 I sent this above email on the 9/22/2010 and I was informed that  
“(My) comments have been forwarded to the appropriate CDC program for their information.”
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            After waiting for several weeks (on the 10/10/2010) I again sent an email asking that the nature of my disability be accounted for and I receive an email answer as opposed to phone answer. I was again informed that “(My) comments have been forwarded to the appropriate CDC program for their information.”
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         After more than 6 weeks, I have still not received a reply to my emails requesting that the nature of my disability be accommodated and my question be answered in writing (by email.) These actions have breached several legal requirements.  Below the legal regulations are listed pertaining to disability discrimination. Highlighted in yellow are the specific laws breached by the CDC in this process and highlighted in red are the semantic aspect of the laws revealing violation (in this blog entry I have instead indicated the parts of the laws that have been breached in bold.) I have sent this email through ‘CC’ to Dr. Frieden.

TITLE 28—JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION
CHAPTER I—DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
PART 35 — NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF DISABILITY IN STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES
Subpart A — General
  § 35.101 Purpose.
The purpose of this part is to effectuate subtitle A of title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12131), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by public entities
§ 35.104 Definitions.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Disability means, with respect to an individual, a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of such individual; a record of such an impairment; or being regarded as having such an impairment.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 (1)(i) The phrase physical or mental impairment means –
(A) Any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: neurological, musculoskeletal, special sense organs, respiratory (including speech organs), cardiovascular, reproductive, digestive, genitourinary, hemic and lymphatic, skin, and endocrine;
 (ii) The phrase physical or mental impairment includes, but is not limited to, such contagious and noncontagious diseases and conditions as orthopedic, visual, speech and hearing impairments, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, mental retardation, emotional illness, specific learning disabilities, HIV disease (whether symptomatic or asymptomatic), tuberculosis, drug addiction, and alcoholism.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               (2) The phrase major life activities means functions such as caring for one’s self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working.  
(4) The phrase is regarded as having an impairment means-
(i) Has a physical or mental impairment that does not substantially limit major life activities but that is treated by a public entity as constituting such a limitation;
(ii) Has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits major life activities only as a result of the attitudes of others toward such impairment; or 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Public entity means –
(1) Any State or local government;
(2) Any department, agency, special purpose district, or other instrumentality of a State or States or local government; and

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Subpart B — General Requirements
§ 35.130 General prohibitions against discrimination.
(a) No qualified individual with a disability shall, on the basis of disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of a public entity, or be subjected to discrimination by any public entity.
(b)(1) A public entity, in providing any aid, benefit, or service, may not, directly or through contractual, licensing, or other arrangements, on the basis of disability –
(i) Deny a qualified individual with a disability the opportunity to participate in or benefit from the aid, benefit, or service;
(ii) Afford a qualified individual with a disability an opportunity to participate in or benefit from the aid, benefit, or service that is not equal to that afforded others;
(iii) Provide a qualified individual with a disability with an aid, benefit, or service that is not as effective in affording equal opportunity to obtain the same result, to gain the same benefit, or to reach the same level of achievement as that provided to others;
(iv) Provide different or separate aids, benefits, or services to individuals with disabilities or to any class of individuals with disabilities than is provided to others unless such action is necessary to provide qualified individuals with disabilities with aids, benefits, or services that are as effective as those provided to others;
(v) Aid or perpetuate discrimination against a qualified individual with a disability by providing significant assistance to an agency, organization, or person that discriminates on the basis of disability in providing any aid, benefit, or service to beneficiaries of the public entity’s program;
 (vii) Otherwise limit a qualified individual with a disability in the enjoyment of any right, privilege, advantage, or opportunity enjoyed by others receiving the aid, benefit, or service.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                (2) A public entity may not deny a qualified individual with a disability the opportunity to participate in services, programs, or activities that are not separate or different, despite the existence of permissibly separate or different programs or activities.  
(7) A public entity shall make reasonable modifications in policies, practices, or procedures when the modifications are necessary to avoid discrimination on the basis of disability, unless the public entity can demonstrate that making the modifications would fundamentally alter the nature of the service, program, or activity.
(8) A public entity shall not impose or apply eligibility criteria that screen out or tend to screen out an individual with a disability or any class of individuals with disabilities from fully and equally enjoying any service, program, or activity, unless such criteria can be shown to be necessary for the provision of the service, program, or activity being offered.
(g) A public entity shall not exclude or otherwise deny equal services, programs, or activities to an individual or entity because of the known disability of an individual with whom the individual or entity is known to have a relationship or association.
§§ 35.152 – 35.159 [Reserved]
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Subpart E — Communications
§ 35.160 General.
(a) A public entity shall take appropriate steps to ensure that communications with applicants, participants, and members of the public with disabilities are as effective as communications with others.
(b)(1) A public entity shall furnish appropriate auxiliary aids and services where necessary to afford an individual with a disability an equal opportunity to participate in, and enjoy the benefits of, a service, program, or activity conducted by a public entity.
(2) In determining what type of auxiliary aid and service is necessary, a public entity shall give primary consideration to the requests of the individual with disabilities.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  I trust that this situation will be rectified and I will receive a written (emailed) reply to my original question: “I am emailing CDC-Info to seek clarification on an article on the CDC website regarding “Treatment and Management Options” for CFS: http://cdc.gov/cfs/general/treatment/options.html My question is “Do these treatment and management options for CFS apply to ‘Canadian Consensus Criteria’ CFS or only ‘CDC criteria’ CFS?
Regards”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      I should emphasize that I am actually unable to use the phone due to my ME/CFS and have not made or received a phone call for more than 2 years. After sending this letter to the CDC, I received a prompt reply with an answer to my original question. This indicates that the CDC was very well aware of my question for the entire 4 month period and they purposely did not answer it. They only compiled an answer to my question when they were legally obliged to. This process of withholding treatment information by a government health authority group is the epitome of unethical.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            The CDC’s Answer

