MARK 0. HATFIELD, OREGON, CHAIRMAN

. TED STEVENS, ALASKA ROBERT C. BYRO, WEST VIAGINGA
THAD Mississirrt DANIEL K. INOUYE, HAWAM
ARLEN SPECTER, PENNEYLVANUA ERNEST F. HOLUINGS, SOUTH CAROLINA
CeewstOrnien s. CONG aassount PANO D LEATY, VERMONT c
Se corre naan Sete ne AS, casey WBnited States Senate
CONRAD irae BARBARA A meu MARYLAND TTE ~
INCHAAD C. SHELBY, ALABAMA HARRY BID, NEVADA” COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Re = ¢ CE 1 V ED u
3000 GnESG, NeW HAMrorane vere Kone WiSCONGIN WASHINGTON, DC 20510-6025
ROBERT F. BENNETT, UTAH PATTY MURRAY, WASHINGTON A i: “ 25 :
BEN NIGHTHORSE CAMPBELL, COLORADO 9%b APR - 2

JAMES H. ENGLISH. MINORITY STAFF DIRECTOR

Harold Varmus, M.D.

Director

National Institutes of Health
9000 Rockville Pike

Bethesda, MD 20892

Wi EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAL

Dear Dr. Varmus:

I am writing to you to address two issues of concern to me regarding
the National Institutes of Heaith. I would like information on the
matters addressed below prior to my Subcommittee’s hearing on your
budget, currently set for May 16th.

I appeared on the “America’s Talking” network show “Pork,” on March
13, 1996, on an episode which addressed a alternative medicine.
Specifically, the commentator focused on an NIH clinical trial of two
prescription drugs for the treatment of benign prostatic hypertrophy. I
was told that the clinical trial will evaluate two prescription drugs,
but will not include saw palmetto which Drs. Franklin Lowe and Julian
Whitaker, both of whom were also guests on the broadcast, recommended as
a powerful and safe remedy for BPH. Dr. Whitaker alleged that saw
palmetto is not included in the clinical trial because the NIH is “hand
in glove” with the pharmaceutical companies which manufacture the two
drugs being tested in the clinical trial. Can you coument on that
allegation? Can you explain why saw palmetto is not being included in
the BPH treatment trial? Has the NIH tested saw palmetto as a treatment
for BPH? Are alternative therapies incorporated into any of NIH’s
clinical trials?

The second issue I want to address is the enclosed Washington Post
article from February 8, 1996, regarding the exchange of scientific
information. The article summarizes the findings of Dr. Steven
Rosenberg, of your staff, which were published in the New England Journal
of Medicine. Can you see any way in which we can ensure or encourage the
exchange of information for the advancement in medical research? How can
we re-focus medical research to encourage collaboration and make medical
results and not financial rewards the primary objective?

I appreciate your attention to these issues, and look forward to
addressing them with you at the fiscal year 1997 budget hearing.

Sipserely,

 

Subcommittee on Labor, Health and
and Human Services, and Education
AS: ch
Enclosure