(2 of 3)
Columnist Andrew Weil's "Your Drug Was Discontinued" [May 8] addressed the discontinuation of animal-sourced insulin but did not include important information. Eli Lilly & Co. is helping patients make a safe transition from animal insulin to synthetic human and analog insulins, the gold standard for diabetes treatment, by providing resources and education to physicians and patients on alternative insulin-therapy options. Our first priority has been to help those patients make as smooth a transition as possible. And patients who still use animal insulin can seek permission to obtain it through a special process offered by the FDA on its website www.fda.gov/cder/ drug/beefandporkinsulin/; 301-734-3277). Thanks to innovations in treatment, only 2,000 of the 3.5 million Americans who needed insulin in 2005 were still using animal insulin.
DR. JOHN C. LECHLEITER PRESIDENT AND COO ELI LILLY & CO. Indianapolis, Ind.
Ease Off the Gas
The only way to lower the price of gas for good is to decrease the demand [May 8]. Stop driving so much. Take the bus, ride a bike, take a walk, join a van pool, take the train. Buy hybrid cars and trade in your Hummers and SUVs. And once in a while, stay home. The natural order of the capitalist economy will take care of the rest. Then we can stop blaming the oil companies, the Arabs and the terrorists for the price of gas.
LEE KANN Pittsburgh, Pa.
Since the first fuel crisis, we have had more than 30 years to develop alternative fuels, yet we haven't done it. Coincidence? I don't think so. Brazil can free itself of imported oil by running its cars on sugarcane-derived ethanol, yet the most developed country in the world can't. Pressure by oil companies on our ethically and morally bankrupt politicians has put us in this spot.
GEORGE P. CUONZO Chicago
It amuses me no end to see Americans carping about gas prices while paying less than they are willing to pay for the same quantity of bottled water. It is time to wake up and realize that the price of a precious commodity whose supply is dwindling can only go up, not down. It is time that Americans start investing in public transport and working near their homes or living near their jobs. Just think how much more you could accomplish if your commute were shorter and someone else did the driving.
SUDHIR JAIN Calgary, Alta.
The Rhythm Method Remains
"Condom Fight: The Vatican Strikes Back" [May 8] reported that the Roman Catholic Church is not changing its position and will not condone condom use under any circumstances. As a former Catholic, I rue the day when I confessed to a priest that I used birth control after having my fifth baby. That man said I was sinning and read the riot act to me. He had a lot of nerve! The church's policy against artificial contraception is nothing short of medieval.
MARY THOMAS Garden Grove, Calif.
Stay-at-Home Dems