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Gordon Irlam
326 "A" St
Redwood City, CA 94063
(650) 364 6169
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President George W. Bush
The White House
Washington, DC
Fax: (202) 456 2461
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January 25, 2001
Dear President Bush,
I am one of the founders of Postini, a 70 employee software
company based in Redwood City, California. I am also one of an
increasing number of people in America that have tested positive to
tuberculosis (TB). I wish to alert you to the growing threat TB
posses to public health, and the urgent need to take action to combat
this threat worldwide.
I was fortunate. I was effectively treated with an inexpensive six
month course of the drug Isoniazid. The process however has made me
very aware of the threat TB and other infectious diseases
pose to public health, and
especially the new threat posed by Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis
(MDR TB).
Key issues regarding TB and other infectious diseases:
- TB and other infectious diseases are global diseases that do not respect national boundaries.
Worldwide 8 million people develop TB each year and 2 million
people are killed by TB each year.
- 10-15 million Americans are now infected by the bacteria that
causes TB.
- TB can be treated very inexpensively with the necessary drugs
costing only $10-20 per person in the developing world.
- Unfortunately the lack of proper treatment for TB has lead to the
development of Multi-Drug Resistant strains of TB.
Attempts to treat MDR TB costs hundreds of thousands
of dollars and offer only around a 50% chance of survival.
- The number of cases MDR TB is not well established but worldwide
is now certainly in the many millions.
Urgent action is needed to ensure TB is treated properly and
prevent a worldwide public health
emergency.
As a result of the serious threat posed by TB and MDR TB, I urge
you to take the lead in setting the agenda on this important
issue with Congress by allocating at least $200m in your 2002 budget
proposal
to control the spread of TB and other infectious diseases worldwide.
Thanking you for your consideration of this matter.
Gordon Irlam
Founder,
Postini Inc.