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Posts Tagged ‘congressional hearing’

CareToLive Joins 3+ Congressmen Calling for a Hearing into FDA Shenanigans

February 5th, 2008 | Posted by CTL

How to contact your Congressional Representative and provide information to ask for him/her to send a letter to Congress to join with the 3 Representative who are calling for a hearing. At bottom is how to locate the phone, fax and email addresses of your Representative. This information is also on the CTL Ways To Help page.

Call your Representative and thank them for taking your call. Ask for the Health Staffer. Make sure you get their name. Remember to thank them at the end and to tell them you will follow up. It is best to contact the Health Staffer at your Representative’s Washington office for the most clout. (see below for contact info)

Tell them that Congressmen Mike Michaud (D-Maine), Dan Burton (R-Ind.) and Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) and several other Congressmen sent a letter to Congressman John Dingell requesting hearings to look into the role that conflicts of interest played in the FDA determination not to approve a safe and effective late stage prostate cancer treatment.

Tell them CaretoLive (direct them to the CareToLive website http://www.caretolive.com), are joined by A Right To Live http://ARightToLive.com, the Cancer Cure Coalition, Ustoo, Abigail Alliance, Prostate Health education network (PHEN) and others in support of the hearings.

Go to CareToLive website Ways To Help
http://caretolive.com/ways-to-help/

CONGRESSIONAL LETTER ASKING FOR A HEARING
http://caretolive.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/
congressional-hearing-letter1.pdf

Fax, email or snail mail the letter to your own Congressional Representative and ask them to join this action. Here are other documents you may send or compile your own list. There are additional articles on the Articles page and the Research page and About Us page etc.
Articles Page http://caretolive.com/articles
Research Page http://caretolive.com/research
About Us Page http://caretolive.com/about-us

Nature Biotechnology The regulator disapproves
http://www.nature.com/nbt/journal/v26/n1/full/nbt0108-1.html

THE ROAD TO PROVENGE APPROVAL by Thomas A. Farrington President and Founder PHEN Prostate Health Education Network
http://www.prostatehealthed.org/phen_Detail.php?News=673

Petition for the FDA to Reconsider the Failure to Approve Provenge filed 7/27/07 Docket # 2007P-0297
http://caretolive.com/caretolivepetition.pdf

Robbing Cancer Patients of Hope by Dr. Chuck Bennett 1/26/ 2007
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2007/dec/26/na-robbing-cancer-patients-of-hope/
?news-opinion-commentary

Three Lawmakers Give Terminal Cancer Patients Early Xmas Gift by Evelyn Pringle’s
http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/articles/01723/provenge-fda.html

Flowchart showing The FDA Decision on Provenge: Who’s Who and Who’s Connected
http://caretolive.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/players_provenge_v2.pdf

FAQS

Tell them you are an advocate for late stage prostate cancer.

30,000 American men will die of prostate cancer this year. Since the delay over 8 months ago, more than 22,000 men have died without the option of Provenge.

1 in every 6 men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime.

Each year over 218,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer.

96,000 men will progress to late stage or Androgen Independent prostate cancer (AIPC).

Only one drug has been approved which showed some survival benefits in the treatment of late stage androgen independent prostate cancer in over 42 years ago. It is so toxic and disruptive that most men refuse it.

The Dendreon Corporation has created a treatment called Provenge, an immunotherapy, that has shown it increases survival. The FDA saw the survival, granted Provenge Fast-Track Status, and then called together a panel of 17 experts to advise them on whether Provenge should be approved. The panel did indeed advise them.

By a vote of 17-0 the panel told them that Provenge is safe. By a vote of 13-4 the panel told them that Provenge shows substantial evidence of efficacy. The FDA decided to go against the panel of experts and delayed approval, an unprecedented act given that there are no viable alternatives in a treatment that was voted so overwhelmingly positive which showed survival benefits.
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HOW TO FIND YOUR REPRESENTATIVE

Contact Your Elected Officials

by Zip Code: http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/index.html
by State: http://www.conservativeusa.org/mega-cong.htm

This page will have all of your Congressman’s contact info including his Washington office. Type in their name and then scroll down for contact info.
http://www.congresspedia.com

Call your Rep and ask for their Congressional Health Staffer.

Follow with emails and faxes.

If you can visit their office.

Ask them to join this action requesting a Congressional Hearing. Speak to the health staffer. Don’t take silence for an answer. Be persistent until your Representative commits to support this action. Ask for a reply. If not, WHY NOT! Keep at it. They work for you. We pay their salaries. Sometimes it takes 2, 3 for 4 emails, faxes, calls.

If this does not work contact your Representatives Chief of Staff. Copy the Chief of Staff on a follow up email to the staffer. To find the email address of the Chief of Staff, go to this website

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home
After clicking on your Representatives name, click on staff members below your rep’s picture. The screen will have the Chief of staff’s name listed.

To email him/her enter:
name dot last name@mail.house.gov.
Example: Denzel.Washington@mail.house.gov

If all else fails email me, rk@CareToLive.com with your name, your Reps name, their Health Staffers name and their phone number and we will contact them to try to get them on board.