“Thank you for your recent inquiry to CDC regarding chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). As the director of the CDC division that has responsibility for the CFS program, I am sending you this response after consulting with others at CDC who received your inquiry. I understand that a previous CDC response had included an offer to have a CDC physician contact you by phone, but that you prefer to receive a written reply to the following question: “I am emailing CDC-Info to seek clarification on an article on the CDC website regarding ‘Treatment and Management Options’ for CFS: http://cdc.gov/cfs/general/treatment/options.html. My question is ‘Do these treatment and management options for CFS apply to ‘Canadian Consensus Criteria’ CFS or only ‘CDC criteria CFS?’”
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              In response to your question on treatment and management, CFS by any definition is based on a core set of problems: fatigue, a set of symptoms that is unique to the person but derived from a recognized list, and consequences of the fatigue and the symptoms. CDC follows the 1994 International Case Definition for CFS; however, the use of any definition requires the identification of underlying processes and core symptoms that need symptomatic treatment for improvement of overall health. Many of the treatment and management options listed on the CDC CFS website are similar to those listed in the symptom management and treatment section of the Canadian consensus document (for example, recommendations on sleep disturbance and exercise). However, any patient with CFS should consult with their healthcare professional on recommended treatment and management options based on individual symptoms.  
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               As noted on the CDC website, the management of CFS can be as complex as the illness itself. There is no known cure for CFS, no prescription drugs have been developed specifically for CFS, and symptoms vary over time. There are a number of treatment and management tools available for CFS, such as those described on the CDC website http://www.cdc.gov/cfs/general/treatment/index.html.  
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   I hope the information in this response is useful to you in your struggle to manage this difficult illness.
Sincerely,

Stephan S. Monroe, PhD
Director,
Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention”


Conclusion

It is striking that it took Dr. Monroe- someone very high up within the CDC to reply to the original question. It is also doubly curious that Dr. Monroe consulted with other CDC officials about what content was included within his letter. He stated that “I am sending you this response after consulting with others at CDC.” All of this for just a commonplace question. In a subsequent blog entry, 
I will present a critique of Dr. Monroe’s letter.

Original Article
Thanks again for letting me share this most important "CDC bupkiss" with the public. You are TRULY a valuable courageous Advocate that we ALL Respect. ♥
*******************************************************
This Must BE our Main Goal so that we can Get the symptoms of P.E.M.
included as we ALL know that it is the Major Hallmark of ME, and that the CDC purposely does not include it, so they can keep us under their
improper treatments of CBT and GET, which have NEVER been proved to help a Virus let alone a Retrovirus that many of us have. This illness may "effect our brains" BUT it is Most Definitely "Not All in our Heads" by their meaning of that phrase. 

Rest UP Now and Get Ready for the Next Wave of being an 
Advocate for YOURSELF and the 17 million around the World that 
are being Humiliated, Traumatized, Insulted, and DENIED 
proper Research and Treatment for this illness. 
They are indeed Guilty of Many Crimes against ALL of us. 

We will enumerate the list in the days to come.. 
....this "Band will NOT play on" much further.. 
THEY are Out-numbered not only by us, but also by the TRUTH.

PLEASE make sure everyone you KNOW sees what we have to go thru just  to get an answer from this Brain dead Organization that can't even answer a simple question without much delayed consultation over a bupkiss answer.

All of your comments and thoughts are appreciated.

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Monday, November 15, 2010

#94~ Dr. Mikovits 4th Anniv ~ WPI Research Director



I would personally like to take this opportunity to "Give Thanks" TODAY, on this, the 4th Anniversary of Dr. Judy Mikovits becoming the Research Director at the Whittemore Peterson Institute.


Because of the the persistence of the WPI and Dr. Mikovits unwavering determination 
to find the Real True Honest cause of ME/CFS and her insistence to meticulous methods 
and continually detailing her progress and her co-operation with other Medical Research Organizations AROUND the world, we CAN ALL say "without a Doubt" that it WAS her 
participation in the "Oct 2009 Science Paper" that has put ME/CFS back ON the radar of the medical and patient community.

Dr Mikovits Bio:  she's one smart cookie :)



"Dr. Mikovits spent more than 20 years at the National Cancer Institute in Frederick MD during which time she received her PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, investigating mechanisms by which retroviruses dysregulate the delicate balance of cytokines in the immune response. This work led to the discovery of the role aberrant DNA methylation plays in the pathogenesis of HIV. Later in her career at the NCI, Dr. Mikovits directed the Lab of Antiviral Drug Mechanisms (LADM) a section of the NCI's Screening Technologies Branch in the Developmental Therapeutics Program. The LADM's mission was to identify, characterize and validate molecular targets and to develop high-throughput cell-based, genomic and epigenomic screens for the development of novel therapeutic agents for AIDS and AIDS-associated malignancies (Kaposi's sarcoma). Formally trained as a cell biologist, molecular biologist and virologist, Dr. Mikovits has studied the immune response to retroviruses and herpes viruses including HIV, SIV, HTLVI, HERV, HHV6 and HHV8 with a special emphasis on virus host cell interactions in cells of the hematopoietic system including hematopoietic stem cells (HSC). Dr. Mikovits' commercial experience includes serving as a senior scientist and group leader at Biosource International, where she led the development of proteomic assays for the Luminex platform that is used extensively for cytokine activity assessment in therapy development. She also served as Chief Scientific Officer and VP of Drug Discovery at Epigenx Biosciences, where she led the development and commercialization of cell and array-based methylation assays for drug discovery and diagnostic development. Dr. Mikovits has co-authored more than 40 peer-reviewed publications that address fundamental issues of viral pathogenesis, hematopoiesis and cytokine biology. "


Before the WPI and Dr Mikovits the prior 10 years
I could hear the sound of the hallow empty vacuum
sucking the life out of all of us nonstop. 
NOW because THAT paper has revitalized the Research community , 
patient involvement and advocacy we all are 
vowing 
that THIS TIME we are going to grab this Golden Ring and 
NOT let GO until they have Found a CURE for ME/CFS.


