Dear Dr. ________:

I am a psychologist in private practice.  I am concerned about recent 
events surrounding the release and then recall of the drug Lotronex.  I
am concerned about the people involved who were given a brief respite
from the emotional and physical pain of their illness, only to have
relief snatched away again.  I am also concerned about a number of
scientific and social questions this raises and the impact on the
public's view of science.

In March of 2000, GlaxoWellcome, Inc. restored the lives of hundreds of
thousands of men and women who suffered with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, a
little-understood and currently incurable gastrointestinal disease which
affects about twenty percent of the population. GlaxoWellcome's
introduction of Lotronex (alosetron hydrochloride) gave freedom from
fecal incontinence, physical and emotional pain, repeated embarassment,
and lives turned upside-down.  As you may know, Lotronex gets at the
underlying cause of diarrhea-predominant IBS by blocking seratonin
receptors in the gut.  At present, no other such medication is
available.

Then in November of 2000, because of the inability of GlaxoWellcome and
the FDA to come to an agreement, GlaxoWellcome withdrew Lotronex from
the marketplace, depriving these men and women of a successful treatment
and leaving  their lives again in shambles.

I am a member of the Lotronex Action Group, which has formed on the
internet. It is entirely independent and has no connection with any drug
manufacturer or any other commercial interest.  The Lotronex Action
Watch Group seeks the scientific community's cooperative effort in
uncovering the issues surrounding the withdrawal of Lotronex and in
promoting corrective action. As a fellow scientist, please join me in
endorsing this brief statement and also pass it along to colleagues and
co-workers for their endorsement.

The Lotronex Action Group has looked into available information
regarding the unfortunate withdrawal of Lotronex from the market and
has urged the parties involved to sit down and resolve their differences
so that it can remain available in the best interest of patients.  The LAG
especially urges that the medication be made available to those people
currently taking it until the differences are resolved, and is seeking
support for a Congressional Inquiry into the situation.

As a [YOUR PROFESSION], I endorse this statement ____________.

Further information about the Lotronex Action Group, the lack of
agreement between GlaxoWellcome and the FDA, and the impact and treatment of
Irritable Bowel Syndrome is available through the group (lotronex@egroups.com),
and on our website at http://www.geocities.com/lotronexactiongroup/index.html.
Please feel free to contact us with your comments and suggestions.

Sincerely,

Thomas Bell, Psy.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
2518 Wellington Pl.
Murfreesboro, TN 37128

Responses can be postal mailed or faxed to:

LOTRONEX ACTION GROUP
13512 Sunshine Valley Rd
Grass Valley, CA  95945

Fax: (530)272-1629