I received good news in an email yesterday from Betsy de Parry, the lymphoma survivor who’s been active in promoting the letter- writing campaign to continue adequate Medicare funding of the radioimmunotherapy (RIT) drugs, Bexxar and Zevalin (thereby insuring the future availability of these drugs to everyone). Betsy’s sources tell her that new language has been added to the Senate bill that alters the funding formula for “therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals.”What’s remarkable, Betsy says, is that this was virtually the only change to get into the bill. Congress has evidently been holding back on other amendments, in order to be sure President Bush will sign it.
It seems the e-mails and letters have made a difference. In Betsy’s words:
“I’ve heard from more than one staffer that if it had not been for our grassroots effort, this would not have happened. Every one of you played a part in this accomplish- ment! Every single phone call, every email, every fax, every signature on PAL’s petition helped to let Congress know that we could not sit idly by and watch these drugs disappear. YOU MADE THIS HAPPEN!”Thanks again, to all the good friends who have contacted congressional representatives on this issue. You’ve helped to make a difference!
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