This year after the CFSAC saw it's new Chair Chris Snell, PhD in April and 
the CFSAC~FDO Wanda Jones PhD, getting in contact with Dr Koh the Asst. Sec 
to Kathleen Sebelius, Sec of the DHHS that sits on the Obama Cabinet, 
and Dr Koh for the 1st TIME EVER attended part of the April CFSAC meeting.
I have absolutely NO DOUBT that it was Dr. Jones past history with the 
HIV retrovirus and her knowledge of the 3rd human retrovirus XMRV
that had now been connected to ME/CFS patients that prompted a 
First Time EVER Response from Kathleen Sebelius to the CFSAC regarding 
their recommendations to her. 
Here is her letter that was dated just 
Before the Sept. 2010 CFSAC meeting that has been 
documented here previously...






















As we all know, that Science Day was a smoke-screen for the truth that
that the following 2 days of the public meeting would uncover, particularly due to the Well Participated in "Time for Action" Campaign by the patients and the CFSAC members that have had First hand patient experience and could speak tho the Truth.

With this post I wish to accomplish 2 things..

Thank Dr. Judy Mikovits for her ground-breaking research that has been of tremendous help to us in advancing the "real science" and interest in our plight... 
...and thus because "at this present time" there is NO other Research place like WPI that has been totally built in conjunction with  a medical school and other researchers and a public/private partnership with the University of Nevada at Reno, that will include a patient clinic when it opens SOON, I hereby ask anyone reading this to PLEASE ask anyone that will possibly be asking you what you want for a Holiday gift.. ???  to....

Please just ask them to Donate to the WPI to help advance research, treatments and hopefully one day a Cure 4 ME/CFS patients with NeuroImmune diseases.
Donating can easily be done by clicking HERE. 
I am including the links so you can easily pass them on to those who might ask.
http://www.wpinstitute.org/help/help_donation.html
Those on Facebook can easily donate using the "Cure 4 ME" FB Cause page HERE.
and http://www.causes.com/causes/399439


The 2nd thing I wish to accomplish is 

...to bring your attention to helping our other "Sister Center" that we are working 
to get built on the East Coast of the USA, the future NEI Center (TM) 
that will be for  NeuroEndocrineImmune disorders.


This would also be a wonderful time if you haven't yet to "Please sign ONE of the petitions" asking Sec. Sebelius to meet with a representative from PANDORA concerning the NEI Center. This would be a perfect time to remind her how the future NEI Center would help and benefit those with NEI disorders.

HERE is the petition on change.org
and HERE is the petition on FB.
Please remember to ONLY sign ONE of the Petitions, OK.


Most of you already know that the Gift of Health is the Best gift you could give anyone. Please help us all reach this Dream for the 40 million of us with these illnesses. As the USA approaches their Thanksgiving Holiday next week
let us Help GIVE the Gift of Health by a simple donation and one signature.

After that~ your Thanksgiving meal, I promise, will taste Better ♥

I will NOT apologize for sharing this video 
with you again ♥ and Please "Sing Along"
Together we CAN DO This!!!





If you are now feeling Motivated and 
want to do MORE...
Please up Top Under where it says "Current Event"
and Click on Any RED Action and pick 
an action you would like to participate in 
Help us Spread the word of This Action also, OK?

♥ We "Thank YOU" from around the World ♥

PS: While you are here, please 
take my Reader Survey :D


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Tuesday, November 2, 2010

#93~ From Blood Ban to Drug Ban ~ collusion afoot ?



On the heels of the Fantastically attended UK Blood Ban Demonstrations all over the country yesterday covering all the mediums of BBC print, Berkshire radio, still images and video, and many "impromptu" educating classes at various Blood Donation Locations... there seems to be a "Trans-Atlantic Spoiler Alert" that needs to be Given ATTENTION By ALL patients + advocates  on BOTH sides of the Atlantic.
This does NOT ONLY effect ME/CFS patients !!!


Sunday night while everyone was celebrating Halloween, or planning for the 
next's days  Demonstrations, there seems to have ALSO been an orchestrated Trans-Atlantic gauntlet being thrown down in the UK and the USA regarding the usage of certain drugs that help patients, BUT their usage is being attacked via two different modes.


In the USA the news has been reported that  the FDA plans to start bringing "Criminal Charges" against Big Pharma CEOs for "OFF Label  Usage" as if the CEOs could know how and where their drugs are being RX'd. 

This is modeled on the questionable usage of the Park doctrine, that states company officers should be held liable for any illegal actions 
"by the corporation that the officer should have known about and been able to prevent."  
Here is a document that explains the Park Doctrine and HERE is a recent article explaining  the stakes we face. 

I don't mind the "Original Usage"  of the Park doctrine making sure that meds are not manufactured in unsanitary conditions, but this "Off-Label" trial balloon being floated here by the FDA Chief Litigation Attorney, Eric Blumberg, is seeking to "change corporate culture" in Big Pharma corporations.  

What I think he is forgetting is that many times there are NOT adequate approved drugs for many illnesses and many patients NEED and are Being Helped by these "Off Label" uses of many drugs..


This will be used to shut down "Off Label usage" and effect things like "LDN" and probably others I am not aware of....

