Still no treatment in Europe for the 14 million FMS patients trapped in pain!

From the FMS Global News Desk of Jeanne Hambleton (UK)

Press Release from ENFA – 29.04.2009

Brussels, (29.04.2009)

Last week was high on activities for the Fibromyalgia community, on one hand the European Network of Fibromyalgia Associations (ENFA) met with the European Health Commissioner Ms Androulla Vassiliou1. And on the other hand the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) gave another negative decision for a treatment for fibromyalgia in Europe2.

Ms. Pam Stewart, Vice-President of European Network of Fibromyalgia Associations (ENFA) and chairman of the trustees of Fibromyalgia Association UK, said one of the biggest challenges that the patients have been facing is the lack of officially recognised medical treatment options in the European Union.

By comparison there are three drugs in the United States of America approved by the Food and Drug Administration: Cymbalta from Eli Lilly, Lyrica from Pfizer and recently authorised Savella from Forest and Cypress (Pierre Fabre).

Last October, Cymbalta received a negative decision from the EMEA and last week was the turn of Lyrica said Ms Stewart. One dossier is still remaining to be evaluated by the EMEA: Savella. Each of these drugs has a limited success and judged alone leads to their failure to get approval.

However with a full range of treatment options, more people with fibromyalgia could have reduced levels of pain. This could enable them to embark on a management programme to significantly improve their quality of life said the Vice President.

“We are constantly hearing from people diagnosed with fibromyalgia that their doctor tells them there is no treatment because no approved guidelines or medications are available. Medical professionals that do not have time to research treatment options should have clearly signposted guidelines for effective treatment options. No one should be sentenced to a life of pain, she said.

“Patients across Europe are currently using these medicines off label. However, the European Medicines Agency told European Network of Fibromyalgia Associations that this is a common situation already faced in other disease areas such as cancer, and the situation with off label use cannot be taken into consideration in the assessment of medicines for which a marketing authorisation is sought.

“The difference with Fibromyalgia is that patients in the UK, for example, are unlikely to be prescribed any of these effective drugs because they have not been officially approved for Fibromyalgia. Patients are left with inadequate treatment options and although these drugs can be purchased over the Internet, this means their use is not monitored and people could be at the mercy of unscrupulous suppliers, which could put their lives at risk,” said Ms. Stewart.

Another example, coming from Germany, concerns the social status of patients since they are labeled as “depressive patient” for their life insurance or health insurance in order to have their drugs fully reimbursed by the National Health Insurance. In order to get any effective medicines, doctors should not diagnose fibromyalgia at all because the medicines are not indicated for fibromyalgia.

At the same time, an ENFA delegation was meeting with the European Health Commissioner Ms. Vassiliou. The meeting was only a natural step, concluding ENFA’s activities on the ‘European Institutions Fibromyalgia Awareness Campaign’ launched in 2008 on World Fibromyalgia Day.

Since the commencement of the campaign last May, with the support from 418 Members of the European Parliament, the Written Declaration on Fibromyalgia was adopted by the European Parliament in December 2008. The written declaration was necessary to raise awareness to all the European politicians from the 27 member states. It also helps create a mapping of the disease status disparity across Europe and increase awareness of better diagnosis and treatment.

“However, we realised that without any officially approved treatment options available, it was almost impossible to properly raise awareness of Fibromyalgia. The patient petition with over 27,000 signatures from all over Europe that MEP Adamou voluntarily hand delivered to the Health Commissioner, clearly demonstrates the frustration from the fibromyalgia community and strong and urgent needs to have treatment options to be officially available. The Fibromyalgia community is left with one hope to see maybe Savella drug approved before the summer. But unfortunately, the hope for a multiple choice of treatment in Europe seems to be lost.

“The European Network of Fibromyalgia Associations and all its associations have for years raised awareness on Fibromyalgia among national and European politicians, health professionals and the general public, and will keep on being active as long as it is necessary,” the Vice President.

About ENFA

ENFA is a network of patient association and support groups working in close consultation with the national association in the relevant country. Our joint missions are to conquer the myths and misunderstandings around Fibromyalgia. The network will help collectively push forward the boundaries which currently exist in understanding, experiencing and treatment of Fibromyalgia. Our main goal is to see Fibromyalgia receiving the recognition it deserves across Europe as an illness in its own right.

About Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a complex disease with chronic widespread pain as the defining symptom and various additional symptoms including fatigue, non-restorative sleep, morning stiffness, irritable bowel and bladder, restless legs, depression, anxiety and cognitive dysfunction often referred to as “fibro fog.” All of these symptoms cause serious limitations in patients’ ability to perform ordinary daily chores and work and severely affect their quality of life. Fibromyalgia imposes a large economic burden on society as well as on affected individuals. A study shows that an average patient in Europe consults up to 7 physicians and takes multiple medications over 5-7 years before receiving the correct diagnosis. The debilitating symptoms often result in lost work days, lost income and disability payments.

In fact, a Dutch study in 2005 estimated that the average annual cost of fibromyalgia was €980 million in the Netherlands. Research in the UK has shown that diagnosis and positive management of Fibromyalgia reduce healthcare cost by avoiding unnecessary investigations and consultations.

For more information on the European Network of Fibromyalgia Associations (ENFA) contact Ms. Pam Stewart Vice-President of ENFA Brussels@enfa-europe.eu; http://www.enfa-europe.eu.
1 On Wednesday 22 April in Strasbourg, for more information visit http://www.enfa-europe.eu; 2 On Thursday 23 April in London, for more information visit http://www.emea.europa.eu

WOMEN IN NETS CLAIMING TO BE TRAPPED IN PAIN IN 8 EUROPEAN CITIES

From the Fibromyalgia News Desk of Jeanne Hambleton

PRESS RELEASE Embargoed until 7.3.09

Brussels, (07.03.2009) – This Saturday has not only been marked by the International Women’s Day but also by the European action day on Fibromyalgia. While normal people were doing their usual Saturday’s shopping, the European Network of Fibromyalgia Associations and its Member Associations gathered together in eight European cities centres to expose their situation as women-patients suffering from fibromyalgia.

Simultaneously at 16:00 (Brussels time) in Paris, London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Brussels, Dublin, Milan, Lisbon and Madrid a passive demonstration took place where fibromyalgia community members trod the pavements of these cities.

The actual main issue around Fibromyalgia is that currently in Europe there is no recognized treatment whereas in the USA there are already 3 medicines available.

“This year has been declared the year against fibromyalgia by the European arm of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP-EFIC) and for this reason ENFA, as the European umbrella of fibromyalgia organisations wish to inform as much as possible not only diagnosed patients, but the general public, medical professionals, policy makers and politicians” says Pam Stewart, ENFA’s vice-president.

“Early diagnosis, diagnosis, treatments and information are still lacking for the estimated 14 million patients in Europe” says Robert Boelhouwer, ENFA’s president. “We have to keep on mobilizing the general public but also the politicians by having regular action days and awareness campaigns. This is the first event in 2009; the next one will take place in May on the occasion of the “International Fibromyalgia Awareness Day”, then in September and October. We will keep on fighting until we get a full and clear recognition of our disease, starting with a treatment approved for Europe,” he added.

Last December, 418 Members of the European Parliament from the 27 European countries expressed their wish to the European Commission and to the Member States to help raise awareness of the condition and facilitate access to information for health professionals and patients, by supporting European and national awareness campaigns; to encourage Member States to improve access to diagnosis and treatment; to facilitate research on fibromyalgia through the work programmes of the EU 7th Framework Programme for Research and future research programmes; and finally to facilitate the development of programmes for collecting data on fibromyalgia. The European Parliament has been the first European Institution to answer the call of the fibromyalgia community. The European Commission has been also recently been contacted but no reaction has came from them yet.

Fibromyalgia is a complex disease with a variety of symptoms in addition to the defining symptom – chronic widespread pain. These include fatigue, non-restorative sleep, morning stiffness, irritable bowel and bladder, restless legs, anxiety and cognitive dysfunction often referred to as “fibro fog.” All of these symptoms cause serious limitations in patients’ ability to perform ordinary daily chores and work and severely affect their quality of life. Some scientists believe that there is an abnormality in how the body responds to pain, and particularly a heightened sensitivity to stimuli.

