Fight FOR--US--Access to Medical Treatment Act

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Thu, 7 Jul 2005 14:25:55 -0700 (PDT)

Fight FOR--US--Access to Medical

Treatment Act

 

 

 

 

Finally something to fight FOR

 

 

http://healthy.net/scr/news.asp?Id=7750

Access to Medical Treatment Act Introduced to House of Representatives

 

Provided by American Association for Health Freedom on 6/27/2005

 

Back to Healthy News

 

The American Association for Health Freedom (AAHF) has been working

for passage of the Access to Medical Treatment Act (AMTA) since its

inception. This bill would not only guarantee consumers access to the

full range of therapies, it would also protect licensed healthcare

practitioners from censure and harassment for using so-called

alternative therapies.

 

Not only does the AMTA expand patients' options, it helps ensure

patients' safety. In addition, it returns the decision-making

authority to the patient, and reinforces the sanctity of the

doctor-patient relationship.

 

We're proud to announce that Access to Medical Treatment Act was

recently introduced in the House by Representatives Burton and DeFazio

(H.R. 2792) and we expect the Senate to reintroduce it shortly. There

have been changes to the bill to make it stronger. Language (taken

from reimportation bills) names the countries that the medical

treatment may come from (Section 3.4) and are as follows: a member

country of the European Union or the European Free Trade Association,

Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or Japan.

 

We will have to prepare for significant opposition from organizations

such as the American Medical Association, the American Heart

Association, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Federation

of State Medical Boards, and others. To counteract that opposition and

to help build awareness of this crucial bill, we will be contacting

other organizations to endorse the bill as well as healthcare

practitioners. We have created a strong AMTA presence on our website

(visit www.healthfreedom.net/AMTA/default.asp and have developed a

cohesive strategy to raise awareness of AMTA and to encourage

Congressional support.

 

But we can't do it alone. Please visit our website, read about the

bill and take action. Contact your representatives. Tell your friends

about the bill. If you're an organization or healthcare professional

contact AAHF (office) and let us know that you

endorse AMTA. Additionally, if you are aware of therapies that may be

covered by this bill, please let us know.

 

Brenna Hill

Executive Director

American Association for Health Freedom

PO Box 458

Great Falls, VA 22066

703 759-0662

www.healthfreedom.net

 

Send a letter to the following decision maker(s):

 

Your Congressperson

 

Below is the sample letter:

 

Support H.R. 2792, AMTA

 

Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],

 

Every year, Americans with severe chronic or terminal diseases and

their doctors face an FDA Catch-22. Access to Medical Treatment Act

(AMTA), HR 2792 would help fix this dilemma. I am writing to ask for

your support and sponsorship this crucial bill.

 

This is truly a patients' Bill of Rights. It returns the

decision-making authority to the patient, and reasserts the sanctity

of the doctor-patient relationship. Most importantly, it gives

American consumers access to the many drugs and therapies that are

available to people all over the world, but which cannot be sold in

the United States.

 

Today, we have a two-tiered medical system: one track for people who

can afford to fly to Germany or Italy or Canada for life-enhancing and

life-saving treatments; and one track for the rest of us. As a result,

we are literally encouraging a black market in such things as cancer

and arthritis treatments. We are also condemning millions of Americans

to a life of pain and even premature death because th means only the

wealthy can afford the best healthcare.

 

This bill contains numerous patient protections, including strict

informed consent procedures. Patients must visit an authorized

practitioner to access unapproved drugs and devices. Practitioners may

not exceed their scope of practice or advertise unapproved drugs or

devices. Information about beneficial results must be reported to the

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at NIH, and

information about negative results must be reported to the Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention. Even one adverse event will result in

the unapproved product being removed from the market.

 

I believe -- and hope you agree -- that it is possible for Americans

to decide if they want to use a particular therapy and that it is

possible for their physicians to know if a therapy will help a

patient. Americans should not be denied full access to medical

treatments in their own communities when there is no evidence that an

FDA unapprove

 

Sincerely,

 

What's At Stake:

 

American Association for Health Freedom believes that AMTA balances

patient protection with increased freedom to select from a much wider

range of products. It also returns the decision-making to the

practitioner and patient, where it belongs. The bill also helps

prevent the creation of a two-tiered medical system in which only the

wealthiest and best-educated Americans have access to products used in

other countries. By making these products available here, in a safe

and controlled environment, patients will no longer fall prey to snake

oil salesmen peddling unproven cures, or depend on a black market in

non-FDA approved drugs. In addition, valuable information will be

collected and disseminated to patients and practitioners alike.

 

Access to Medical Treatment Act - Permits any individual to be treated

by a health care practitioner with any medical treatment that the

individual desires (including a treatment that is not approved,

certified, or licensed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services)

if: (1) the practitioner agrees to treat the individual; and (2) the

administration of such treatment does not violate licensing laws..

Authorizes health care practitioners to provide any method of

treatment to such an individual if certain requirements are met.

Requires a practitioner to report: (1) administering such treatment

and discovering it to be a danger to an individual; and (2) the

positive effects of an unconventional medical treatment for a

life-threatening medical condition. States that nothing in this Act

shall in any way adversely affect the distribution or sale of dietary

supplements.

 

2004. American Association For Health Freedom. All rights

reserved. 9912 Georgetown Pike Suite D-2, P.O. Box 458. Great Falls,

Virginia, 22066