The Timing of this Announcement seems "fishy" esp. after the UK NICE Guidelines Announcement  of their  making decisions about IF a Drug is "TOO Expensive" for  the stated purpose they could "effectively" decide what Dr's CAN prescribe or NOT within their medical system.

In the UK The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, or NICE, scrutinizes the cost and clinical benefits of new drugs to determine whether the state health-care system should pay for them. If NICE decides that a drug... isn't worth its price tag, it advises doctors not to prescribe it, which effectively results in a ban. HERE is an article about this sad situation

ALL of this at the same time that already many patients with ME, Fibromyalgia and RSD and many other painful diseases are not able to get quality pain relief and we are fighting a backlash because the Dimwits at the Top do NOT realize that people that are "actually" taking pain meds CUZ THEY ARE IN EXCRUTIATING PAIN "ARE NOT GETTING HIGH" they are Simply trying to get some relief so the can even get some life back and be Functional.. 

Only those NOT IN PAIN get HIGH in this kind of situation.. This is SO Obvious to anyone that has a chronic pain to deal with that this is absolutely Ridiculous. Another case of Give the Politicians and FDA folks THAT KIND OF PAIN FOR A FEW MONTHS AND MAYBE THEY WILL UNDERSTAND ? Here is an article that speaks to the sad state of Pain Management in the USA currently.


I have a Really BAD Feeling about ALL of this...  It makes me believe in my gut that we are going to have to be MORE ProActive also about these issues and that means being more expressive by whatever means those in the effected county decide. But ONE THING is for SURE.. IF you "DO Nothing"  your ability to get the medicines you need WILL be effected, Trust me. This is NOT a Joke or False warning.


As they use to say on "SNL" (Saturday Night LIVE) during "Coffee Talk".... I sincerely ask you ALL to "Talk Amongst Yourselves" and decide how you want to address these issues, but they MUST be addressed....IMHO...but that's just 
"my opinion" based on years of observing the Medical Profession, the Governments involved and now the apparent "innocent co-incidental timing" of these edicts and pronouncements..

If it's smells like a fish, and is slippery like a fish, and wiggles when they explain their reasoning and excuses with logic that isn't logical .....it Must have scales.


You have been informed. What you do with this info now is up to you.


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Monday, November 1, 2010

#92~ ME Blood Ban Protest+UK "Policy Change NOW"


A LOT is happening in the UK right now..


Location: Department of Health, Richmond House, Whitehall, London SW1
Time: 12:30PM Monday, November 1st
and


UK "Policy CHANGE NOW" campaign.
Worldwide Participation Encouraged !


Officially starting TODAY the UK is Banning ALL blood donations from patients that have been diagnosed with M.E. (while they STILL tell them that it's ALL in their Heads and that CBT 'Cognitive Behavioral Therapy' is the Best Treatment) RED Alert.. "Bull-S*^# Alert"...


There are Blood Ban Demonstrations taking place all over the UK.
The largest one is in London, while others are taking place in other towns
near their local Red Cross or Town Square, near radio stations, etc..
So far this morning there are 40 in attendance at the London location
while this is early..MORE are expected SOON.


There has been a TV interview and a radio broadcast (that can be rePlayed HERE) with many ME Callers .... "Esther Rantzen talks to Dr. Charles Shepherd the medical advisor to the ME Association and finds out why ME sufferers will no longer be able to donate blood in the UK under new safety guidelines." and one of our very own "Vikki ♥ Walker" and she "STANDS UP to the BS" they Handed her about the "ME 80% Cure Rate" BRAVO♥Ms. Vikki ~ and others also ...


In the UK the ME patients are FORCED to these kinds of Actions to Help INFORM the Public because of the Governments "Lack of Transparency" with Regards to Public Health Issues.


There is an official Government 'inside' notice called a DA Notice which was set up by the MOD - it's an official request to news editors not to publish or broadcast items on specified subjects for reasons of national security. This extends to issues of public safety such as blood supply threats and pandemics.


They have made signs they are placing ALL OVER THE PLACE to inform the Public.

 






















The First Photos from the UK Demonstration are slowly coming out...
Here is our own Paul Gray "Standing UP for ME"♥
Paul says that many more pics will be coming later...























Paul says "Met some real pro-active people today and saw some... real courageous sufferers."


When Paul did this interview below "He was TOLD he could NOT mention XMRV."


Actual mention of the word XMRV/MULV not yet approved by UK government's Department of Health (DOH) for political reasons. Consequently the discovery of XMRV/MULV is referred to as 'the virus'. Why?



ME/CFS is treated as a mental illness in the UK and people are told to alter their mind and alleged faulty illness beliefs with CBT and exercise. Yet since 1969, the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified ME as a disease of the brain - ICD:10 - G93.3.

London Demo images courtesy of Julie Sowerby ♥Thanks Julie♥

 



















Video#1


Video#2



More news + reports + pics will be coming later. ♥♥♥ Good Job everyone ♥♥♥ 

 More pics that have come in and are posted HERE
HERE
 


XMRV is a "RETROVIRUS" not simply "a virus" = HUGE DIFFERENCE !!!






Thanks Ms. Vikki for handing your blog over to  Sarah as she reports on HER Action in Glasgow, Scotland HERE.

Thanks to the Organizers all of you Everywhere!
     =  =  =  =  =  =  =  =  =  =  = = = = = = = = = =

Remember we STILL want people to Help with the UK "Policy Change NOW" email Campaign, OK :)
(until Nov. 12th, 2010) 



"
The ‘UK POLICY CHANGE: NOW’ CAMPAIGN

PRESS RELEASE

YOUR TIME IS NOW"

For over 25 years, all evidence of viral infections and immune abnormalities in M.E patients has been suppressed. Ignored. Buried.