Fibromyalgia imposes large economic burdens on society as well as on affected individuals. A study shows that an average patient in Europe consults up to 7 physicians and takes multiple medications over 5-7 years before receiving the correct diagnosis. The debilitating symptoms often result in lost work days, lost income and disability payments. Research in the UK has shown that diagnosis and positive management of Fibromyalgia reduce healthcare cost by avoiding unnecessary investigations and consultations.

Contact:Mr. Robert Boelhouwer President European Network of Fibromyalgia Associations (ENFA)
ENFA contact@enfa-europe.eu – http://www.enfa-europe.eu

EUROPEAN NETWORK of FIBROMYALGIA ASSOCIATIONS

From the News Desk of Jeanne Hambleton

PRESS RELEASE -28.01.2009

 

The European Medicines Agency (EMEA) are to  have a consultation with a delegation from the European Network of Fibromyalgia Associations (ENFA) in an attempt to understand the need for medical treatments for fibromyalgia in Europe.

Brussels – Following an invitation by the EMEA, the European Network of Fibromyalgia Associations (ENFA) has agreed to attend a consultation meeting with EMEA, where ENFA representatives will share their knowledge and experiences related to the disease of Fibromyalgia that some 14 million Europeans are suffering from.  One of the biggest challenges that the patients have been facing is the lack of officially recognized medical treatment options in the European Union whereas there are three drugs in the United States of America approved by the Food and Drug Administration: Cymbalta from Eli Lilly, Lyrica from Pfizer and recently authorised Savella from Forest & Cypress.

 

The European Declaration 69/2008 on Fibromyalgia that has been recently adopted by the European Parliament, symbolizing the awareness raised around Fibromyalgia, calls for actions on specific issues from European Institutions to improve healthcare surrounding the disease, e.g. investment in research and provision of better diagnosis and treatment.  In addition, the European Health Commissioner Ms. Vassiliou’s remarks (E-6262/08EN) on the treatment of Fibromyalgia demonstrates encouraging willingness of the European Commission to address various concerns laid out in the Declaration on Fibromyalgia.

“We hope that this new drive on Fibromyalgia awareness will bring the end to the impasse of medical treatment for Fibromyalgia patients in the EU”, said Mr. Robert Boelhouwer, President of ENFA. 

Fibromyalgia is a complex disease with a variety of symptoms in addition to the defining symptom – chronic widespread pain. It is estimated that 14 million people in Europe suffer from fibromyalgia and the condition is more prevalent with women (87%).  Fibromyalgia imposes large economic burdens on society as well as on affected individuals. The debilitating symptoms often result in lost work days, lost income and disability payments. Due to lack of awareness, on average patients in Europe see 3-4 physicians and take multiple medications over the course of several years before they receive a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia.

Mr. Boelhouwer said, “Increasing awareness of Fibromyalgia among healthcare professionals and patients will bring enormous benefits to patients, healthcare providers and the society in general by managing the burden of the disease.” he continues, “Having this in mind, ENFA welcomes the proactive role that both the European Parliament and the European Commission have taken up in raising the awareness of Fibromyalgia.”

 

 

Contact:  European Network of Fibromyalgia Associations (ENFA)

Mr. Robert Boelhouwer President of ENFA

contact@enfa-europe.eu  - www.enfa-europe.eu

 About ENFA

ENFA is a network of patient association and support groups working in close consultation with the national association in the relevant country. Our joint missions are to conquer the myths and misunderstandings around Fibromyalgia. The network will help collectively push forward the boundaries which currently exist in understanding, experiencing and treatment of Fibromyalgia. Our main goal is to see fibromyalgia receiving the recognition it deserves across Europe as an illness in its own right.

---

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/QP-WEB/application/home.do?language=EN

 

 

Declaration of the European Parliament on fibromyalgia (1.26.2.)

From the News Desk of Jeanne Hambleton 

Bulletin EU 1/2-2009 - Health and consumer protection (2/3) PROVISIONAL VERSION

1.26.2. Declaration of the European Parliament on fibromyalgia.

Adopted by the European Parliament on 13 January. Parliament called on the Council and the Commission to:

develop a Community strategy on fibromyalgia in order to recognise this condition as a disease;
 

help raise awareness of the condition and facilitate access to information for health professionals and patients, by supporting EU and national awareness campaigns;
 

encourage Member States to improve access to diagnosis and treatment;
 

facilitate research on fibromyalgia through the work programmes of the seventh framework programme for research and technological development and future research programmes;
 

facilitate the development of programmes for collecting data on fibromyalgia.

