In July of 98 I wrote a letter to Rep. Jim Talent about funding for FMS, CFIDS and MPS below is a excerpt from that letter and scans of the responses i got. Please give careful consideration to increasing the NIH appropriation's budget for chronic pain syndrome research, and more specifically for the condition of FMS, which is under the direction of NIAMS and NIAD, respectively. Only recently has the NIAMS started to take an active interest in FMS, but they have overlooked promoting more research programs that might address my most prominent and disabling symptom: chronic body- wide pain and exhaustion. At the end of last year, NIAMS co-sponsored along with NIAID a research program although it was not specific for FMS. While I find the actions of NIAMS and NIAID encouraging, the subject of pain research seems to have been left out of their agenda, and most specifically Fibromyalgia! I would be very grateful if you would send a letter of inquiry on my behalf to Stephen Katz, MD, Ph.D., Director of NIAMS, and to Anthony Fauci, MD, Director of NIAID, to find out what plans they have to solicit applications for pain-related research on FMS, CFS, MPS and similar muskuloskeletal pain syndromes. In fact, I am hoping that you will urge them to collaborate on an aggressive research program on this subject. At a minium, I'm crossing my fingers that your letter will prompt these two Directors at NIH to give chronic pain syndrome research more serious consideration. Congressional testimony pertaining to this subject is enclosed along with a concise fact sheet on FMS. Mr. Talents Response  Dr. Katz Letter
 Katz letter to Mr. Talent

 Katz letter Continued