2A- The Michigan Daily - Monday, February 5, 1996 NATION/WORLD Congress seeks faster approasfrom FDA WASHINGTON (AP) - Joseph O'Brien was prescribed a device that might postpone his hip replacement by pulsingelectricity into his diseasedjoint. But he had to buy the treatment in Canada because it's outlawed here. Prompted by critics who say the Food and Drug Administration unfairly blocks such therapies, Congress is about to consider legislation forcing the FDA to speed new medicines to doctors- -and to let Americans buy more treat- ments sold abroad. The goal, said Sen. Nancy Kassebaum (Re.Kan.), is to "transform the FDA from a growing barrier to innovation into an active partner in innovation." The FDA, responsible for the safety and effectiveness of some $1 trillion worth of products, is the agency every- body loves to hate. Makers of tobacco and vitamins and medicine call the agency too regulatory even as consumer advocates rail it's not strict enough. But anti-FDA sentiment rose to new heights last year, as House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) called FDA Commissioner David Kessler a "thug" and conservative think tanks accused the agency of murdering Americans by not approving medicines fast enough. Theirproposals ranged from lettingpri- vate companies do the FDA's job to selling unapproved drugs as long as they bore some "consumer beware" tag. Now Kassebaum says she's found a middle ground, forcing the FDA to do its own job faster and to help compa- nies cut the 12 years and $350 million they spend developing a single new medicine. The bill's biggest change could al- low some therapies sold abroad to be sold in the United States before the FDA officially gives them the nod. Under this provision, companies would petition for automatic sale - based on approval by certain foreign countries-ifthe FDA hasn't reviewed a therapy within six months. The FDA then would have another 30 days to block the sale, by declaring the treat- ment unsafe or unproven. Doctors aren't sure whether to sup- port the legislation, noting that even Europe doesn't require safety controls as strict as the FDA does. "While we all chafe occasionally at the slowness of the process of approval, we must remind ourselves the tension there is safety vs. availability," cautioned Dr. Nancy Dickey of the American Medical Association. It is very rare for Americans not to find a U.S. alternative for a treat- ment touted overseas, she said. CARVILLE Continued from Page IA Carville also said Gramm supported such measures, which Yob quickly re- butted. "Twelve percent of students are not paying their student loans," Yob said to illustrate the problem. "No Republi- cans are against student loans (or) against Medicare or Medicaid. We're for all of them. ... We want to revamp them ... some of them." Carville also expressed his support foraffirmative action programs. "We're not a colorblind society. As long as there are Mark Fuhrmans in the world, there will be discrimination," he said. LSA junior and Michigan Student Assembly Rep. Fiona Rose received loud applause when she challenged both politicians: "How will a balanced bud- get give us the security in job and home and lifestyle that we really seek?" Yob responded that a balanced bud- get would save money on loans and purchasing cars and homes. "The people who are rich are the people who are working," Yob said, surprising the crowd, which hissed at the comment. In an interview with The Michigan Daily, Yob said he meant that people who have jobs are rich. The debate came to a close as both men implored students to participate in their government and to not be deterred by the bitterness of politics. "You can disagree without being dis- agreeable," Carville said. Yob echoed the sentiment. "It's bet- ter than staying home and complain- ing about what's wrong with our coun- try."1 The different reactions from Demo- crats and Republicans surprised some members of the audience. "It was interesting that although (Col- lege Democrats and College Republi- cans) were co-sponsors, the Democrats were so forceful," said RC sophomore Rachel Ross. LSA sophoore John Yob, who is Chuck Yob's son,said there were prob- ably more Republicans in the crowd than there appeared to be. "People with Republican views are so looked down upon that (they) basically hide." College Republicans President An- gela Jerkatis said the heckling was in- appropriate. "Overall, we show our ap- proval of candidates when we vote." MSA President Flint Wainess mod- erated the debate and said he was over- whelmed by the attendance. "I wish that many people would come to MSA debates," Wainess said. State legislators also urged students to be active in politics. State Rep. John Freeman (D-Madi- son Heights) said students have been at the center of the debate over student loans and have a lot at stake in the next election. "I hope they realize that if Clinton loses, they'll be in deep trouble in terms of their ability to pay for their own schooling," Freeman said. The debate