FAIR NEWSLETTER 

FAIR Reaches Vice President Cheney

As reported in FAIR's October Newsletter, we exposed the favoritism towards AIDS exhibited by Journalist Gwen Ifill when she moderated the Vice Presidential debate. We relayed our objections to Ms. Ifill, President Bush, Vice President Cheney and to hundreds of journalists nationally. The Vice President has been informed of our efforts as evidenced by a letter we received from the Special Assistant to the Vice President. (Note: Our government is spending $40 for research on VP Cheney for his illness, cardiovascular disease, compared to $3,084 on each AIDS patient.)

Unfair Governmental Research Policies
not Limited to Bias towards AIDS

The FAIR Foundation's Home Page now alerts all visitors to our site of a stunning fact: the governmental research allocation for the “Health Effects of Climate Change” is greater than the money spent for EACH of the following: brain cancer, cystic fibrosis, cerebral palsy, cervical cancer, child leukemia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Crohn’s Disease, Down Syndrome, emphysema, epilepsy, Fibromyalgia, Hodgkin’s Disease, the flu (influenza), multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, SIDS, spinal cord injury, stem cell research, uterine cancer and many others.

A FAIR Request to
Hollywood Star Kathleen Turner

On her national radio program "American Dialogue," Hollywood star Kathleen Turner recently featured Dr. Judith Auerbach, Vice President, Public Policy, for the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR). We have requested equal time to present opposing views and we present interesting financial statistics on amfAR. Read it here.

"Overspending on AIDS is Killing Us"

Attorney, author and journalist, Michael Fumento has been a contributor to our newsletters before with his insightful comments. Once again he shows no hesitation in discussing AIDS favoritism in research funding in this excellent article.

Opinion Editorials Continue
FAIR's National Exposure

FAIR Foundation members continue to submit opinion
editorials to their local newspapers in support of change
in our government's research policies and this month we
profile FAIR member, Phyllis Wit and thank her for her
advocacy. At 80 years of age, Phyllis is clear evidence
that advocacy for fair and equitable research distribu- tions transcends all ages. Read her powerful 11/17/04 Op-ed here.

A John's Hopkins Researcher, AIDS & FAIR

Approximately 13 million Americans have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD = chronic bronchitis, emphysema, asthma). 887,000 are estimated by the Centers for Disease Control as having AIDS. COPD kills more than 7 times the number of Americans as AIDS yet $3,084 is spent on each AIDS patient versus only $5 (yes, five dollars) on each COPD patient. Is it possible a person who does research in acute lung injury would support present governmental policies that allow this imbalance? Amazingly, yes. Read it here as well as our response.

Focus Disease: Hepatitis B (HBV)

•  Hepatitis B is the most common serious liver infection in the world. It is caused by the hepatitis B virus that attacks the liver. The virus is transmitted through blood to blood contact and infected bodily fluids (e.g. by contaminated needles, saliva, semen or by sharing pierced earrings, razors or toothbrushes). It also can be transmitted from an infected woman to her newborn during the delivery process.

•  Hepatitis B is global: 2 billion people have been infected (1 out of 3) with HBV and 400 million are chronically infected. In addition, 10-30 million people are infected each year.

•  Hepatitis B is deadly: An estimated 1 million people die each year from hepatitis B and its complications.

•  Hepatitis B in the USA: There are 1.25 million Americans with
   hepatitis B and approximately 240,000 new cases of
   hepatitis B infection occur here annually.

•  Hepatitis B causes great suffering: People with HBV have a variety of symptoms including: fatigue and exhaustion; fever, muscle or joint pain, loss of appetite, mild nausea and vomiting. Advanced disease symptoms include severe nausea and vomiting, yellow eyes and skin ("jaundice"), bloated or swollen stomach (ascites), vomiting blood and mental confusion (encephalopathy).

• Hepatitis B prevention & treatment: HBV can be prevented with a safe and effective vaccine. For the 400 million people worldwide who are already chronically infected with hepatitis B, the vaccine is of no use and drugs such as lamivudine, Interferon-alpha and Adefovir-dipivoxil are available. Liver transplant is an effective treatment when liver failure occurs.

• Hepatitis B Support is available: Online support is available from the "Hepatitis B Information and Support List" founded by HBV Advocate Steve Bingham. Adoptive and biological parents of children living with chronic hepatitis B or C, and HIV are invited to participate at PKIDs Email Support List. Adoptive or biological parents of children living with hepatitis B are invited to participate at HBV Adoption Support List. You may find a support group in your city from "Hepatitis Magazine."

• Fairness? The NIH is spending 40 million on Hepatitis B ($32 per patient) in research versus almost 3 Billion on HIV/AIDS ($3,084 per patient). That's not fair.

• Hepatitis B  & The FAIR Foundation: Hepatitis B and all other diseases except HIV/AIDS would receive larger research allocations under the FAIR Foundation's recommended policies.

Please help us to change Congress and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). JOIN free and confidentially today. We also hope you will post this Newsletter in chat rooms, internet support groups, and forward it to your associates, friends and relatives with your recommendation that they join you as a member. With strength in numbers, we WILL achieve fair and equitable NIH distributions for Hepatitis B as well as ALL other diseases. 

Facts on Hepatitis B from the Hepatitis B Foundation,700 East Butler Avenue, Doylestown, PA  Email: info@hepb.org   

The FAIR Foundation
78629 Bougainvillea Drive, Palm Desert, CA 92211  
E-mail: FAIR@dc.rr.com

Mission Statement: The FAIR Foundation is dedicated to fair and equitable distribution of research funds by the NIH for all diseases, including the 16 that kill a million more Americans than AIDS. A disease’s mortality rate shall be given emphasis in determining allocations and other secondary factors shall be utilized to insure diseases that cause great suffering but have low mortality rates will also receive significantly increased funding.

FAIR is an acronym for Fair Allocations In Research. FAIR is fair.