Ralph W. Moss, Ph.D.
Director, The Moss Reports
144 St. John's Place
Brooklyn, NY 11217
718-636-4433
February 15, 1998
Dr. Richard Klausner
Director
National Cancer Institute
Bethesda, MD 20892
Dear Dr. Klausner:
Two weeks ago I testified before the Government Reform and Oversight Committee....
I informed the Committee about the total lack of progress in the POMES
process (Practice Outcomes Monitoring and Evaluation System). Since last
August, we POMES participants have not heard one further word about this.
I believe that the main obstacle to progress has been NCI itself. I therefore
have called upon Congress to hold up all further appropriations to NCI until
you proceed with POMES and the independent Oversight Board that was unanimously
endorsed by all participants.
I want you to understand that my goal is not to disrupt NCI. But I want
to emphasize how seriously many of us view this question of fairly and impartially
evaluating alternative and complementary treatments. If any of these treatments
are valuable, then it is urgent that we put the knowledge and resources
of NCI behind their testing and development. If they are worthless or fraudulent,
then we need to know that, too.
Dr. Klausner, please act quickly to get POMES back on track. I hope that
we can work together to carry out fair evaluations and would welcome an
opportunity to meet with you at any time to discuss this situation.