Instead, the Government shut the files away in a secret Medical Research Council vault, locked for over 70 years, and listened to a group of unconventional psychiatrists, authorizing them to control policy for patients.

NOW THERE IS XMRV

In 1991 a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania discovered a brand new retrovirus in the blood of M.E patients. This information was deliberately buried for 18 YEARS until in 2009 the retrovirus XMRV was uncovered by the Whittemore Peterson Institute in 67% of M.E/CFS patients.

Further evidence of Murine Leukemia Viruses in 86.5% of M.E/CFS patients was confirmed by the US agencies Food and Drug Administration and National Institutes of Health in August 2010.

The Department of Health has BANNED the donation of blood in M.E patients from 1st November –stating it “as precaution to protect the donor's safety by ensuring their condition is not made worse by donating blood" and that “there are no plans to screen already stored blood (Anne Milton Minister for Public Health, October 2010).

THEY WILL NOT ADMIT IT IS BECAUSE OF AN INFECTIOUS RETROVIRUS. WHY?

The current treatment guidelines for M.E were developed by a steering group dominated by psychiatrists, who state of M.E patients:

“Those who cannot be fitted into a scheme of objective bodily illness yet refuse to be placed into and accept the stigma of mental illness remain the undeserving sick of our society and health service”.

Most M.E treatment centers are funded by mental health authorities within primary care trusts and placed within mental health units of hospitals and headed up by psychiatrists.

We are not mentally ill. We are sick.

Not only is XMRV prevalent in our blood, researchers have also found immune system abnormalities and EIGHT infectious subtypes of M.E. Antiviral trials have been a success in America yet these drugs are banned under the NICE Guidelines in the UK.

YOUR TIME IS NOW

The US NIH has recruited top pathogen hunter Dr Ian Lipkin to carry out further XMRV research.

The UK authorities state “no public health action is required at this time.”

It seems the UK Government is quite happy for this cancer-causing retrovirus to be infecting the blood supply; already it is estimated that between 3% and 7% of the healthy blood supply is infected and cancer has increased by 4% annually since 2008. 
                        =  =  =  =  =  =  =


M.E/CFS patient community, sufferers, family members and friends - it’s time to join together once again and demand policy change in the UK!!

The “UK POLICY CHANGE: NOW” campaign has just four simple steps or AIMs and taking part in our campaign is easy:

1. Address your email
2. Inform the campaign: Bcc: ukpolicychange@gmail.com
3. Message: copy and paste our message
4. Start over: repeat these actions once each day.

Sample message: (adjust as necessary)

Dear …...,

"Stop allowing policy to support the refuted psychiatric model of ME/CFS, which presumes that ME/CFS has no organic basis and is therefore contradictory to current science and research on XMRV and other viruses. Pledge to make a definitive policy change NOW. Patients and their families are waiting."

Jane Smith, Newcastle
Housebound and bed-bound since 1999

Send to:

1) Andrew Lansley, Secretary of State for Health
2) Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health
3) John Savill, Chief Executive of the MRC

Contact info:

1) Rt Hon. Andrew Lansley, Secretary of State for Health
Email: lansleya@parliament.uk, dhmail@dh.gsi.gov.uk
Bcc: ukpolicychange@gmail.com
Telephone: 020 7210 4850 Fax: 020 7210 5952

2) Dame Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health
Email: CMOweb@dh.gsi.gov.uk, sally.davies@dh.gsi.gov.uk
Bcc: ukpolicychange@gmail.com

3) Sir John Savill, Chief Executive of the Medical Research council
Email: Linda.Willmott@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk (personal assistant's name)
Bcc: ukpolicychange@gmail.com
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7670 5155
Fax: +44 (0)20 7580 4369

Many thanks,

ACTION NOW

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Wednesday, October 20, 2010

#91~ "Time for Action" Campaign - Part 2



 

 

 

Robert Miller asked me to post this. 

Tuesday, October 19, 2010 at 2:23pm

** Please Distribute Widely **

UPDATE ON THE "TIME FOR ACTION" CAMPAIGN: A SUCCESS 

Next Steps Listed Below (Oct 19, 2010) 
From "Time for Action" organizers: 
Bob Miller, Rivka Solomon, Charlotte von Salis 
Contact: Bob Miller bobmiller42@msn.com 

The "Time for Action" campaign was successful. 
Congratulations to patients, their families and friends! 

== THE ACTUAL NUMBERS == 

Over a two-week period, ME/CFS patients, their families and friends sent more than 2,000 emails to NIH Director Collins and NIAID Director Fauci. Also, a large but uncountable number of calls were made and faxes were sent. Patients used their wonderful creativity and sent everything from our suggested one-liner to hand-drawn cartoons to poignant medical histories. 

== PROOF THAT THE CAMPAIGN ACHIEVED ITS GOAL == 

The CFSAC meeting offered us proof that our campaign reached its goal of getting ME/CFS on the radar screen at the highest levels of the NIH. First, there was Dr. Stuart LeGrice's comment to a patient. This head of the NIH's XMRV work at the National Cancer Institute stated, "I don't think this 'What have you done for me lately,' campaign is helping. I don't need to have Dr. Collins call me and ask me 'What are you doing for CFS?'" 

Obviously our daily emails/calls/faxes did get the attention of Director Collins and they motivated him to petition key people in the NIH's ME/CFS world to work harder on our behalf. The second mention of our campaign was by the new head of the Trans-NIH CFS Working Group, Dr. Dennis Mangan, during his CFSAC public talk. (More on him below.) 
He said in all seriousness that nearly everyone was getting our emails, and then he joked that even his mother was getting them. This was another good sign. 