Growth hormone as concomitant treatment in severe fibromyalgia associated with low IGF-1 serum levels. A pilot study.

Cuatrecasas G, Riudavets C, Guell MA, Nadal A.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: There is evidence of functional growth hormone (GH) deficiency, expressed by means of low insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) serum levels, in a subset of fibromyalgia patients. The efficacy of GH versus placebo has been previously suggested in this population. We investigated the efficacy and safety of low dose GH as an adjunct to standard therapy in the treatment of severe, prolonged and well-treated fibromyalgia patients with low IGF-1 levels.

METHODS: Twenty-four patients were enrolled in a randomized, open-label, best available care-controlled study. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either 0.0125 mg/kg/d of GH subcutaneously (titrated depending on IGF-1) added to standard therapy or standard therapy alone during one year. The number of tender points, the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and the EuroQol 5D (EQ-5D), including a Quality of Life visual analogic scale (EQ-VAS) were assessed at different time-points.

RESULTS: At the end of the study, the GH group showed a 60% reduction in the mean number of tender points (pairs) compared to the control group (p<0.05; 3.25+/-0.8 vs. 8.25+/-0.9). Similar improvements were observed in FIQ score (p<0.05) and EQ-VAS scale (p<0.001). There was a prompt response to GH administration, with most patients showing improvement within the first months in most of the outcomes. The concomitant administration of GH and standard therapy was well tolerated, and no patients discontinued the study due to adverse events.

CONCLUSIONS: The present findings indicate the advantage of adding a daily GH dose to the standard therapy in a subset of severe fibromyalgia patients with low IGF-1 serum levels. Trial Registration: NCT00497562 (ClinicalTrials.gov).

PMID: 18053120 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

FMS Global News

Fibrohugs Support

Tenderpoints Newsletter

Source

Phoenix Rising Researcher of the Year, Paper of the Year and Top Ten Papers

by Cort Johnson © 2007

This is coming a bit late but I encourage you to take a look back at 2006.

2006- “The Year of Innovation” – was a extraordinarily interesting year in ME/CFS as researchers again and again applied cutting edge technology in their efforts to understand it These efforts resulted in important advances Phoenix Risingin gene expression, heredity, brain research, the search for a biomarker and more. 2006 also produced the most clear cut (and controversial) winner of the Research Group of the Year award. Check these papers out – they give one hope for the future.

● The Phoenix Rising Research Group of the Year

● The Research Paper of the Year and the Top Ten

A new edition of the newsletter will be coming up soon as well as an end of year edition focusing on ME/CFS stories.

Yours truly,

Cort

Coping styles in fibromyalgia: effect of co-morbid posttraumatic stress disorder.

Ablin JN, Cohen H, Neumann L, Kaplan Z, Buskila D.
Institute of Rheumatology, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, 6 Weizman St., Tel-Aviv, 64239, Israel, ajacob@post.tau.ac.il.

To analyze coping styles of fibromyalgia (FM) patients with specific emphasis on differences in coping styles between fibromyalgia patients with and without post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Seventy-seven consecutive patients (40 women and 37 men) who fulfilled ACR criteria for FM, and 48 healthy controls, completed questionnaires measuring prevalence and severity of PTSD symptoms, including the structured clinical interview for DSM-III-R-non-patient edition (SCID-NP) and the clinician administered PTSD scale (CAPS). Subjects were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of PTSD symptoms. Subsequently, coping styles were measured using the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (AECOM) Coping Style Questionnaire. Student t tests were used to compare the means of quantitative variables, and proportions were compared by Chi square tests. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the scores of the FM patients with and without PTSD, as well as to estimate the effect of gender on psychiatric variables. FM patients exhibit significantly higher levels of suppression (P < 0.00001), help-seeking (P < 0.007), replacement (P < 0.003), substitution (P < 0.002), and reversal (P < 0.004) compared with healthy controls. FM patients with PTSD and without PTSD differed significantly only on the suppression subscale (P < 0.02). FM patients that have PTSD presented higher suppression scores compared to FM patients without PTSD. No significant difference was noted on scales of minimization, help-seeking, replacement, blame, substitution, mapping, and reversal. Our results have delineated coping patterns of FM patients, identifying suppression, help-seeking, replacement, substitution and replacement as strategies more common among these patients. We further identified suppression as the only coping style significantly more common among FM patients with co-morbid PTSD then among FM patients without such a diagnosis. Our results may serve to further characterize cognitive and behavioral aspects of FM patients and subsequently guide therapeutic interventions.

