Lotronex Action Group Newsletter				
Issue #3
Feb. 2, 2001

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Visit the Lotronex Action Group's website at:  
http://geocities.com/lotronexactiongroup/index.html. 

Any information for the LAG website can be sent to [email protected]


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Lotronex Action Group Mission Statement

The Lotronex Action Group seeks immediate access to the medicine 
Lotronex (alosetron hydrochloride) under compassionate use or 
investigational new drug guidelines while avenues for continued 
marketing are explored between GlaxoSmithKline and the Food and Drug 
Administration. Moreover, the LAG ultimately seeks permanent access 
and safe distribution of the medicine to those diagnosed with IBS-
Diarrhea. 

The Lotronex Action Group believes the medicine to be safe, if 
dispensed properly, and that the benefits of Lotronex far outweigh 
the potential risk for adverse side affects. 

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An introduction to Coordinator Tom Bell:

"I have had IBS for at least 10 years.  I am also a psychologist
in 
private practice near Nashville and an experimental print and web 
poet with an international reputation and numerous publications. 
I'm 
currently developing a website/gallery for display of art, poetry, 
and webpoetry by people with chronic illnesses (IBS is one of those) 
called Methaphor/Metonym for Health at 
http://members.tripod.com/~trbell/metaphor/metapho.htm
I am married and have 2 adolescent daughters who are slowly leaving 
the nest."

Tom is the Medical Coordinator for the Lotronex Action Group.  Many 
thanks to Tom for his hard work and dedication!

Next week's letter will feature a short bio on our 3rd
coordinator, 
Richard Fireman.

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News from the Coordinators:

Denise Grady with the New York Times wrote an extensive article on 
Lotronex in Tuesday's science section, which included Richard and 
Corey.  You can read the article on the web via our new website, 
where there is a link to the New York Times.  Jeff will be posting a 
thank you letter from the LAG to Denise Grady and will also post the 
latest email from the LAG to Dr. Woodcock.   

Also, there is a petition on the web page for getting Lotronex back 
on the market.  Everyone, please fill it out and encourage your 
family, friends, and doctors to fill it out as well!

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What can you do to help?  

In last week's newsletter 
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lotronex/message/811) Coordinator 
Corey Miller confirmed that the FDA and GSK had a meeting on 
returning Lotronex to the market and were currently in negotiations.  

What we need to do now:  Keep writing the FDA and GSK to encourage 
them to work together in formulating an effective program that will 
bring Lotronex back to us!  Contact the FDA and GSK and express the 
urgency of the issue since everyone is either out of the medicine or 
running out.  Now that the two parties are talking, we need to make 
sure this is resolved ASAP.

FDA's address is:  
Food and Drug Administration
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, Maryland 20857 

Or contact the FDA by phone at:  1-888-INFO-FDA (1-888-463-6332).  
If you wish to contact them by email, you can use their feedback form 
at http://www.fda.gov/comments/webform.html. 

Contact GlaxoSmithKline CEOs at the following addresses:

U.S. CEO - Mr. David Stout, Glaxo SmithKlein, 5 Moore Drive, Research 
Triangle Park, NC  27709.

U.K. CEO - Mr. J. P. Garnier, Glaxo SmithKlein, Berkeley Avenue, 
Greenford, 
Middlesex, U.K.  UB60NN

Thanks to Maria Zargo for providing the addresses!  For more 
information, refer to her post at  
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lotronex/message/829

Address and contact information is also posted on the web page and in 
the database section of e-groups.  

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Reminders:

Any information for the LAG website can be sent to [email protected]

Discuss your IBS symptoms and get news, research, help and more on 
www.ibsgroup.org

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If you have any ideas/comments/feedback for the newsletter, please 
email them to Jocelyn at [email protected]