We are being noticed; we are having an impact at the highest levels: 
The campaign's top goal was to get ME/CFS 
on Collins's radar screen. 
We did -- and all of us can be proud.

== PATIENTS' HIGHLY VISIBLE ACTIONS AND ACTIVISM == 

At the CFSAC meeting, there were unprecedented displays of patient solidarity and activism; patients were publicly advocating for patients' needs and concerns in a way never before seen in CFSAC meeting history. 

First, there were the amazing testimonies of patients from around the U.S., sharing moving, heartbreaking and inspiring stories of their struggles and courage. Unfortunately, these amazing testimonies are not new. 

What was new was these additional displays of patient activism: 
First, Bob Miller made tee-shirts with our slogan, 
"NIH: What have you done for ME/CFS today?" and patients sitting in the front rows wore them, clearly visible to all CFSAC members sitting at the horseshoe front table, and, most importantly, visible to all watching on the internationally-broadcasted web cast. 

The tee-shirt wearing patients stood up in solidarity, starting when Bob Miller gave his stirring public testimony, and continuing when other patients and patient advocates testified, including when Kim McCleary of the CAA gave hers. Separately, and just as visually striking, were the black and white ACT NOW signs brought by Marly Silverman, head of the ME/CFS patient group P.A.N.D.O.R.A. These signs were held up by patients in the audience throughout the whole CFSAC meeting, for two solid days, for all present in the room and all at home in their beds to see. 

== PROOF THAT THE NIH IS HEARING OUR NEEDS AND MOVING FORWARD == 

The NIH announced at the CFSAC meeting that Dr. Dennis Mangan will now direct the Trans-NIH CFS Research Working Group. This is the place where extramural CFS research is promoted. In his public talk, Dr. Mangan wasted no time announcing that he was changing the name of the Trans-NIH CFS Research Working Group to the Trans-NIH ME/CFS Research Working Group. As Dr. Jason of the CFSAC panel said, this is the first time he had heard someone from NIH use the term ME/CFS. Dr. Mangan's statement gave momentum to a name change that patients and experts have been seeking for decades -- and that enabled the CFSAC members to recommend renaming their committee to the ME/CFSAC. This is a long over-due victory for the patient community. 

Of note, the Trans-NIH ME/CFS Working Group that Dr. Mangan now heads is part of NIH Director Collins's inner strategic circle. Dr. Mangan officially reports to Dr. James Anderson, who in turn reports to NIH Director Dr. Collins. Dr. Anderson was introduced, in person, at the CFSAC meeting as someone very interested and supportive of ME/CFS. He is Director of the NIH DPCPSI (http://dpcpsi.nih.gov/). Thus ME/CFS patients needs and concerns will be heard at the highest levels of the NIH. 

In another totally unprecedented move, Dr. Mangan approached one of the 
"Time for Action" campaign organizers (Charlotte von Salis) during a CFSAC meeting break. Dr. Mangan had pegged the tee-shirt donned Charlotte as an obvious patient advocate. He approached her, and stated, in a way that conveyed he was reaching out to Charlotte: "I think we need to talk." After briefing Dr. Mangan on the reasons behind the "Time for Action" email campaign targeted at the NIH, Charlotte suggested he meet with the patients present at the end of the first day of the CFSAC meeting, and he did. Strikingly, for approximately half an hour (before the room was shut down for cleaning), he sat down with us, asked questions and listened thoughtfully as we recited the need for funding research, clinical trials and other concerns shared by the ME/CFS patient community. His spontaneous agreement to meet with patients in this impromptu manner, his eagerness to listen to the patient communities' needs and concerns in such a meaningful way was likely due to the emails received from all of us over the past few weeks. (It was clear that Collins's office had been forwarding our emails on to Mangan.) It is this extraordinary meeting with patients that gives us hope that Dr. Mangan will be the well-informed point person at NIH we so desperately want and deserve. 

For the first time, CFSAC received a presentation, coordinated by Dr. Mangan, which introduced to the world a panel of some the NIH Program Directors who coordinate ME/CFS research. A great deal of very helpful information was relayed, and the CFSAC members made it clear they were impressed. Important to note is that on the panel was Program Director Cathy Laughlin, Chief of NIAID's Virology Department, who stated in her public talk that she questioned how contamination of [XMRV/MLV] samples could be an issue, considering the retroviruses were more prevalent in patient samples than in controls. In our minds, her stating this was a strong refute of all the talk of contamination during the CFSAC Science Day, one day earlier. Lastly, Mangan stated he will initiate more frequent meetings of the ME/CFS Working Group and he repeatedly used the word "aggressive" in referring to his goal of moving the research forward. His goal is to stimulate research and connect researchers to each other. During Dr. Mangan's formal presentation to the CFSAC members, he promised to put up a new website for all concerned with ME/CFS -- researchers, clinicians and patients. He stated that he wanted it to serve as a resource for everyone. The website will be updated regularly. 

== NEXT STEP: SENDING ONE "THANK YOU" EMAIL TO SEIZE THIS GROUND == 

We, the organizers of the "Time for Action" Campaign, were overwhelmed by everyone's support of the call for action we put forth two weeks ago. We know patients came together from across the U.S. and around the globe, from many groups and sites, to unite and act as one to participate in this joint action. 

It is important for patients and for future progress at the NIH that we seize this ground 
by actually thanking Director Collins for moving ME/CFS up the priority ladder. If we don't recognize the NIH's steps in the right direction, our email campaigns will be less effective in the future. 

Therefore, we urge you STOP the daily NIH "Time for Action" Campaign emails now and replace it with the action mentioned below. 

