Fw: [Mr_Tracys_Corner] fined $250,000

November 21, 2003

Just received this dastardly news.

Cheers, Doug

-

Val

Mr_Tracys_Corner

Friday, November 21, 2003 9:57 AM

[Mr_Tracys_Corner] fined $250,000

-

" walt " <kortron

Thursday, November 20, 2003 10:36 AM

[asthmacured] Fw: [illusions] Fw:

Death of the newsletter and my FMS/CFIDS website??

>

> -

> Dominie Bush

> Theresa

> Thursday, November 20, 2003 2:08 AM

> Death of the newsletter and my FMS/CFIDS website??

>

> Dear Newsletter Readers,

>

> 1. I was contacted today by a leading attorney whose job it is to warn

those

> who give advice related to health conditions on the internet. This is now

illegal,

> unless you are a medical doctor. My website at http://www.fms-help.com is

not

> in compliance with FTC regulations.

>

> 2. Beginning Jan. 1, 2004, the FTC will begin a " sting operation " where

someone

> will email or call to ask for help with a health problem. Should the

kind-hearted

> soul reply with some advice, they can be fined $250,000--yep, that's a

quarter

> of a million dollars(!) if they are not a medical doctor. I asked the

attorney

> if the FTC would sue companies or individuals and was told that the FTC

isn't

> putting up with it anymore and that individuals will be sued.

>

> 3. Because of this, I can no longer trust that people who write to me are

actually

> FMS/CFIDS sufferers. I will still be accepting email at dom

but

> may not reply.

>

> 4. The attorney was most sympathetic with the use of nutritional

supplements,

> because of a family member with serious health problems that drugs

couldn't help.

> The person suffered serious side effects and is now using ONLY nutritional

supplements

> and doing much better. The attorney even enthusiastically endorsed a

popular

> nutritional supplement in the course of our conversation.

>

> 5. The attorney said that Sen. Richard Durbin of Illinois is trying to

get rid

> of dietary supplements and described him as " the meanest man on the

planet. "

> My husband looked up Sen. Durbin's website and found an email address to

write

> to him: dick My husband also found a good letter on

the

> net at http://joeclarke.net/vitamins.htm (It's called, " Hey Government,

Don't

> Take Away My Vitamins. " ) There are many more letters out there too, I've

found.

>

> 6. Well, I have been in tears and grieving the loss of the website and

newsletter

> most of the day. I need to do something VERY QUICKLY about my website,

but I

> have no idea what! Please PRAY for me to know what to do! Many of you

have

> been with me for years and we have had the most wonderful relationship of

support

> and caring. I will always treasure that!!!

>

> 7. What happened to my freedom of speech?....Or is that only reserved for

pornographers

> now?! How can I get information out to people with FMS/CFIDS, if I can't

say

> anything because I am not a doctor?!!?? I am stumped!

>

> 8. My monthly newsletter is really YOUR newsletter, because much of the

information

> comes from you and I pass it on via the newsletter to others who suffer

with

> FMS/CFIDS. This is now against FTC regulations and they will be enforced

and

> I could be sued.

>

> 9. The information on my website at http://www.fms-help.com has helped

many

> people around the world and even prevented suicides. For the past 7

years, I

> have had calls and emails from thousands of people who desperately needed

information

> and help in dealing with their fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Their

> doctors have failed them and no one really understands what it's like

unless

> you have these conditions yourself. When you consider that Dr. Kervorkian

has

> " helped " 4 women with FMS/CFIDS to end their lives, you realize the

desperation

> and hopelessness in the hearts of many with chronic " invisible " illness.

>

> 10. My FMS/CFIDS website has been on the net since 1996, but it appears

to now

> be coming to an end. At the very LEAST, I will have to severely curtail

the

> information I offer on my site in the next few weeks to avoid being fined.

If

> there's anything you want on my site at http://www.fms-help.com, you may

want

> to print it out now before it is taken down.

>

> 11. The attorney said that NO health condition can be mentioned along with

a

> nutritional supplement or advice of some kind. For example, when I say in

my

> tips site that magnesium helps the muscle stiffness of fibromyalgia, that

is

> a NO NO! All words have to be in " secret code " almost. Here are some

examples:

>

> You can't say A.D.H.D. - You CAN say " trouble concentrating "

> You can't say pain - You CAN say " discomfort "

> You can't say insomnia - You CAN say " difficulty sleeping "

> You can't say menopause - You CAN say " change of life "

> You can't say fibromyalgia - Now I'm really stuck! Maybe I should

say-- " severe

> discomfort in my body, count sheep all night, feel like an old lady, can't

stand

> up for more than 15 minutes, think negative thoughts, have to lie down to

rest

> frequently, can't stop my mind from thinking, have to go the bathroom a

lot,

> etc. "

>

> 12. See " Stop Senator Durbin's Ban of Health Foods " at

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/pol/18242201.html

> There are many more sites on the net about Senate Bill 722. Simply type

in

> these words at http://www.google.com -- Sen. Durbin's ban on nutritional

supplements

> bill--and you will get a lot of websites about this. I have already

written

> a letter to Sen. Durbin and ask you to do the same if this crisis in

American

> health is of importance to you.