EVERYBODY PLEASE MAKE A NOISE!!

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Click and send an online form to Representative Dingell, Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce in charge of the Committe on Health asking them to hold hearings.
http://energycommerce.house.gov/membios/contact_form.shtml

Here are the members of the Subcommittee on Health that would take up the investigation. Frank Pallone is Chairman.
You may also fax them at 202-225-2525.
http://energycommerce.house.gov/Subcommittees/health.shtml

________________________________________

Here is our Citizens’ Petition with the FDA for them to Reconsider the Failure to Approve Provenge filed 7/27/07
http://caretolive.com/caretolivepetition.pdf

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Become A CareToLive Member
http://caretolive.com/join-us/

Donate to the cause!

http://caretolive.com/donations/

Thanks For Your Help!

Popularity: 34%

One Fish, Two Fish, We are all Blue Fish — John Fish We Will Miss You

December 26th, 2007 | Posted by CTL

A tribute to John Fish.

We are very saddened to tell you that CareToLive member John Fish passed away from prostate cancer on Tuesday, December 18, 2007, without ever having the benefit of receiving provenge, the immunotherapy which he so desperately wanted. He was so hopeful that he would be able to get it 7 months ago, when it came before the FDA Advisory Committee of experts who voted it unanimously safe and 13 to 4 substantial evidence of efficacy (2 of the naysayers who “leaked” letters may be called before a Congressional Hearing – read on). Instead the FDA delayed approval, claiming they needed more data. Over 10 years of trials showing survival benefits, were not enough for them, despite the fact that 30,000 American men with PC are out of options, and the treatment has almost no side effects or safety issues. The chicanery going on at the FDA knows no bounds.

We can never thank John enough for all his efforts to right the wrongs in the FDA delay of Provenge. John was one of the lead Plaintiffs in our unprecedented, ongoing, CareToLive lawsuit filed by our attorney Kerry Donahue against the FDA, unfortunately under appeal, but not in time to help John. It was dismissed under a Catch 22, whereby the Court refused to hear the case concerning the delay of Provenge due to the fact that is was not denied, only delayed, so far for 7 months and what could be forever. Tell John that it is still pending. A lot of good that does him. For all intents and purposes Provenge is dead, until the FDA Commissioner Andrew Von Eschenbach decides whether to approve, delay or not approve, depending on whatever baloney is being dished out over at the FDA that day. Continue Reading One Fish, Two Fish, We are all Blue Fish — John Fish We Will Miss You »

Popularity: 25%

WHO IS THAT STUPID CLOWN AT THE PROSTATE CANCER RALLY IN DC? PART II

December 22nd, 2007 | Posted by CTL

noah-prostates-dog-web.jpgNOTE: Some evil digg forces just buried our last blog - How Many Attorneys Does It Take To Screw In FDA Lightbulb? but you can access it with this link. Now why would anybody want to bury a post trying to help men with terminal prostate cancer who are out of options. 1 in 6 men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime.
If you were too lazy to watch the video (see link below) to try to spot that stupid clown, Dr. Noah Prostate, during the march at the Provenge Now! prostate cancer rally in Washington DC, (which imho is the best all time video ever made, but then again I am partial to clowns), I am including a picture of the clown for your lazy candy a$$e$. Dr. Noah is appalled at the lack of diggs he is getting. I know he volunteered to expose his stupid identity if that blog didn’t get buried, like so many of our other blogs have been, but now he has rethought his decision, as clowns are want to do.

A little background for you, if you haven’t read the original post, is that CTL member Dr. Noah Prostate only came out for the rally to help promote this very important cause and draw attention to the Provenge debacle whereby the dysfunctional FDA derailed the only treatment that would have been made available for terminal prostate cancer in over 42 years, a treatment voted overwhelmingly safe and effective by an FDA panel of experts convened to review the license. VIew Dr. Mark Moyad at the Washington DC Provenge Rally outside the Russell Senate Building (video link) “We think a mistake has been made.”

Here is the link to the original post — WHO IS THAT STUPID CLOWN AT THE PROVENGE NOW! PROSTATE CANCER RALLY IN WASHINGTON DC? (SPOT HIM MARCHING IN THE VIDEO)

Dr. Noah Prostate believes, like all CareToLive members, that foul play was afoot at the dysfunctional FDA and that the decision needs to be reversed immediately and that the 30,000 American men that will die each year of PC, (not to mention the rest of the world) should be granted immediate access to Provenge, this safe and effective Immunotherapy Continue Reading WHO IS THAT STUPID CLOWN AT THE PROSTATE CANCER RALLY IN DC? PART II »

Popularity: 26%

How Many Steven Lieberman Attorneys Does It Take To Screw In An FDA Lightbulb?

December 21st, 2007 | Posted by CTL

The $64,000,000 Million Dollar Questions

Is Steven Lieberman (spelled Stephen in the transcript below of the Congressional Imclone hearing) who represented the FDA’s Richard Pazdur as his personal attorney at the Imclone Hearing, the same Steven Lieberman who now represents the Goldbergs and The Cancer Letter?

