we all know the jw view of abortion before leaving but what about now?
how have your views changed?
i used to secretly cheer when i heard that women had gained more rights concerning abortions.
I support a woman's right to chose. I feel it is a terrible choice that
many women are confronted with. I also believe the Bible is silent
on the subject. Let me add, however, that I feel very strongly that
abortion should only be permitted in the very early stages of pregnancy.
Just my opinion.
northfield labs has run into some difficulty with their application .
from human red blood cells.
it looks to me like jws will have to.
Northfield Labs has run into some difficulty with their application
for FDA approval of PolyHeme - a hemoglobin solution made
from human red blood cells. It looks to me like JWs will have to
settle for HemoPure at least at first. JWs in South Africa should
have access to HemoPure at this time but that is the only country
where it has been approved for use. HemoPure is the hemoglobin
solution made from bovine red blood cells.
Personally, I would prefer to use a blood product that comes from
humans, like red cells, over an animal blood product and I think
that most probably feel the same way.
The difference between a hemoglobin solution and red cells is
just the red cell membrane. So while the WTS continues to ban
red cells that could save many JW lives, they persist in their
fanciful delusion that something like hemoglobin, which makes
up 97% of the weight of a red cell, really isn't blood.
My suggestion to to anyone who has a medical need for packed
red cells is to take them unless the WTS can show you where in the
Bible Jehovah forbids the red cell membrane.
Lee
AT NORTHFIELD LABORATORIES: AT FRB|WEBER SHANDWICK:
Richard DeWoskin Leslie Hunziker Bill Schmidle Cindy Martin
Chief Executive Officer General Info. Analysts Media
(847) 864-3500 (312) 640-6760 (312) 640-6753 (312) 640-6741
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2001
NORTHFIELD LABS RECEIVES FDA COMMENTS
ON APPLICATION FOR BLOOD SUBSTITUTE
Evanston, Illinois, November 19, 2001 -- Northfield Laboratories Inc. (Nasdaq/NMS: NFLD), a leading developer of an oxygen-carrying blood substitute for trauma situations, today reported that it received comments from The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) on its Biologics License Application (BLA), submitted August 2001. CBER indicated that they are seeking additional information before accepting the application for filing and issued a Refusal-to-File letter to the company.
"Refusals for first-time submissions are not uncommon," said Richard DeWoskin, chief executive officer. "We are encouraged by the constructive information provided in CBER's initial response, and believe that while the next few months will be busy, there is good reason to expect that modifications resulting from this feedback will help us to progress to the next stage of the application process."
The company said the letter included both questions and comments about Northfield's blood substitute, PolyHeme, from CBER. Management said it will quickly begin the process of addressing these issues.
"The regulatory review will be a multi-stage process. There now will be a period of several weeks during which we will interact with CBER to clarify and come to fully understand the issues in question. This will lead to actions taken by the company to satisfy some of the agency's inquiries, but we believe these are manageable. Additionally, through interaction with CBER, we also believe we will address the agency's remaining issues on certain scientific and regulatory issues outlined in the letter over the next few months," said DeWoskin.
About the Company
Northfield Laboratories, founded in 1985, is a leading developer of an oxygen-carrying blood substitute. Its product, PolyHeme, is the only blood substitute undergoing clinical trials that has been tested at large enough dosages to be considered a substitute for acute blood loss in trauma and surgical settings. As a result of the process used to manufacture the blood substitute, essentially a solution of polymerized hemoglobin, PolyHeme has a longer shelf life than blood, requires no cross matching and does not transmit disease.
Statements in this release that are not strictly historical are "forward-looking" statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, which may cause the company's actual results in the future to differ materially from expected results. Northfield cautions that the FDA approval process for PolyHeme continues to be subject to significant risks and uncertainties. The FDA could refuse to accept Northfield's BLA in its current form. If Northfield's BLA is accepted, the FDA could deny its approval for the commercial sale of PolyHeme or could require additional clinical tests as a condition to its approval. If FDA approval for the commercial sale of PolyHeme is granted, the indication uses for which PolyHeme may be marketed could be significantly limited by the FDA. Other risks may include: competition from other blood substitute products; the company's and/or its representative's ability to successfully market and sell PolyHeme; the company's ability to manufacture PolyHeme in sufficient quantities; the company's ability to obtain an adequate supply of raw materials; the company's ability to maintain intellectual property protection for its proprietary product and to defend its existing intellectual property rights from challenges by third parties; the availability of capital to finance planned growth; and the extent to which the hospitals and physicians using PolyHeme are able to obtain third-party reimbursement, as described in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Visit the Northfield website at: www.northfieldlabs.com
Room 215 said:
"Thanks for sharing and for the courage of standing up and being counted. Since the District Overseer
sided with you and your written protest was (excuse the word) vindicated by his intervention,
it's hard to imagine that you weren't considered a local hero. Most of the locals must
have detested the Circuit Overseer, so why would they look askance at you? Just wondering."
I was very popular with the sisters and those who had been mistreated. They were not the
source of my difficulties. It was the "organization men" and hardliners who turned their sites
on me.
anewperson wrote:
"BTW, we notice you got pretty quiet about AJWRB.org blood
issue stuff. Were you mis-hoping for reforms this year? Strung along by reports of such?"
No, we have no reason to believe that any additional reforms will be made
anytime soon. Dr. Muramoto and I are both quite busy with pressing personal
issues at this time. We hope to be able to spend more time working on the
issue next year.
Don't quickly dismiss the significance of the reforms made in June of 2000. They
were huge! A year from now most Witnesses will have access to oxygen carrying
hemoglobin solutions. This will eliminate a significant percentage of the deaths
that occur in cases of trauma and massive unanticipated blood loss that are
directly related to the WTS' partial blood ban.