>

> 13. I may be pulling my site down at http://www.fms-help.com soon so I

can work

> on it to try to make it compliant. That will be a mammoth job and I'm not

sure

> that I have the time or skills to do it. I am also concerned that if and

when

> I relaunch it, it will say next to nothing, like many other sites that

have been

> targeted by the FTC. They have been watered down to where there's almost

no

> point in reading them.

>

> 14. I am especially saddened because helping fibromyalgia patients has

been

> my life's work for the past 7 years and I believe was a calling from God.

I

> was glad that my 14 years of suffering hadn't been in vain--that what I

learned

> from dealing with FMS/CFIDS since 1982 could actually help other people

to not

> have to go through all the torments of this illness that I did. But this

can

> no longer be.....and I don't know what to do with all the love and caring

I feel

> in my heart toward those who are still suffering? I am in tears! How can

I

> help if I can't say what helps??!! It is so confusing!

>

> 15. I will be giving much thought and prayer about what to do next.

Thank you

> for all your contributions in the past years to the newsletter. We sure

have

> been a caring and supportive group of people and I have learned as much

from

> you as you have learned from me. The attorney told me that the newsletter

had

> great information in it, but is illegal. Frankly, I don't know how to

write

> a newsletter that uses only the " approved " language and never mentions

advice

> or a nutritional product in relation to a disease condition. What about

all

> those companies on the radio and TV who are marketing their brand of

calcium

> for people's " osteoporosis " ?? I presume they will also be targeted?

>

> 16. I feel that I am being muzzled. I hate it. I am hurting and

confused.

> Thank you for your prayers for me to know what to do. If my website

disappears

> for awhile and you don't get any more newsletters, it's because I am

either working

> on trying to make it compliant and still saying something of value, or I

have

> given up on it. I had the December 2003 newsletter almost ready to go and

it's

> a great one! Was just putting some finishing touches on it, but will not

be

> able to send it now, since the whole concept of the fibromyalgia

newsletter violates

> the FTC regulations (of giving people advice for a disease condition when

you

> are not a doctor).

>

> I am open to any thoughts or suggestions you may have. I may not write

back,

> but will be reading everything you write!

>

> Faithfully yours,

>

> Dominie Bush

> 904-291-4168

>

November 21, 2003

Just received this dastardly news.

