Re: MDACC visit - Dorothy

[Guest guest]

> At MDACC they do see more CML patients than the other experts and do

> have a lot of experience. They do take a lot of blood and run a lot

> of tests--but they ask each patient if they are willing to contribute

> this for research purposes. They are the ones that write a lot of the

> general papers and they are consulted very frequently by local oncs.

> They consider part of their mission to be the education of local oncs

> out in the community.

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Hi Dorothy,

I did respond to Lottie and maybe clarified some of what I said, and I have

heard you express (I believe) the same concerns....unnecessary tests costing the

health care system (and being a needed part of health care reform).

I have never refused to give blood samples for research.....and I asked

specifically what they needed 13 vials for, when I knew that probably 4 vials

would be adequate for the tests that I needed.

For a consult, I did not need blood typing....or HLA tests (for a BMT

match)......and besides all of this has previously been done at MDACC when I was

there before. In the end, Dr. Talpaz agreed with me.

Dr. Druker does still take new patients....as does Dr. Talpaz at Ann Arbor, MI

and I think that any new cml patient would get more personalized care at either

place......I still have never heard any patient that saw Druker at OHSU or

Talpaz at Ann Arbor complain about the lack of time that the doctor spent with

them.

But if MDACC is right in your back yard, no reason not to go there. This

discussion started when Lottie wrote that all clinics were " like that " and I

disagreed.....and I tried to explain why (traditional clinic, etc). Sorry I

stepped on toes......I can either write what I know or not write.

C.