We feel that now it is time to let Dr. Mangan and his Working Group get down to the business of moving forward. Dr. Mangan needs time to get up to speed regarding ME/CFS, to identify and speak with key NIH personnel and do what we hope he does best -- get us the research we so desperately need. Dr. Mangan stated that he has been overwhelmed with the daily emails (obviously forwarded from Collins's office) to the point that he does not have the time to do his job. He is a new face to the ME/CFS community and deserves a chance to show us his stuff. 

He is reading the emails you have sent and are sending to know what the patient community wants and needs, and he will continue to do that -- he did say he is interested in the patient perspective. We think that is great. We feel that patients should continue to use their voices (and their emails) and take his interest seriously: Provide him with your thoughtful input about the future direction of research and funding. But we also feel that now is the time to STOP the DAILY EMAIL CAMPAIGN of "What have you done for ME/CFS today?"  

Instead, we feel that now is the time to thank him for all that he has done and has promised to do. Of course, the patient community will be monitoring his actions carefully and if promises are broken or we are not satisfied with NIH's response, the patient community will initiate another daily NIH email campaign. 
(And, in fact, there are already other exciting, innovative campaigns happening that patients can join now.) 

So for the next step in this "Time for Action" NIH campaign, we are asking patients to please send one single (one time) email to Director Collins and Dr. Mangan and have it say, simply, thank you, and we will be watching. 
 (The actual suggested text is below.) 

Please put "Thank You" in the subject line of your email and 
cc to Bob Miller at hebs1reel@yahoo.com 

== HERE IS OUR SUGGESTED SAMPLE TEXT FOR THE EMAILS == 

Email to: collinsf@od.nih.gov, dennis.mangan@nih.gov 
CC: hebs1reel@yahoo.com

Subject: Thank You 

Body: 
Dear Director Collins and Dr. Mangan, 
Thank you for taking the ME/CFS patient community seriously, listening to our needs and concerns and making ME/CFS a top priority.

Patients and their families will be carefully watching NIH's progress.



Name: City, State or Location: How long ill: 


******************************************
Please send this to anyone that 
you "feel WILL Help us"...
If you are a Friend or Family Member..
Replace the "How Long ill" with THAT fact..
The MORE Friends and Family we can get to Help us the BETTER.
That way he will SEE that "it's NOT JUST the Patients that are Watching"...


Thank YOU "Time for Action" organizers: Bob Miller, Rivka Solomon, 
Charlotte von Salis ....for starting what we NEEDED a LONG time ago...


Now you have your Next Step...
Now ** GO TEAM GO**


Anybody KNOW "HOW" to reach OPRAH ???
SHOW HER THIS.....




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Thursday, October 14, 2010

#90~ CFSAC - The Photo Finish Day 2

Altho I had "sketchy reception" the LAST hour, I WAS able 
to Capture a few images of OUR Heroic "ACT NOW" Group 
that participated in the Day 2 CFSAC Action~ 

♥♥♥ Heart-FELT THANKS from EVERYONE !!  ♥♥♥

What Little I SAW "moved me".... 
I can ONLY Imagine what the Committee members thought?
**GO TEAM GO**



 I "wish" I could have Heard ALL of the Patient Testimonies during 
the Last Hour, but Words could NOT EQUAL THIS... 
Truly a Picture is WORTH a million words Moment♥


OUR "ACT NOW" Team Standing UP for OUR Rights !!! 
Delivering the Message that over 1,500 emails had been Delivered 
"So Far".... to the NIH and HHS.
**GO TEAM GO**
Who Luvs ya baby..♥♥♥
WE ALL DO !!!



Mary Schweitzer delivers her Testimony with a 
TERRIFIC "Back-UP" Group that is Acting UP ♥
Tell them Like it IS Mary !!!
Perfect way 2 end 2 Rough Days..


YO~ NIH what have YOU done Today 

to help ME/CFS ?
The Patients and Families ARE Waiting !!!



Marly Silverman with her Excellent "ACT NOW" Back-up Group♥

Way to GO ~ You TRULY made my Heart Swell with Pride 

and I HOPE the Committee "GOT THE MESSAGE" 
along with the NIH and the HHS.

Mike Dessin with his "ACT NOW" Back-UP Group. ♥

This is NOT a Reality Show
yet WE "MUST" GO ON..


Keep those emails coming Folks..♥



The Chilean Miners, as one of them said, "have been between 
God and the Devil for the last 70 days." 
Well, we have been there for the 25 years aka "a Generation"
and So Far THIS Great Country has continued to Ignore us...
..and they have been thus setting the behaviour standard for the World.
They have HAD their time to go slow and belive the CDC's lies
of a name and their definition, But NO LONGER WILL WE BE QUIET.

17 MILLION WHISPERS "WILL BE HEARD."
THE GAUNTLET HAS BEEN THROWN DOWN.
TOO MANY HAVE ALREADY DIED BECAUSE OF THESE LIES.
WE WILL NOT LET THEIR DEATHS BE FOR NOTHING.
WE WILL NOT LIVE ANOTHER DAY BEING QUIET.


Maybe we are getting closer to the White House and it WILL BE 
OUR TIME to have 15 minutes in the Limelight of Research....
Hopefully, it wil be ENOUGH to help us find THE Cause and 
Either a Treatment or a Cure and Help the World Find a Way
to Prevent Millions MORE from getting this Disease that is 
Most Definitely NOT "all in our heads."


PLEASE watch This week's episode of The White House Chronicles
and KNOW that with YOUR Continued Effort to Keep us in the 
News and continued emails and interviews maybe we can 
garner more Research Funding and HELP.


Please if You Appreciate that we were given this week's segment
on this show, go to www.whchronicles.com and leave them a
comment about where YOU LIVE and let them KNOW how YOU
have been treated and how much we Thank Him for giving us
his program to Let US Be Heard.


