I am so impressed with this 'call to action' by TIPS to protest the nomination of a Sanjay Gupta for SG due to his obvious inability to distinguish valid scientific evidence from bogus, contrived "evidence." If large numbers of us express our deep concerns with our representatives as well as with Obama, as recommended by Chris, Beth and Paul, we can make a difference. As most of you probably know, a real letter expressing your opinion will carry far more weight than an email.
I'll never forget a presentation my Jan Schakowsky, a member of the House of Representatives from Illinois, in which she said if she receives just 12 letters (not emails or petitions) on any issue, she is strongly persuaded to study the issue with far more care. We citizens have far more "potential" influence than we usually avail ourselves of. So thanks for the encouragement as well your specific ideas on how express our objection of the nomination of a person for Surgeon General who apparently does not understand the foundations and principles of good science--a very serious deficiency to say the least. Joan [email protected] > Another option is to write your Senator; here's my letter (I also > sent a copy to Obama): > >> Dear Senator Klobuchar: >> >> I have some serious concerns about the nomination of Dr. Sanjay >> Gupta as Surgeon General, centering on his advocacy on CNN of a >> questionable form of treatment for autism called Facilitated >> Communication. >> >> First of all, while autism may (it has not been scientifically >> proven) have a medical basis, all currently effective treatments >> for it are behavioral in nature, and thus beyond Dr. Guptas area >> of competence as a physician. >> >> Second, even if Dr. Gupta were competent in this area, the practice >> in question borders on quackery, and preys on the vulnerability of >> the parents of autistic children. >> >> In brief, this treatment assumes that nonverbal autistic children >> somehow have within themselves the ability to communicate in a >> sophisticated manner, and that all that is needed to enable them to >> do this is to have someone facilitate this communication by >> physically aiding them in manipulating a keyboard or some other >> communication device. In practice, this usually involves having >> the child position her hands over a keyboard while the facilitator >> supports their arm or hand and aids them in pressing keys. The >> weakness of this procedure is obvious: it is very easy for the >> facilitator to deliberately or unconsciously (the Clever Hans >> phenomenon) guide the childs behavior. >> >> In fact, it has been demonstrated that when the facilitator does >> not know the questions asked of the child, the childs ability to >> communicate disappears, demonstrating that it was the facilitator >> that was doing the communicating, not the child. Thus, this is a >> cruel hoax perpetrated on the parents of the autistic, and it is >> irresponsible of Dr. Gupta to perpetuate it. Essentially, he is >> telling these parents that their children are really normal, and >> their ability to communicate simply needs to be released. >> >> This has a cost. By doing so, he encourages people to seek a quick >> fix and a magic solution, rather than the time consuming >> educational procedures which have been show to be effective in >> enabling the autistic to function in society. >> >> It should also be noted that, as in the similar case of supposedly >> repressed memories, the evidence produced by the practitioners of >> Facilitated Communication of been the basis for the prosecution of >> parents and care takers of autistic children. >> >> The person responsible for the health of the citizens of these >> United States should show more scientific skepticism in the >> treatments he advocates, and should be called upon to justify these >> actions before being confirmed. >> >> I should add that there is a superficially similar educational >> practice called Augmentive Communication that uses mechanical aids >> such as computers to enable variously handicapped individuals to >> communicate. This field does not make irresponsible and hyperbolic >> claims, and it is clear from Dr. Guptas statements that this is >> not what he is referring to. >> >> Dr. Gupta seems able and well qualified medically, and I hope that >> this is an aberration produced by his sympathy for a serious >> problem and his lack of acquaintance with the treatments that deal >> with it effectively. >> The onus should be on him to demonstrate that this is so. >> >> Personal disclaimer: >> While I am a psychologist by training (and have been licensed in >> the State of Minnesota), I have never been in private practice nor >> worked with autistic children, and have no personal stake in the >> mode of treatment being offered to them. Nor am I personally >> acquainted with Dr. Gupta and have no animus towards him. I simply >> feel that the governments spokesman on health matters ought to >> practice a healthy skepticism when recommending health practices. >> >> I will be glad to provide documentation for my statements, and to >> connect you and your staff with professionals who are expert in >> this area. >> > > > On Jan 16, 2009, at 6:04 PM, Beth Benoit wrote: > >> Chris, >> A thousand thanks for your research. For my part, I researched how >> to let Sanjay Gupta know, and found this URL as a way to contact >> him - through the CNN website: >> http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form5.html?67 >> >> I think this might be a first line of "defense": to ask Sanjay to >> reevaluate his approval of FC. >> >> Here's the second line of defense: email Barack's transition >> team. This URL gives you the option on the right of the page, in >> "Citizen's Briefing Book" to give your ideas, and "we'll give them >> to the President." (I have to assume they mean the wonderful one >> coming, and not the present one.) Here's the URL: >> http://change.gov/ > > Paul Brandon > Emeritus Professor of Psychology > Minnesota State University, Mankato > [email protected] > > > --- > To make changes to your subscription contact: > > Bill Southerly ([email protected]) --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([email protected])
