EMAIL FROM MARY BAKER TO
JIM DOBBIN MP, APPGITA
January 31, 2011
Dear Mr Dobbin,
Since I last wrote to you all newspapers have successfully managed not to print the 30 year benzo cover-up scandal, which should have made the headline news, but was only published by the Independent newspaper on the 7th November 2010. Even though all newspaper were well aware of this story at the time, they still refused to print it, and we are wondering what initiative prompted them to keep silent on this grave issue of public health of not wanting to warn the public. The benzo news has been successfully buried - we know that, and that is where it will stay for many more years as another scandalous cover-up, unless urgent action is taken now.
Given the above, and given that you have met and spoken with Anne Milton Public Health Minister on the 8th of December 2010, and are in communication with her, we are wondering what initiatives, if any, Ann Milton has set in place or actioned to protect the unsuspecting patients? Have letters been sent to warn all doctors that benzos do course brain damage in some people? If not why not.
I would like to make a suggestion to APPGITA on how to move things forward - because if this news does not get out, then more unsuspecting patients, recently prescribed benzos, will be damaged for life. Plus doctors should know that they are prescribing a brain damaging drug - and that it is a lottery which or how many patients will become permanently brain damaged.
We need APPGITA to initiate a press release of the 30 year cover-up. All interested MPs and Peers to take part by endorsing and signing the press release. Hopefully the story will get printed. If it dose not get printed, then we must assume there is no hope whatsoever of tackling benzo issues. Also, continuing dialogue with the DoH has gone on for many years previously - but that's all it is, dialogue, and no action whatsoever has ever been taken.
Benzo Campaigners, like myself, have done our very best in trying to get the news out - but newspapers, for whatever reason, just will not print it. The news first broke in the UK and this is where everything should be happening, but it is not. Other countries are waiting for a lead from the UK - are they, like us, waiting in vain?
I list a few ideas for the Press Release below.
We want letters sent, WARNING TO ALL GPs about the dangers of prescribing benzos to new patients
We want that all GPs are WARNED not to stop patients benzo drugs suddenly
We want CARE PACKAGES set up for all benzo patients, prior to reducing drugs
We want letters sent WARNING ALL benzo patients
We want Professor Heather Ashton's Manual placed in all GP surgeries, Hospitals and Psychiatric Hospitals
We want all patients to receive Professor Ashton's Benzo Manual free of charge on prescription
Yours sincerely,
Mrs Mary Baker
Benzodiazepine Campaigner
Note to fellow victims in the UK: Complain directly to the Health Minister Anne Milton MP. Write, phone, fax or email her at the House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA · Telephone 020 7219 8392 · Fax 020 7219 5239 · Email anne.milton.mp@parliament.uk or anne@annemilton.com.
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