PMID: 18058105 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

1: Rheumatol Int. 2007 Dec 6 [Epub ahead of print]

FMS Global News

Fibrohugs Support

Tenderpoints Newsletter

Source

CONGO ON DOGGIE DEATH ROW GETS WORLDWIDE SUPPORT AND TV PUBLICITY FOR HIS REPRIEVE

by Jeanne Hambleton © Without prejudice
NFA Leader Against Pain

Last month I wrote the sad story of a German Shepherd dog called Congo who had been sentenced to death, and who is now on a temporary reprieve awaiting a final verdict.

His crime was doing what all dogs do – protecting the ones he loved – his family while in his own garden. Congo was alleged to have attacked a landscaper who the owners claim had attacked his mistress, and his puppies and the female German Shepherd.

On a video of a CBS TV report from the American News Channel 25 Congo was shown playing ball as a normal family pet with the James children, while posing no threat to the TV film crew or the on scene reporter in the 10 acre garden where the dog is confined pending sentence.

Congo is still awaiting news of whether he will be let off or if he will be condemned to death for doing what comes naturally, protecting his own family at home.

Meanwhile the court is reported to have said nothing will happen to Congo until an appeal is heard by a higher court. It is thought this will now be scheduled for the New Year.

While Congo waits unaware of what the future might hold, worldwide support to save him pours into Princeton while people continue to sign the petition to SAVE CONGO. The James family who are glad of the support from dog lovers everywhere who believe Congo did the right thing protecting his family, but others ion the television interview are quoted as saying they believe any dog that bites is unsafe.

As a reporter I would ask, ‘Is this regardless of the circumstances?’

To me this sounds like sentencing someone to death before you have actually listened to what they are saying. Congo was after following his natural instinct – to protecting. It is alleged this was not an unprovoked attack. Here in the UK we are considered innocent until proven guilty – hopefully with a fair trial. But I understand one court official has confirmed that Congo will have a fair hearing.

Glen and Elizabeth James, Congo’s owners, have vowed to fight all the way to save their two-year-old beloved pet called.

I am delighted CBS TV have highlighted Congo’s story on their website and included a video with pictures of Congo and an interview with the family.

My thanks to Diane sending me the fist news about Congo and to FMS Global News who circulated the news worldwide to help us gain support to SAVE CONGO.

I will be keeping an eye on this story and let you know if Congo’s story has a happy ending. I hope so. Talk soon Jeanne

To look at the recent video of the story a reported by CBS TV News follow this link.

http://wcbstv.com/seenon/german.shepard.doggie.2.566960.html

If you would like to read the original stories published on November 15 and 20 log on to

http://jeannehambleton77.wordpress.com/2007/11/15/a-fibromite-and-a-woeful-tail/

http://jeannehambleton77.wordpress.com/2007/11/20/congo-gets-temporary-reprieve-while-judge-receives-death-threats/

FMS Global News

Fibrohugs Support

Tenderpoints Newsletter

GULF WAR VETERANS NEED YOUR SUPPORT

by Jeanne Hambleton © 2007
NFA Leader Against Pain-Advocate

Have you ever come across the R.E.S.C.I.N.D. website. Started in the 1990s by Tom Hennessy (now a very sick man who thought up the idea of an International Awareness Day – May 12) and his friends Nancy Solo, Paula Carnes, Maryka Ford, Lucie Dorais, Roger Burns and Chip Davis

It is important that I stress no copyright infringement is meant as this is not published for any financial gain, however I do have the permission of Tom Hennessy to use material from the websites.

