Date: Wed, 6 Oct 1999 17:06:44 -0500

Organization: TDN

Toxic Discovery Network, Inc. 1906 Grant Lane Columbia, MO. 65203

Phone: (573) 445-0861 Fax: (573) 445-8539

URL:http://www.plateauconsulting.com

OCTOBER IS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

Let Us Also Make It Breast Implant Awareness Month!

Write your Member of Congress this month!

This month, hundreds of events are being staged across the country to heighten awareness of breast cancer. Organizers hope to highlight promising research, which will increase the chances for women to live free of breast cancer.

Many women who have survived breast cancer have fought a second battle with silicone breast implants. Their stories need to be heard in order for policymakers and opinion leaders to fully understand the issues surrounding breast implants. As part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we are asking breast cancer survivors who have or have had silicone breast implants to contact their Senators and Representative to urge their support of The Silicone Breast Implant Research and Information Act (S. 1075, H.R. 1323).

Please share this notice with your fellow survivors.

Encourage Members of Congress to support this legislation because:

? The Food and Drug Administration has never approved silicone or saline breast implants. They are only available through clinical trials.

? Twenty to thirty percent of breast implant patients opt for implants for reconstructive purposes (i.e. mastectomy for cancer or other indications).

? Women considering getting implants for any reason need to know that many women experience:

1. infections, chronic breast pain, hardening of their breast, breast deformity and implant rupture;

2. inaccurate mammography readings due to the implant concealing breast tissue which is critical to detecting a reoccurrence of cancer (studies show that up to 35% of the breast tissue can be obscured by implants);

3. difficulties with health insurance coverage to pay for the high costs of repeated surgeries and explantation.

? The legislation would create an infrastructure at the National Institutes of Health to ensure that impartial, scientifically sound research on silicone gel breast implants takes place.

? The legislation would force the Food and Drug Administration to bolster its informed consent procedures and institute better follow-up mechanisms to consumer complaints about clinical trials and implants.

If you are writing your Senators, please urge them to support S. 1075. Letters to Senators should be addressed to:

The Honorable (First name and last name)

U.S. Senate

Washington, DC 20510

Salutation: "Dear Senator (Last name only):"

If you are writing your Representative, please urge him or her to support H.R.1323. Letters to Representatives should be addressed to:

The Honorable (First name and last name)

U.S. House of Representatives

Washington, DC 20515

Salutation: "Dear Representative (Last name only):"