Do your part to continue this "Easy Act UP Campaign" and 
share these images and videos with others you know 
and Urge them to Help SPREAD The TRUTH about this disease....
The Awful Disease that Washington Forgot.


Keep those Emails, Letters, Phone Calls ad  Faxes coming Fans...




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Wednesday, October 13, 2010

#89~ CFSAC-2010- My Testimony NOW or NEVER









For the Oct 2010 CFSAC Meeting:

CFSAC Committee members, Dr. Chris Snell, Dr Wanda Jones, and patient audience.,

First, I would like to Thank this Dr Jones for ALL she has done to Help the patients in the past years and STILL currently is ...and we REALLY appreciated the ability
to comment and see the webinar... and know that we know about the NEW program this year.. once you get the kinks out.. the ONLY thing which is a BIG Lack this year is the (Closed Captioning) that is VERY MISSED...

Also Thank You Dr Klimas and Jason for your Service which will be VERY Missed.. you BOTH are a HUGE Asset to this committee... I hope you can help us find others that you feel can fill your HUGE SHOES...

I Sincerely HOPE That THIS current Committee will work ASAP to Organize those in between "Skype Meetings" they talked about in the past so that things can MOVE Faster.

I was NOT going to write like I did last year, but after the Science Day I felt I needed to send this
even if it would not make it into the CFSAC pages or be passed out to the Committee.

I am writing you because basically I am about to Give-UP HOPE of you EVER finding a Solution  for me
and many like me in OUR Lifetimes. I literally do NOT have YEARS left after 24 years of this already.
To add insult to this, because of the "well documented" LACK of Research fover the last 25 Years OR the CDC taking us as a Serious Illness.. I have NOT been able to find a Dr that KNEW ANYTHING ....even tho they thought they did.. as in "It's All in your Head."

It has taken me the last 12 years to Finally get my current Dr, who admitted to me BY HIM< "to the End of his Knowledge about 4 years ago".. but because he KNEW I had some Medical Knowledge, I kept searching and learning and feeding him and his staff INFO and Research and they have FINALLY AGREED to that I AM INDEED Permanently Disabled, even tho my car has had a Placard for 4 years now... nothing for me....YET.

But, what GOOD is this designation to me NOW?

If this session IS about Disability, than Can we FIRST address the fact that only about 20% of us actually HAVE a Diagnosis that would even a ALLOW them to get Disability> BIG Gap from REALITY of the AMOUNT of REAL Treatment that is NEEDED and the URGENCY of THIS Patient Population that is Being IGNORED because the Dr's are NOT being Educated.

In My Case.. NOW  that I have the Holy Grail of a Diagnosis, what good id it to me?
It TOOK me 24 years to get it ...... Soc Sec will NOT give you Disability if you have NOT worked
in the last 10 years.. so I am STILL w/o Medical Coverage or Assistance, even of the IN-Home Help kind,
let alone any financial help.

I am NOT old enough for Medicare although I did INDEED work in Hospital for 17 years before I got this bugger..so I HAVE  My Quarters IN..to no avail.. PLEASE OH PLEASE I Beg YOU..

Help Those of US stuck IN "this time warp".. It was NOT My Fault that the Dr's have NOT been Educated.. and it took me this long to educate and convince my Dr that This IS the TRUTH and reality of my situation.

If you can NOT Give us Clinical Trials yet, can you for God's Sake 
at least Mandate that anyone with this Diagnosis  that is bedridden 23/24 with OI/POTS and lives alone MUST be given IMMEDIATE Disability Coverage.. so I can at least have some Medical Coverage 
and Help so I may "last another year.."

With out it I SINCERELY FEAR that I will NOT....

I will NOT make it "out ON the Streets"....Period. I am Barely "Surviving NOW"

I must pay someone to help get obtain groceries ONCE every 2 months ONLY.
Many times I am in bed for 2 days and only even make it to the kitchen or out to get mail
every other day. That's 48hours  in the bed and bedroom alone, without help.
With OI/POTS I must hold the walls to even make it TO the kitchen and Definitely can NOT
even stand long enough to cook a meal unless it can be nuked FAST.

I am down to drinking Ensure type Protein drinks about 4 a day and
taking supplements/meds when I awake. I am in my House that is Paid for
but I can barely do the paperwork to pay the bills and money will run out
in the not too distant future, and when I can't pay for my Utilities or Property Tax
I will be out on the street.    I do NOT have a "street personality."
I would NOT let that Happen. I do NOT have any family or friends that can help me.

YOU alone are MY LIFELINE.... and I am NOT hearing anything YET to Give me HOPE...

If you do NOT Hear from me next year you will KNOW WHY.
Thank YOU CDC for the Wonderful JOB of covering UP this Epidemic with the dismissive name
and giving us all a Stigma that has caused our illness to NOT be taken Seriously.....

You stole our Research Money, and now  you are causing me MY LIFE.
You indeed are NOT the Center for Disease Control.
To Us you have been the Center for Disease Mis-Information.


When you can't even ADD the MAIN Mandatory symptom
to our ReQuired List of Symptoms.. You are "Blacklisting us" and even if I had insurance
the Insurance companies would NOT pay to have any of these Bio-Markers tests Done that we need.

POST Exertion Malaise has been HUGE with EVERY ONE of us since Day....
Where where your GOOD Patient History Notes then?
Your LACK Living UP to your Hypocratic Oath is INDEED Causing Very Much Harm..

I am too weak and tired to write any more.. those are my facts and situation.
"YOU are my VOICE"... if you do NOT Care to do something to HELP those if us
in MY position than we will be on the CDC/CFSAC List of the Departed.

Thank you for listening.

Sacramento, CA




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