But possibly due to Tom’s long and protracted illness the site has found a new home and appears to have been revamped. We wish you well Tom.

http://www.geocities.com/capitolhill/4277/

It appears this site is right up to date with the latest news about the problems associated with the Gulf War Syndrome and CFS/ME, FMS and other related problems thanks to Eileen Marshall and   Margaret Williams. I have apparently missed this news in my two newspapers. Perhaps I should give up reading the comic strips. But seriously….

Obviously a public inquiry relating to the Gulf War Syndrome has been rumbling on for some time and eventually the Lloyd Report from the Public Inquiry, carried out by the Rt. Hon. Lord Lloyd of Berwick, was published in November 2004. The brief was “To investigate the circumstances that have led to the ill health and in some cases death, of over 6,000 British troops following deployment to the first Gulf War, and to report on it.”

For more details of the report look at the Gulf War Illnesses Public Inquiry website.
http://www.lloyd-gwii.com/
According to the new R.E.S.C.I.N.D. website at ‘geocities’ above and Eileen Marshall and   Margaret Williams
http://www.counciloftruth.com/content/view/154/65/
The Ministry of Defence is to officially recognise Gulf War Syndrome after a 17-year campaign for justice by ex-military servicemen.

For 17 years the Ministry of Defence refused to recognise that Gulf War Syndrome existed. However, now Defence Minister Lord Drayson has backed down following pressure by Manchester peer Lord Morris. Lord Drayson said: 
“The issue of Gulf War Syndrome will be fully recognised by the Ministry of Defence and I accept on behalf of the MoD that this issue has not been handled well from the
beginning.

“The department was slow to recognise the emerging ill-health issues and to put measures in place to address them. We have apologised for this and I repeat that apology today.”

The belated apology has come too late for many servicemen. Thanks to government cover-ups many of these servicemen lost their lives for serving their country.

The website claims the Ministry of Defence are experts at covering up their failures and obstructing justice – now they need to follow the recommendations in the Lloyd Report and compensate the servicemen who suffered Gulf War Syndrome.     

Watch the video “Gulf War Syndrome – Killing Our Own”:
 If you log on to this website you can see the video.

http://www.counciloftruth.com/content/view/154/65/
Linking with this address you can keep the pressure on Gordon Brown too by signing this petition.

Before you do, it is interesting to read this website’s definition of the Gulf War Syndrome symptoms – sounds familiar?

GULF WAR SYNDROME (GWS)
Gulf War illnesses are a collection of disorders that for the most part can be
diagnosed and treated, if effective programs exist to assist veterans, and in some
cases their immediate family members. Although these illnesses are complex and have
multi-organ signs and symptoms, a proportion of these patients can be identified as
having Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) and/or Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS).
Nicolson GL, Nicolson NL, Institute for Molecular Medicine

Log on to this address for access to the petition

http://www.counciloftruth.com/content/view/154/65/ and click where it talks about Gordon Brown and the petition. This will take you to
http://www.petitiononline.com/gwsdrb/petition.html%20 In the Search box type Gulf War Syndrome Petition and click Search
This will reveal a number of on-line petitions but the one you want is the first one
“Gulf War Syndrome Implement the Recommendations of the Lloyd Report” and this will reveal the petition. It takes no time at all and you are asked to verify your signature. So easy all on line.
http://www.petitiononline.com/gwsdrb/petition.html
Do remember these lads are fellow sufferers who fought for their country. They need our support. I believe it has been running about 5 weeks and it has a poor 95 signatures. We can do better than that, can’t we?
The Petition is also on Facebook as a Group at
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=5383334893
It reads:
To:  Gordon Brown, British Prime Minister
******************************
Petition British Prime Minister Gordon Brown to implement the recommendations of The Lloyd Report on Gulf War Syndrome ******************************

The gauntlet laid down for Gordon Brown:

Some 250,000 of the returning allied forces from the first Gulf War in 1991 (15 per cent) went down with illness that they insist was related to their service in that war. Of these, 10,000 are already dead.

Successive governments over the years have refused to recognise the existence of a single condition called Gulf War Syndrome and so the impasse continues.

On 14 June 2004 it was announced that there was to be a Public Inquiry into the illnesses suffered by veterans returning home from the first Gulf War.

This public inquiry was chaired by The Rt Hon The Lord Lloyd Of Berwick and on 17 November 2004, the inquiry published its report -The Lloyd Report on Gulf War Illnesses, commonly referred to now as The Lloyd Report.

