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Quote of the Day:
“Statism is arrogance wedded to violence.”
— Perry Willis, Co-Founder, Downsize DC
Please tell Congress to save a young boy’s life . . .
Eight-year-old John Owen Dumm suffers from Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The disease has already taken a toll on him and may kill him if it remains untreated. Fortunately, a treatment now exists…
- The drug is called Eteplirsen.
- Several tests have shown it to be safe and effective.
- But it hasn’t yet run the entire FDA gauntlet, so it remains unavailable to John Owen Dumm.
Sadly, this is an old problem. Untold numbers have died while waiting for the FDA to approve treatments. We are fighting this.
We have a campaign asking Congress to make the FDA’s rulings advisory only. Families and their doctors must be free to make their own choices.
This is consistent with our overall support for consumer-controlled government. Citizens must be allowed to choose what services they want from The State. They should not have things forced upon them with threats of violence.
Individual conscience must rule.
John Owen Dumm’s family has made their assessment. They want Eteplirsen. It is evil for the FDA to deny them their right to choose. Please use our FDA campaign to ask Congress to intervene on John Owen Dumm’s behalf. The hardwired letter for that campaign reads…
Make the FDA advisory, not mandatory.
Add to this the following letter (or some edited version of it)…
Pending this legislative change in the FDA’s ability to control the people it presumes to serve, please tell the FDA to approve the drug Eteplirsen for use by those suffering from Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
I ask this on behalf of John Owen Dumm from North Royalton, Ohio, and for every other child who suffers from this terrible disease.
I know the FDA can approve Eteplirsen quickly. It did this for the HIV drug cocktail. Without that decision AIDS would have killed millions. The HIV success happened because public demand caused Congress to pressure the FDA. In other words….
**I know you can save children like John Owen Dumm by intervening with the FDA on their behalf.**
Must children like John Owen Dumm die because their disease lacks the political clout to touch your conscience?
Be clear about this: It is morally permissible for the FDA to advise, but morally wrong for it to dictate. Treatment choices belong to individuals, not presumptuous guardians who use threats of violent punishment to impose their arrogant preferences.
Please contact the FDA today. I am told that it is best to directly question…
Russell G. Katz, MD
Director, Neuropharmacological Drug Products
Food and Drug Administration
You need do no research. What the parents want is all that matters!
In fact, I don’t want you to insult me by writing back with any justifications for denying the Dumm family what they want.
— END —
You can easily send your letter to Congress using Downsize DC’s Educate the Powerful System.
If you’re interested in taking further direct action, please write a personal appeal to Dr. Katz (title and office division are provided in the letter above). Send your letter to his attention at…
10903 New Hampshire Ave
Silver Spring, MD 20993
Thank you for your prompt action to save John Owen Dumm’s life.
Jim Babka
President
DownsizeDC.org, Inc.
You can follow Jim Babka on Twitter @JimBabka