Childrens Needs Ignored by Grassley and Schumer

So eager are they to get their share of cheap publicity off the baseball story, Senators Schumer and Grassley haven’t bothered to research the needs of children.  Typical! 

Here is a press release from the Magic Foundation which deals specifically with the needs of children who have human growth hormone problems.  To properly credit sources I  found this “Business Wire” release on at www.earthtimes.org .

OAK PARK, Ill. – (Business Wire) Congress is set to vote on a bill this week that would add Growth Hormone to the U.S. Controlled Substances Act as a Schedule III substance. The MAGIC Foundation supports preventing and abolishing illegal prescriptions and distribution of growth hormone. However, the new bill does not contain any provisions specific to the needs of children who medically need the drug. Growth hormone is erroneously perceived as a drug used exclusively for physical gain. Growth hormone deficient children need growth hormone to maintain a healthy heart, immune system, and much more other than physical growth.

We ask Congress to vote NO on Senate Bill S877/House Bill 4911 as it currently stands. Provisions must be made to protect children who will be affected. If passed, this bill will be detrimental to children’s health.

Making growth hormone a Schedule III medication raises innumerable questions. For example:

An estimated 2 million children in this country are affected by short stature and many more have a problem that may radically affect the quality of their lives. For decades, families of children with a medical need for growth hormone therapy have faced discrimination from insurance companies and other parties regarding their child’s need for this vital hormone therapy. Parents of children in need of growth hormone are not only concerned about their child’s height when faced with the decision to utilize growth hormone therapy; they are also concerned about the non-physical factors that affect the long-term quality, possibly even the length of life that a child may have if they do not have the hormone.

It would be unconscionable for Congress to move this legislation without taking into consideration its impact on the families of affected children.

About The MAGIC Foundation

The MAGIC Foundation is a national nonprofit organization providing support services to the families of children afflicted with chronic and critical disorders, syndromes, and diseases that affect their growth. For more information, contact 708-383-0808, or visit www.magicfoundation.org.

The MAGIC Foundation
Jamie Harvey, 708-383-0808
jamie@magicfoundation.org

So, I am encouraging everyone to send a quick email to their congressman or senator.  Ask them to delay the bill long enough to let the parents of children in need have their say.  There is no need to be in a big hurry.  The republic won’t crumble if they take an few extra weeks and do decent job of writing new legislation.

You don’t need to say that you are totally against the idea of better regulation of human growth hormone.  You just want them to slow down and do their job properly.  After all, children are far more important than athletes.

An interesting side note. 

According to an article in USA Today, human growth hormone is already covered by a law that makes distribution of hgh without a prescription a felony punishable by a sentence of up to ten years in prison.   Maybe, Congress should come up with a plan to enforce the existing law before passing a new one. 

Those are the kinds of charges Brian McNamee was facing before getting immunity from the goverment.

An obviously enraged parent just left a great comment on another post.  We greatly encourage all of you to read the post and the comment.