The following are the 3 R’s of The Lloyd Report that Gordon Brown needs to accept:

1. REALISATION – realisation it IS Gulf War Syndrome
Paragraph 283 of the Lloyd Report:
283. It seems to us that with the termination of any legal proceedings against the MOD, and with the results of the three epidemiological surveys to hand, now is the time to reach agreement with the veterans. This was the strong thrust of Lord Craigís evidence. The MOD could initiate the process by taking the following steps: -
(1) The MOD should acknowledge publicly that the veterans who have made
claims (other than the 272 who have had their claims rejected) are indeed
suffering injury or disease as a result of their service in the Gulf.
(2) Since the name of the injury or disease is only a label for wrapping the
symptoms from which the veterans are undoubtedly suffering, the Ministry of
Defence should accept the name favoured by the veterans, i.e. Gulf War
Syndrome, as the most convenient label.

2. RECOMPENSE – Recompense Veterans

Paragraph 283 of the Lloyd Report continues:
(3) The MOD should set up a fund out of which ex gratia payments should be
made on a pro-rata basis to all those who have made successful claims.
(4) The 272 Claimants who have had their claims rejected should have those
claims reviewed in the light of this report.

3. RECOMMENDATION – The Government needs to follow the Recommendations of The Lloyd Report

Paragraph 224 of the Lloyd Report:
…. the picture is already sufficiently clear to enable the MOD to acknowledge forthwith that the illnesses of the Gulf War veterans, who have had their claims accepted, are attributable to their service in the Gulf. To wait for further research into the pathology would, after fourteen years (***now 16 years***), be a denial of justice to the veterans.

Is it no wonder that Dr B has been in touch with Sir Sean Connery, Jerry Weintraub, SKG and others with A View To A …Film! What happened to Nixon after Watergate and All the Presidents Men?

This year we have seen pressure on the Government as follows:
*28 January 2007: Wartime “forces sweetheart” Dame Vera Lynn branded the “endless” legal wrangling over payments to veterans of the first Gulf War a scandal. Dame Vera and ex-Formula One champion Sir Jackie Stewart wrote to the then Chancellor, Gordon Brown, accusing the Ministry of Defence of “haggling”.

*8 May 2007: A recent poll of 121 MPs from all parties found that more than 70 per cent thought that the Government’s actions towards ex-Service people suffering from Gulf War Illnesses had been very poor or inadequate.

The Lloyd Report resume also nails the need as follows:

“10. We come last to the question of compensation. This did not figure largely in the evidence of the veterans themselves. But it figured in the evidence of Lord Craig, Major General Craig, Paul Tyler MP, Michael Mates MP, Colonel Terence English and others. Lord Craig (Lord Craig of Radley, Marshal of the Royal Air Force, Chief of the Defence Staff throughout the Gulf War) said that the absence of closure after so many years was now indefensible. ‘A little magnanimity’ was called for, and an ‘imaginative one-off approach’. Mr Mates told us that what was needed was a political act of will.

“A minister has to say ‘this will be done’ and then it is done.”

We call on Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, to intervene now, without further delay

If you wish to call on Gordon Brown for “a little magnanimity”, to implement the recommendations of The Lloyd Report, then this is the petition to sign!
Sincerely,

The Undersigned

I believe this is just wonderful news and I really hope it does materialise. Let us also hope this a precedent and will bring benefit to our soldiers who are currently at war elsewhere on our behalf.

There is lots more to read on the Internet if you type in Gulf War Syndrome petition.

Please sign now – tell your friends, family, everyone you email, stir up some magnificent support. Our troops deserve our backing – it would seem the Government has been slow in giving them any backing.

Do it now. I have.

Jeanne

Additional Information:

FMS Global News

Fibrohugs Support

Tenderpoints Newsletter

CONGO GETS TEMPORARY REPRIEVE WHILE JUDGE RECEIVES DEATH THREATS

by Jeanne Hambleton © 2007
Without prejudice

Those of you who made the effort to save the life of Congo, a two-year-old German Shepherd Dog, will be delighted to hear he has a temporary reprieve and is back home with his family. Thanks to all those who telephoned, wrote and sent emails in answer to an earlier response to save this dog who was doing what you would expect – protecting his home and family. Although confined to his own home and gardens Congo has been given a temporary stay of execution.