I could only find one attorney Steven (Stephen) Lieberman in the Washington DC, Maryland area.

What does it mean that Pazdur’s attorney, is the same attorney who now represents both the Goldbergs and Richard Pazdur? Continue Reading How Many Steven Lieberman Attorneys Does It Take To Screw In An FDA Lightbulb? »

Popularity: 32%

Who is that STUPID CLOWN at the PROVENGE NOW! Rally in Washington DC (Video)

December 18th, 2007 | Posted by CTL

See if you can spot Dr. Noah Prostate during the Provenge Now march on Washington. His identity has been kept secret up until now. Dr. Noah Prostate has contacted CareToLive and has agreed to reveal his identity in 1 week if we get enough diggs so our blog doesn’t get buried. He is trying to reach out to men with prostate cancer in time to help us to help them by organizing to overturn this unprecedented decision by the dysfunctional FDA to delay approval of a treatment in a life threatening disease voted so overwhelmingly positive by its own panel of experts, where no viable alternatives exist. Dr. Noah Prostate is very saddened by the death of Dan Fogelberg at 56 years young of late stage prostate cancer and he can’t help but wonder if Dan was put on Provenge 7 months ago would we still have this great singer with us today. Some men who took Provenge are still alive six years later. Dr. Noah Prostate says he was just trying to help draw a crowd to the important rally in Washington, D.C. He is still trying to help us draw a crowd to this important issue.

So far our last 3 blogs were buried by “people” who are trying to silence us about Provenge, a nontoxic immunotherapy that strenghtens one’s immune system to help men fight off the cancerous cells, voted 17 to 0 safe and 13 to 4 efficacious by an FDA panel of experts.

These gravediggers don’t want us to reach the 30,000 American men each year dying of late stage prostate cancer or the 1 in 6 men who will get prostate cancer in their lifetimes. Make no mistake about it. We are not going away. We are trying to make sure immunotherapy is a choice for late stage prostate cancer patients. Dendreon is also working on nontoxic biologics for breast cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer etc.

CAN YOU SPOT AND IDENTIFY DR. NOAH PROSTATE? Click here then scroll down to view the video. *

Continue Reading Who is that STUPID CLOWN at the PROVENGE NOW! Rally in Washington DC (Video) »

Popularity: 35%

The FDA Said NO, CareToLive & ARightToLive say GO FISH!

December 13th, 2007 | Posted by CTL

It is over 7 months since the FDA denied the Provenge Biologics License Application for Prostate Cancer. Last week John Fish, suffering from late stage prostate cancer, was admitted to a hospice without ever having been given the opportunity to receive this immunotherapy to try to strengthen his body to fight for his life. John has however, joined with CareToLive and hopefully although it may be too late for him, he and his wife Marlilyn have courageously stood toe to toe with us, along with many of our other members with prostate cancer, to try to make this treatment available for the rest of the 30,000 men who will surely die this year without it.

Finally! Thanks to the efforts of CareToLive, a non profit, led by attorney Kerry Donahue, and Scott Riccio of ARightToLive, and the many, many members and supporters of CareToLive and Provenge, an immunotherapy voted overwhelmingly safe and effective by an FDA panel of experts to approve this treatment for prostate cancer, and then denied without adequate explanation by the FDA, three of our congressmen, Mike Michaud of Maine, Dan Burton of Indiana, and Tim Ryan of Ohio are asking for a congressional hearing into what happened. We must continue to be vigilant and to contact our representatives in the Congress to keep the pressure on, and to demand a congressional hearing.

CONGRESSIONAL LETTER ASKING FOR A HEARING  PDF (click here) Please fax this letter to your own congressional representatives and ask them to join this action. TIA

An Easy Way To Contact Your Elected Officials - (click here) EVERY VOICE COUNTS!

This is a grassroots movement. We need EVERYBODY’S help. See you at the hearings!

Please visit our website and read our blogs to learn about the 3 “leaked” letters and so much more, Continue Reading The FDA Said NO, CareToLive & ARightToLive say GO FISH! »

Popularity: 41%

CATEGORIES

WHATS GOING ON

This Is An Emergency!

We rallied outside the FDA building in Rockville, Maryland on September 18th. Now there are buses riding around Rockville and Washington, D.C., further protesting the shenanigans that took place inside the FDA building, as well as outside.

The FDA has gotten caught up with Wall Street. While it is supposed to be busy with evaluating food and drugs, its employees just can't keep their eyes off the money. So that is how decisions are being made these days.
WE'LL BE BACK

These people traveled from all across the country to protest outside the FDA Building in Rockville, Maryland. The FDA has stopped a safe and effective treatment from getting to men who need it now. The treatment is called Provenge and it treats men who have late stage prostate cancer.

The FDA appointed a panel of experts to help it decide on the safety and efficacy of Provenge. That panel voted 17-0 that Provenge was safe. And it voted 13-4 that Provenge showed substantial evidence it worked. And yet the FDA delayed it. Now it could be a year, a year and a half or it could be three years. It could be forever.

These people will keeping coming back to Rockville and they hope others will join them until the courts, the FDA, Congress or somebody does something about this travesty.