Canadians for Mercury Relief - Year In Review Below, please find our Year End Newsletter, with a summary of our activities in 1997 and exciting information regarding the filing of what has the potential to be the largest lawsuit in Canadian History. This Newsletter also contains information pertaining to our newly introduced ER Program. Sincerely W. Obie Media & Public Relations Canadians For Mercury Relief 850 - 36 Toronto Street, Toronto, Ontario Canada M5C 2C5(416) 410-6314 Fax: (416) 360-3838E-Mail: communications@talkinternational.com ______________________________________________________________________ The Year In Review With 1998 just beginning we felt it appropriate to take this opportunity to bring you up to date on the issues, our focus -past and present , and what we envision for the upcoming year. On February 20, 1997, a Press Conference held at our lawyers offices was a major success resulting in media coverage and inquiries from not only across Canada, but from the U.S.A., Europe and Australia. Initially, we anticipated the role of CFMR, to be simply to co-ordinate and organize the initialization of the lawsuit. However, within three months we came to the realization that although the response rate was exceptionally high, that the level of financial support we were receiving from those seeking us out was far below expectations. This we learned was due to the fact that the majority of the people we spoke to indicated that they were suffering severe adverse health effects, as a result f Mercury Amalgam Placement. Although the symptoms reported varied and included, most commonly, MS, Alzheimer’s Disease, Lack of Energy, Chronic Fatigue, Lou Gehrig’s Disease, Candida, Brain Fog, Thyroid Problems, Memory Loss, Irritability, Lack of Concentration, Allergies, Depression, and Metallic Taste, the common thread was that for the most part, the people contacting CFMR were not in a position to lend substantial financial support to enable us to initiate the lawsuit on a timely basis, as was initially planned. We then turned to the corporate and medical communities ( for example, the people who manufacture new alternative technologies to amalgam). While on the surface it would appear logical that since these are the people who would have the most to gain by our success, the other side of the coin we quickly found out was that they also have something to lose by aligning themselves with us. Since most of the dentists still utilize mercury and the companies that they count on to distribute their product also still distribute mercury amalgams. and only a handful of dentists in the country are truly mercury free, it was explained to me that the risk of aligning themselves with us and lending their support (even though it was admitted by some the right thing to do), was far too great, especially considering the fact that in their view, it was only a matter of time before the mercury problem went away. By the summer of 1997 we were getting pretty discouraged, Apparently, the people who needed and would benefit from our efforts the most were unable or unwilling to provide enough support to even cover our long distance phone bills, faxes and mailings, let alone legal expenses. Every once in a while , it seemed just as we were about to pack it in, we would get a phone call or letter from someone who had thanked us for our existence and provided to us details as to how CFMR had substantially changed the quality of their life. We re- worked our information package. Instead of sending out seventeen pages of material, we reduced the important information to a single brochure available in English and French, that is now available in health food stores across the country. We put together a “Checklist for Visiting Your Dentist”, to enable people to not only make informed decisions about their dental care, but to empower people across Canada to use this information to force their local dentists to do the right thing. And with the help of a handful of medical and dental professionals, we established, to begin this month, our ‘Emergency Relief Program’ to enable as many as possible in dire need , to get medical and dental assistance . In addition, we developed and launched the ‘CFMR Certification Program’, for Dentists, Medical Practitioners and Suppliers to enable you to support those who are directly and indirectly supporting us and are in compliance with our initiatives, particularly our belief in your right to ‘Informed Consent’. The role of CFMR has grown substantially from that for which it was originally intended Over the past ten (10) months even we have been shocked at just how serious and how much harm mercury dental amalgam has and continues to cause. Other News The Lawsuit We expect to finally have a lawsuit filed in the courts by February 19, next month. This date is significant as it represents the one (1) year anniversary date of our initial News Conference. We are currently reviewing our files to establish Representative Plaintiffs from each province across the country. If you have not yet sent in your form indicating that you wish participate in the legal action, please do so immediately. Do not let your lack of financial resources dissuade you from participating. If you are having financial difficulties, just send in the form. We also require anyone who has suffered ill effects from what they believe to be their amalgam fillings, to if they have not already done so, forward to us as soon as possible, full details regarding the same. Be sure to include copies of any and all medical records and/or information, where applicable, as well as a statement detailing and describing treatments past and present, names of doctors and dentists and ultimately the effect that you feel Mercury has had on your life. Be sure that the information you provide is accurate and legible. Please note: We are requesting the above information in lieu of our sending out a detailed questionnaire at this time and to save valuable time and resources. All of those selected to be Representative Plaintiffs in the legal proceeding, will be contacted for interview with our solicitors. ER Program The ER Program is now in operation. Anyone wishing to qualify for assistance, please forward a written request to us. Include full details regarding your financial situation, your medical condition and other details as requested above to: Canadians For Mercury Relief, 850-36 Toronto Street, Toronto, Ontario M5C 2C5. A written response will be forwarded to you within twenty one (21) days of receipt of your request. Our “Checklist For Visiting Your Dentist” Included in the CFMR Brochure is a “Checklist For Visiting Your Dentist”. Utilize this list to contact Dentists in your area. Ask them the nine questions on the list and get your friends and neighbors to do the same. If the Dentists in your area see a demand for these standards, simple economics alone will dictate change. You are the Informed Public. You can make a difference. Dental & Medical Referrals Due to unwanted solicitations of Mercury Free Dentists and other Medical and Complimentary Practitioners, national printed lists will no longer be mailed. To receive information, regarding Mercury Free Dentists, Doctors and other Healthcare Specialists in your area, call (416) 410-6314, during office hours, and referrals for your specific area, where available, will be provided. New Fax Number Effective October 1997 our fax number was changed to (416) 360-3838. Brochure Enclosure A CFMR Brochure is enclosed. If you have already completed a registration form and sent it to us, please pass this on to someone who will do the same. If you have not, send yours in today. Check with your local health food store to see if they have these brochures in stock. If not, send us their names and addresses and we will forward a package to them. Helpful Products Recently we have received a number of testimonials from persons who have indicated significant health improvements from chronic fatigue and other immune system problems, through the use of some specific new vitamin and herbal products. We welcome any and all information anyone is able to share with us in this regard and are also happy to upon request, direct you to others who have made information available to us. Reporting Bad Dentists If you know of any dentists that still today are saying that amalgam fillings are absolutely safe and are not advising you of there being potential risks associated with the use of amalgam, we want to know. Call us immediately at (416) 410-6314. And Finally, Funding Operating CFMR costs money. The introduction of the ER Program and filing of the lawsuit only increases our need for immediate financial support. If you are in a position to provide assistance, please be generous, because those who can’t are counting on you.