was sponsored by MSA, College Democrats, College Republi- cans, the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, University Activi- ties Council, LSA Student Government and the Ann Arbor Democratic Party. INTERVIEW Continued from Page 1A which afforded loud cheers to Carville in his turns at the podium and greeted Yob's comments with interspersed hisses and boos, as evidence that'Clinton will emerge unscathed. "You saw this crowd tonight ... it's about time people said to D'Amato 'get off it!"' he said, referring to the New York senator who has led investiga- tions into Whitewater dealings. Yob also addressed the Democratic concern that citizens could be adversely affected by a quickly balanced budget. "Seven years?" Yob asked. "Seven years to balance a budget is a very long time." The shouting crowd, Yob said, which appeared to be against such a balanced budget, would only ensure that more money is spent on big government pro- grams. Both Yob and Car illes were fervent in their ideals and stressed their staunch support for party policies. Carville's marriage to Republican spin-doctor Mary Matalin, however, is proof that the parties can, in fact, live and work together, Carville said. "It just works," he said. "It's like a good Presbyterian being married to a Catholic ... or a good Jew married to a Muslim. We just love each other". With a broad smile and a laugh, Carville added, "It's fun. She's good lookin'." -AICNA REPOR Clinton phones U.S. soldier's widow WASHINGTON (AP) -President Clinton personally expressed condolences yesterday to the widow of the first U.S. soldier killed while on duty in Bosnia. Clinton spoke with Miriam Dugan, wife of Sgt. Ist Class Donald Dugan, by telephone yesterday morning, said White House spokesperson David Johnson. The call lasted for only a few minutes, Johnson said. "He just called to personally express his condolences," < Johnson said. No decision had been made yesterday evening as to whether Clinton would attend funeral services for Dugan, Johnson said. Dugan, of Belle Center, Ohio, was killed Saturday in north- ern Bosnia when he apparently stepped on a land mine. He was the ninth alliance soldier to die since NATO troops began entering the Balkans in December. Clinton Dugan's body arrived at Ramstein Air Base in Germany yesterday. No details were available on when the body would be returned to the United States. -. -i '| esI 0 :trkCOPY CE NT E R Lectur Notes * Course :Packets: * RSume Services *Copy&Binclery * Fax S ervices B(OKSTORE Police track down online murderer EAST WINDSOR, N.J. - They met and got to know each other through an on- line chat room, an electronic gathering place for gay men. In time, they agreed to move from computer screens to a face-to- face encounter. But their off-line meeting Jan. 4 turned deadly, police say, when George Hemenway shot Jesse Unger in the head, as a 15-year-old boy looked on. The last homicide in this Trenton suburb of 22,000 - a mix of leafy neighborhoods, new housing devel- opments, farm fields and strip malls - was 10 years ago and stemmed from a homosexual "street encoun- ter," police say. This time, the investigation led to the back streets of the Internet. America Online complied with a search warrant and gave authorities computer files and copies of electronic mail between the two men. That set off lively, occasionally pro- fane debate on the Internet about pri- vacy rights. But experts say online cor- respondents should not expect privacy Return of war threatens Angola VILA NOVA, Angola-Pastbombed- out buildings and burned-out cars, near grim skull-and-crossbones signs for road- side minefields, adusty clusterofmilitary tents here hold the hopes for lasting peace in Africa's longest civil war. But Angola has dashed such hopes before. And despite a shaky 15-month cease-fire after two decades of death and devastation, it may be doing it again. Jonas Savimbi, the mercurial leaderof the rebet UNITA forces, has promised to deliver 16,500 soldiers-or about a third of his army - by Thursday to the demo- bilization camp here and at three other sites run by the United Nations. But only 1,600 men have surrendered since mid-November, and many arrived barefoot and in rags, looking suspiciously like village youths and peasant farmers. "We are ready," said Molly Kamara, the U.N. administrator at Vila Nova, surveying scores of empty tents. "But it is going very slowly." The Thursday deadline is critical be- cause the U.N. Security Council will and predict electronic communications eventually will be routinely examined by everyone from government officials to attorneys and direct marketers. Audubon Society has 100-year birthday * BOSTON - The nation's first Audubon Society turns 100 this month. Celebrations include a birth- day party at the Statehouse on Thurs- day featuring a live peregrine falcon show. Birthday cake decorations? Birds and birdhouses, of course. The organization that began in the parlor of an outraged society la now boasts 55,000 Massachuse members, an