Small News/Politics Graphic Access to Medical Treatment Act Nears Reintroduction
by Michael Evers From Natural Healthline

Democratic Congressmen Peter DeFazio of Oregon and Republican Joe Barton of Texas have teamed up to introduce the Access to Medical Treatment Act in the House. The Senate is expected to follow, with likely sponsors Tom Daschle (D-SD), Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT).

DeFazio and Barton have distributed a "Dear Colleague" letter to their fellow House members seeking original co-sponsors for the bill, which is expected to be introduced on or soon after Feb. 3. Here are some excepts from their letter:

"Health care reform requires more than just access to conventional treatments."

"Conventional treatments have monopolized the market and shut out complementary and alternative treatments. While pharmaceutical drugs have proven effective in treating many infectious communicable diseases (i.e. pneumonia, meningitis, smallpox, etc.), they have not proven as successful in treating degenerative and costly diseases, such as cancer, Alzheimer's and heart disease."

"The 'Access to Medical Treatment Act' will allow individuals to be treated by any legally authorized health care practitioner with any method of medical treatment the individual requests as long as there is *no evidence the treatment causes harm* and the patient is fully informed about the treatment and its possible side effects. The bill will ensure patient choice, expand the selection of medical treatments available for illness, and give many patients who face life threatening afflictions another option when conventional methods fail."

In the meantime, you can learn more about the Access legislation by visiting the Natural HealthVillage Web site and reviewing testimony given at a hearing on last term's bill July 30, 1996 before the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources. Also there are copies of last year's Access bill, in text and PDF formats, and speeches by key sponsors in the House and Senate.

http://www.netvillage.com/townhall/federal/access2med.html

You can also use the site to contact your Senator by email at:

http://www.netvillage.com/townhall/federal/ussenemail.html

House Members can be emailed from:

http://www.netvillage.com/townhall/federal/ushouseemail.html

You may also call the Capital switchboard at 1-800-962-3524. and ask to speak with your Congressman or Senator.


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