It is alleged Congo fought with a landscaper after the female GSD and their puppies became the victims of an assault and the lady of house had been pushed to the ground.

According to The Times newspaper in New Princeton USA on Friday November 16 2007, and their writer Linda Stein, Congo appeared in court, muzzled and full of high spirits. He had been detained in the town’s Animal Shelter called Save a Friend since the alleged attack early in June – five months ago. At the weekend Congo was reunited with the James family and the female German Shepherd bitch.

Inside the court Congo was pleased to see his family and was keen to rekindle his friendship with the eldest son, Brandon, who is 14 years old.

Earlier a lower court judge had ruled Congo was a vicious dog, which meant an automatic death penalty. But Superior Court Judge Mitchel Ostrer sanctioned a consent order giving the family pet a reprieve order subject to an appeal of the lower court judge’s ruling that Congo should be put to death.

The Superior Court Judge ruled that while Congo waits for the final outcome of the appeal, he must wear a muzzle and a leash outside the home of the James family. Fortunately Congo has a 10 acre garden and subject to the fencing being secure he will still have room to roam but only on the family’s land. Should he require medical treatment Congo will need the court’s permission to leave home?

But these inconveniences are a small price to pay while his life hangs in the balance. The notice of appeal of the Municipal Court Judge Russell Annich Jr.’s ruling has already been filed according to Linda Stein’s report.

Mercer County Assistant Prosecutor Doris Galuchie, who also signed the consent form for Congo’s release, said realistically she did not expect a date would be set for the appeal hearing before January. A transcript of the two day Municipal Court hearing had been requested by Ms Galuchie. It is said the Prosecutor owns a pet dog.

She assured the press that Congo would get a fair hearing but that all the relevant laws would need to be considered before the appeal was heard. Until then Congo would remain under “house arrest” with the James.

The Times reported that Municipal Court Judge Russell Annich Jr. continued to uphold his ruling relating to Congo regardless of the death threats he had received and hundreds of emails, letters and telephone calls with 100 protests from animal and dog welfare supporters.

There is little doubt the laws relating to dogs who fight off an attack on their own home ground while protecting the family and their property, need to be carefully looked at and if necessary amended. Some would say this dog deserved a medal for his bravery and selflessness.

Some years ago I had a black Labrador bitch that was ready to lay down her life for my son and her family. Her nose and face were badly cut as she broke the inside glass panel of the double glazing on the front door while an intruder tried to force the lock, unsuccessfully thankfully. I too would have fought through the courts to save that dog’s life. She was protecting my 11 year old son, who was in the house on his own at the time.

Oddly enough until then we did not regard her as a guard dog – just a big old softie who rolled around the floor with the children giving rides and being dressed in the kid’s clothes by the children. This Labrador was always a placid and even-tempered dog. I would make the same claims for my Great Dane, my last dog, although finding her the other side of the front door would be a rude awakening for an intruder. She was also unlikely to bark to make you aware of her presence either.

These days I have a burglar alarm linked to the police station. It is cleaner, (no pooper scooping), less effort and walking (but I do miss the exercise and the admiration she received) and it is also soul destroying (I do miss her companionship). Nothing can replace the welcome, wagging tail, and the pleasure a dog can bring when you arrive home. They do not even ask where you have been or how much you have spent….. The downside to owning a dog is when it dies. It hurts for a long long time and nothing replaces the emptiness.

Starting from when I was a child I have owned about ten different breeds of dogs. I am hoping when I get to Heaven (perhaps I should have said ‘if’) that they will all be waiting wagging their tails and be pleased to see me. I will get plenty of exercise then. Folk would have you believe there is a doggie heaven….I have no proof to the contrary…do you?

I hope Congo wins his battle and enjoys a long and happy life with his family.

What do you think? Would you stand by your dog for protecting you or your child? Do you think the laws should be changed or amended for dogs that are protecting their family and their home regardless of what damage they do to the offender? Surely the intruder or those making an assault should be punished – not the dog.

Let us hear from you with your views? Maybe we can change some opinions – who knows?

Jeanne

FMS Global News

Fibrohugs Support

Tenderpoints Newsletter