Doctors/first do no harm

[John Cherwonogrodzky]

Dear Colleagues:
     I saw an interesting post in which volunteers will find information about 
a medical condition diagnosed by your doctor at no charge. It reminded me of 
an article I saw (I should have kept it but didn't, pity) in which Meryl 
Streep is trying to assist an organization trying to give patients the best 
therapy possible. Seems a friend of hers had a son that suffered from 
epilepsy. After surgeries and expensive lobotomies which weren't effective, it 
seems there was an alternative treatment of rest and a restricted diet that 
was effective. In a similar manner, I have heard that in "Lorenzo's Oil", lay 
people found a treatment that was overlooked by physicians.
     Does anyone know:
-  what organization Meryl Streep is assisting?
- whether there are any federal or provincial/state medical programs for 
researching, conducting clinical trials or implementing more effective 
therapies at cheaper costs?

    I recall I once talked to a director of a large pharmaceutical about 
research leading to a cure for a chronic condition that affects many 
millions of lives each year. Horrified, he commented why on earth would he 
want to support something that would ruin his company? 

Take care....John