Cheers, Doug

- Val

Mr_Tracys_Corner

Friday, November 21, 2003 9:57 AM

[Mr_Tracys_Corner] fined $250,000

- "walt" <kortron<asthmacured >Thursday, November 20, 2003 10:36 AM[asthmacured] Fw: [illusions] Fw: Death of the newsletter and my FMS/CFIDS website??>> - > Dominie Bush> Theresa> Thursday, November 20, 2003 2:08 AM> Death of the newsletter and my FMS/CFIDS website??>>> Dear Newsletter Readers,>> 1. I was contacted today by a leading attorney whose job it is to warnthose> who give advice related to health conditions on the internet. This is nowillegal,> unless you are a medical doctor. My website at http://www.fms-help.com isnot> in compliance with FTC regulations.>> 2. Beginning Jan. 1, 2004, the FTC will begin a "sting operation" wheresomeone> will email or call to ask for help with a health problem. Should thekind-hearted> soul reply with some advice, they can be fined $250,000--yep, that's aquarter> of a million dollars(!) if they are not a medical doctor. I asked theattorney> if the FTC would sue companies or individuals and was told that the FTCisn't> putting up with it anymore and that individuals will be sued.>> 3. Because of this, I can no longer trust that people who write to me areactually> FMS/CFIDS sufferers. I will still be accepting email at dombut> may not reply.>> 4. The attorney was most sympathetic with the use of nutritionalsupplements,> because of a family member with serious health problems that drugscouldn't help.> The person suffered serious side effects and is now using ONLY nutritionalsupplements> and doing much better. The attorney even enthusiastically endorsed apopular> nutritional supplement in the course of our conversation.>> 5. The attorney said that Sen. Richard Durbin of Illinois is trying toget rid> of dietary supplements and described him as "the meanest man on theplanet."> My husband looked up Sen. Durbin's website and found an email address towrite> to him: dick My husband also found a good letter onthe> net at http://joeclarke.net/vitamins.htm (It's called, "Hey Government,Don't> Take Away My Vitamins.") There are many more letters out there too, I'vefound.>> 6. Well, I have been in tears and grieving the loss of the website andnewsletter> most of the day. I need to do something VERY QUICKLY about my website,but I> have no idea what! Please PRAY for me to know what to do! Many of youhave> been with me for years and we have had the most wonderful relationship ofsupport> and caring. I will always treasure that!!!>> 7. What happened to my freedom of speech?....Or is that only reserved forpornographers> now?! How can I get information out to people with FMS/CFIDS, if I can'tsay> anything because I am not a doctor?!!?? I am stumped!>> 8. My monthly newsletter is really YOUR newsletter, because much of theinformation> comes from you and I pass it on via the newsletter to others who sufferwith> FMS/CFIDS. This is now against FTC regulations and they will be enforcedand> I could be sued.>> 9. The information on my website at http://www.fms-help.com has helpedmany> people around the world and even prevented suicides. For the past 7years, I> have had calls and emails from thousands of people who desperately neededinformation> and help in dealing with their fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.Their> doctors have failed them and no one really understands what it's likeunless> you have these conditions yourself. When you consider that Dr. Kervorkianhas> "helped" 4 women with FMS/CFIDS to end their lives, you realize thedesperation> and hopelessness in the hearts of many with chronic "invisible" illness.>> 10. My FMS/CFIDS website has been on the net since 1996, but it appearsto now> be coming to an end. At the very LEAST, I will have to severely curtailthe> information I offer on my site in the next few weeks to avoid being fined.If> there's anything you want on my site at http://www.fms-help.com, you maywant> to print it out now before it is taken down.>> 11. The attorney said that NO health condition can be mentioned along witha> nutritional supplement or advice of some kind. For example, when I say inmy> tips site that magnesium helps the muscle stiffness of fibromyalgia, thatis> a NO NO! All words have to be in "secret code" almost. Here are someexamples:>> You can't say A.D.H.D. - You CAN say "trouble concentrating"> You can't say pain - You CAN say "discomfort"> You can't say insomnia - You CAN say "difficulty sleeping"> You can't say menopause - You CAN say "change of life"> You can't say fibromyalgia - Now I'm really stuck! Maybe I shouldsay--"severe> discomfort in my body, count sheep all night, feel like an old lady, can'tstand> up for more than 15 minutes, think negative thoughts, have to lie down torest> frequently, can't stop my mind from thinking, have to go the bathroom alot,> etc.">> 12. See "Stop Senator Durbin's Ban of Health Foods" athttp://philadelphia.craigslist.org/pol/18242201.html> There are many more sites on the net about Senate Bill 722. Simply typein> these words at http://www.google.com -- Sen. Durbin's ban on nutritionalsupplements> bill--and you will get a lot of websites about this. I have alreadywritten> a letter to Sen. Durbin and ask you to do the same if this crisis inAmerican> health is of importance to you.>> 13. I may be pulling my site down at http://www.fms-help.com soon so Ican work> on it to try to make it compliant. That will be a mammoth job and I'm notsure> that I have the time or skills to do it. I am also concerned that if andwhen> I relaunch it, it will say next to nothing, like many other sites thathave been> targeted by the FTC. They have been watered down to where there's almostno> point in reading them.>> 14. I am especially saddened because helping fibromyalgia patients hasbeen> my life's work for the past 7 years and I believe was a calling from God.I> was glad that my 14 years of suffering hadn't been in vain--that what Ilearned> from dealing with FMS/CFIDS since 1982 could actually help other peopleto not> have to go through all the torments of this illness that I did. But thiscan> no longer be.....and I don't know what to do with all the love and caringI feel> in my heart toward those who are still suffering? I am in tears! How canI> help if I can't say what helps??!! It is so confusing!>> 15. I will be giving much thought and prayer about what to do next.Thank you> for all your contributions in the past years to the newsletter. We surehave> been a caring and supportive group of people and I have learned as muchfrom> you as you have learned from me. The attorney told me that the newsletterhad> great information in it, but is illegal. Frankly, I don't know how towrite> a newsletter that uses only the "approved" language and never mentionsadvice> or a nutritional product in relation to a disease condition. What aboutall> those companies on the radio and TV who are marketing their brand ofcalcium> for people's "osteoporosis"?? I presume they will also be targeted?>> 16. I feel that I am being muzzled. I hate it. I am hurting andconfused.> Thank you for your prayers for me to know what to do. If my websitedisappears> for awhile and you don't get any more newsletters, it's because I ameither working> on trying to make it compliant and still saying something of value, or Ihave> given up on it. I had the December 2003 newsletter almost ready to go andit's> a great one! Was just putting some finishing touches on it, but will notbe> able to send it now, since the whole concept of the fibromyalgianewsletter violates> the FTC regulations (of giving people advice for a disease condition whenyou> are not a doctor).>> I am open to any thoughts or suggestions you may have. I may not writeback,> but will be reading everything you write!>> Faithfully yours,>> Dominie Bush> 904-291-4168>>