Multiple Sclerosis and the Australian Parliament - Time to Stand up and Be Counted Turnonthe Tap
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Multiple Sclerosis and the Australian Parliament - Time to Stand up and be Counted TurnOnthe Tap Hon Wyatt Roy Tuesday 8 March 2016 Assistant Minister for Innovations Parliament House, Canberra (original via email – copies to: see footnotes) Associated Correspondence http://www.msnetwork.org/bookmarks/advocacy-parliament.htm Dear Assistant Minister Thank you for your letter of 16 January 2016 (reference MC15-005297) wherein you congratulated those associated with the internationally acclaimed Multiple Sclerosis Cardiovascular clinical trial at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne. You also commended its selection as a finalist in Melbourne Australia's 2015 awards for ''Innovative organisations, iconic institutions and outstanding individuals''. Polytrak You went on to say that while this was a matter that also fell within the framework of the Health Ministers portfolio you would like to be kept up to date on developments. We hope that you will find that the attached report ‘’Multiple Sclerosis and the Australian Parliament - Time to Stand up and be Counted ’’ addresses both of these issues. In relation to your suggestion regarding exploring possible commercialisation opportunities there may be a misunderstanding. No new medical procedures are involved – it’s all about the rights of people with MS to access long established and proven medical interventions. The stakeholders who benefit most from this very significant innovation in approaches to understanding and treating Multiple Sclerosis are: 1. The MS community itself through dramatic drug free relief from many of the most common symptoms MS 2. The Australian Government through significant reductions in expenditures including pharmaceuticals, income support and NDIS. 3. The broader Australian economy through the return of several thousand highly talented Australians to the workforce. The Australian MS community itself is already making significant financial investments in bringing about all of these changes and we had been given to understand that the Australian Government would similarly invest on a bipartisan basis. 5 years down the track it is still not uncommon to receive misinformation associated feedback. Unfortunately this disrupts much needed momentum. We hold the view that the Australian Government has not yet honoured its early undertakings to assist in fast tracking progress. We hope that the attached report assists in getting things back on the rails. As suggested the attention of the Heath Minister and related colleagues is also being drawn to our report a web version of which is also at: http://www.msnetwork.org/caution-parliament.htm Thank you again for assisting to position this development in an Innovation Context. Peter Sullivan and Kerri Cassidy, on behalf of CCSVI Australia Reference Group Email [email protected] Reference RM2221MS Understanding Innovation - http://www.msnetwork.org/innovation.htm Open Letter to all elected Representatives http://www.msnetwork.org/advocacy/open-letter.pdf Footnotes Copies to: Barnaby Joyce MP ([email protected]); Bill.Shorten.MP ([email protected]); Christopher Pyne MP ([email protected]); Innovation and Science Industry ([email protected]); Karen Andrews MP ([email protected]); Macolm Turnbull MP ([email protected]); MP Sussan Ley Health Minister ([email protected]); Senator Di Natalie - Greens ([email protected]) Others, including some Parliamentary Health Committee members Andrew Laming MP ([email protected]); Andrew Southcott MP ([email protected]); Ann Sudmalis MP ([email protected]); 'Jill. Hall MP. Health Committee ([email protected])'; Ken Wyatt MP ([email protected]); 'Lisa Chesters MP. Health Committee ([email protected])'; 'Sarah Henderson MP. Health Committee ([email protected])'; 'Stephen Jones MP. Health Committee ([email protected])'; Steve Irons MP . Health Committee ([email protected]); 'Tim Watts MP. Health Committee ([email protected])'; Senator Edwards ([email protected]); Senator Jan McLucas ([email protected]); Senator Jenny McAllister ([email protected]) Senator John Williams ([email protected]); Senator Zed Seselja ([email protected]); Clive Palmer MP ([email protected]); Senator Bob Day - Family First ([email protected]); Senator Glen Lazarus ([email protected]); Senator Jacqui Lambie ([email protected]); Senator John Madigan ([email protected]); Senator Nick Xenophon ([email protected]); Senator Zhenya Wang ([email protected]) Additional Recipients .