annual operating budget of $10 million and a $65 million en- dowment. With 24,000 acres at 18 staffed na- ture centers across Massachusetts, the society is the largest private conserva- tion group in New England and is poised to grow even larger, said president Jerry Bertrand. vote that day on whether to renew thie mandate of what is the United Nations' largest peacekeeping force, now that NATO has taken over military opera- tions in the battered remnants of the Yugoslav federation. Chinese earthouake kills at least 238 BEIJING - Medics and soldiers rushed into scenic Lijiang in south- western China yesterday to help survi- vors ofa powerful earthquake that killed at least 238 people and injured nearly 14,000. Television reports showed medO attending to bloodied victims who lay on mattresses on a floor, covered with thick quilts to protect them from cold temperatures that hovered near freez- ing. "People from all walks of life have been quick to act to help," said Chen Jie of the Yunnan province government. Teams of relief workers reached all areas that were heavily damaged, she COPIES 8.5x11 20# white Grade A Notes Second Floor * 549 at Ulrich's Bookstore E. University " 741-9669 F ED y R F4f C E! Fa. -r/a said. - From Daily wire servi* The Michigan Daily (ISN 0745-967) is published Monday through Friday during the tall and winter terms Dy students at the University of Michigan. Subscriptions for fall term, starting in September, via U.S. mail are $85. Winter term (January through April) is $95, year-long (September through April) is $165. On-ampus subscriptions for fall term are $35. Subscriptions must be prepaid. The Michigan Daily is a member of the Associated Press and the Associated Collegiate Press. ADDRESS: The Michigan Daily, 420 Maynard Street. Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1327. PHONE NUMBERS (All area code 313): News 76-DAILY; Arts 763-0379; Sports 747-3336; Opinion 764-0554 Circulation 764-0558; Classified advertising 764-0557; Display advertising 764-0554; Billing 764-0550. E-mail letters to the editor to daily.letters@umich.edu. World Wide Web: http://www.pub.umich.edu/daily/. l~hT~i -E V' -- ~ -.,w1'I echw pCAa .,I .r17A. w m I DIOIA TAFRone a.. no i Iie e &WlIFnlMi. i7IMrr nvuluv %j1oQ7opjwl l Gauwl oil vnalw m CALL DOMINO'S PIZZA 761-1111 761-9393 1031 E. Ann St. 1200 Packard at Dewey El/Ri' ROADWAY PACKAGE SYSTEM PACKAGE HANDLERS PERFECT FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS Saving for tuition? Find part- time work, year round at RPS! - Earn up to $8.50 per hour Roadway Package System, a small package delivery service, hires package handlers to load and unload package vans and semi-trailers. If you are not afraid of hard work, are at least 18 years old and want to work 4-5 hours per day, Mon.-Fri., we can offer you $6.50/hr. to start, V/h af r O-n nvc -n i to .- +hr t i+tnn NEWS Amy Klein, Managing Editor EDITORS: Tim O'Connell, Megan Schimpf, Michelle Lee Thompson, Josh White. STAFF: Patience Atkin, Cathy Boguslaski. Kiran Chaudhri. Jodi Cohen, Lisa Dines, Sam T. Dudek, Jeff Eldridge, Lenny Feller. Kate Glickman. Jennifer Harvey. Stephanie Jo Klein. Jeff Lawson, Laurie Mayk, Heather Miller, Soumya Mohan, James M. Nash, Laura Nelson, Anupama Reddy, Matthew Smart. Christopher Wan, Katie Wang, Will Weissert. CALENDAR: Josh White. EDITORIAL Adrienne Janney, Zachary M. Raimi, Editors STAFF: Kate Epstein, Niraj R. Ganatra, Ephraim R. Gerstein, Keren Kay Hahn, Katie Hutchins. Chris Kaye, Jeff Keating, Joel F.i Knutson, Jim Lasser. Ann Markey, Erin Marsh, Brent McIntosh, Paul Serilla, Jordan Stancil, Ron Steiger, Jean Twenge, Andrew Taylor, Matt Wimsatt. SPORTS Nicholas J. Cotsonika, Managing EdIsm EDITORS: John Leroi, Brent McIntosh. Barry Sollenberger. STAFF: Donald Adamek, Paul Barger, Nancy Berger, Scott Burton. Susan Dann, Avi Ebenstein, Darren Everson. Alan k Goldenbach, James Goldstein, Jennifer Houdilik, Chaim Hyman, Andy Knudsen. Marc Lightdale, Wiil McCahill, Chris Murphy, Jim Rose. Michael Rosenberg, Danielle Rumore, Brian Sklar, Mark Snyder, Dan Stillman, Doug Stevens, Mary Thewes. Ryan White. ARTS Joshua Rich, Alexandra Twin, Editor5 WEEKEND, ETC. EDITORS: Jennifer Buckley, Kai Jones SUB-EDITORS: Dean Bakopoulos (Books). Melissa Rose Bernardo (Theater). Brian A. Gnatt (Music). Jennifer Petlinski (Film), Ted Watts (Fine Arts). STAFF: Eugene Bowen, Neal C. Carruth, Christopher Corbett. Jeffrey Dinsmore, Tim Furlong, Lise Harwin. Emily Lambert, James Miller, Kristin Long, Elizabeth Lucas, Heather Phares. Michael Rosenberg. Dave Snyder, Elan Stavros. Prashant Tamaskar, Michael Zilberman. PHOTO Mark Friedman, Jonathan Lurie, Editors STAFF: Josh Biggs, Jennifer Bradley-Swift, Tonya Broad, Diane Cook. Nopporn Kichanantha. Margaret Myers. Stephanie Grace' Lim, Elizabeth Lippman, Kristen Schaefer, Sara Stillman, Walker VanDyke. Joe Westrate. Warren Zinn. COPY DESK James M. Nash, Editor STAFF: Jodi Cohen, Elizabeth Lucas. Heather Miller, Elan Stavros. 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