There is still, however, much work to be done.
Saint Satan wrote:
"Are you still an elder or jw? Just wondering. Bet you're glad to tell this story to someone."
I resigned as an elder about 4 years ago. I am inactive and consider myself a "dissident"
JW. I have said very little about my personal experiences up to this point but yes there
is something healing about sharing one's experience.
hillary_step wrote:
"Having been on the receiving end of a so called apology from a CO at one time, my experience is that it was rather like being kissed full on the lips by a long-dead halibut. A moment I could well have lived without."
Isn't that the truth. This guy had the nerve to tell the congregations: "I understand that some of my comments
may have been inappropriate for this area." I couldn't believe it...why even bother. They just shipped him out
to another circuit where he started up with the same nonsense according to reports I later received.
If you've served as an elder for any significant amount of time, you've likely seen some things that just don't set right with you - it doesn't take long. I was an idealistic young man with a family when I was appointed in the mid 1980's. My wife and I were third generation JW's, both having served as regular pioneers.
Sadly, this period of time is somewhat blurry with respects to my family. The demands of work and the organization did not leave sufficient time for family or self. I do recall, however, many of my early impressions as a new elder.
While some of the elders showed balance, moderation and good judgement, others were very opinionated with a propensity to serve as "busybodies" in the affairs of others.
I remember one brother in particular (I'll call him Br. P) who had a serious problem in this regard. Br. "P" had only a high school education but thought he knew it all. Bristling with overconfidence, Br. "P" was a "country-boy" who didn't know the difference between a "fleshly organism" and a "fleshly orgasm" as he put it when reading that famous verse in Proverbs.
Br. "P", was nothing short of a bull in a china shop and it was a full time job to keep him restrained. At one of my early elders meetings, he persisted in his demands to impose one of his goofy ideas on the flock - I can't even recall which one it was since there were so many. What I do remember was that it took the entire body of elders nearly an hour to convince him to back-down. This was not a pleasant thing to behold. I was somewhat shocked to see the way some of these "elders" would carry on. These were men "appointed by holy spirit", at least so I thought.
At the time, I remember feeling so grateful to have had some of the more moderate individuals on the body. I came to view several of these brothers as "mentors". One in particular - I'll call him Br. "D" - was a soft-spoken individual who was an exceptional teacher. He took the lead in showing honor to others and became a dear friend and "father-like" figure for me. Br. "D" had the ability to put you completely at ease. When you spoke to him, you always knew he was really listening and really cared. One of the finest individuals I have ever known.
I only saw Br. "D" upset one time and that was when Br. "P" pulled one of his stunts.
Br, "D" died a few years ago. I think a part of me died right then too. With the loss of Br. "D" and the departure of other moderate brothers on our local body of elders, it became harder to restrain Br. "P". Soon the balance of power shifted and Br. "P" could not be restrained. Emboldened by the awful example of one circuit overseer, Br. "P" no longer saw any need to restrain himself and the body of elders continued its slide to the right.
It was in this atmosphere where I was confronted with my convictions and personal crisis. Already aware of much of the truth about the Watchtower Society, I felt obliged to take a stand and do what I could to protect the friends in the local congregation from what I can only describe as "oppressive wolves." This was my personal "Alamo".
There is quite a story to be told about happened in this period of my life. I choose not to reveal too many details at this time but I'll share a few.
I can remember the last visit of the C.O. He blasted the congregation and used every dirty little trick in the book to make the friends feel guilty, even reading his nasty little report to the congregation, making fun of people with Chronic Fatigue and depression, etc.
It was so bad, that the body met following the visit and decided unanimously that we had to do something about this vile, woman hating man but we couldn't decide what to. Let me give you one example to illustrate. Out in field service, this C.O would say things like, "look at how short that woman's skirt is…I could measure the distance between her orifices."
In any event, we met again a few days later and took another vote. Now it was 7-2 in favor of acting. Br. "P", now the P.O., decided that since the vote was not unanimous, we would leave the matter in Jehovah's hands. It became clear that most were concerned about their own "position." I could have cared less.
A few days later I gave a local "special needs" talk, I still have it, and dissected the visit and remarks of the C.O. I used quotes from WTS publications to neutralize all of his poisonous rhetoric. I followed up with a formal complaint to the WTS.
An investigation was launched at the request of the Service Department. The D.O. was sent in and interviewed elders and publishers in numerous congregations. Within a few weeks the D.O. told me he was shocked that all of these various elders knew what was going on and yet I was the only one who had come forward. The C.O. was directed to apologize to each congregation for the remarks he made. That was as far as the matter went.
For a time, things were better for the friends but my actions had alienated me from a majority on the local body. I was a marked man.
the thread on judicial committes reminded me of my last meeting.
as a jw elder.
a major rift had developed on the body of elders.
Little Toe wrote:
"Lee: Your post struck more than a few chords with any who've served on a body.
The ones who try hard to do what is "right" are worn down, worn out, and kicked
off (if they don't leave first). As one worn out, worn down, old boot, my time is nearly up.
Know anywhere that does re-souling?"
Your soul is already in much better shape than any of the poor smucks your leaving
behind. That doesn't mean, however, that growth and change are without pain.
Take some time off, take some deep breaths, focus on those that matter most -
your family. Find something that brings you a little happiness in this life. Feel
good about the fact that you had the courage to see things as they really are and
cherish the real relationships in your life. Your soul will be fine.
the thread on judicial committes reminded me of my last meeting.
as a jw elder.
a major rift had developed on the body of elders.
Neonmadman wrote:
"Now, in theory, you elders should have been able to form a judicial committee and either
reprove or disfellowship the CO because of his lying and slander. But it would never have
worked, because the Watchtower doesn't even follow its own rules, much less the ones
in the Bible."
Very difficult to take any action against a C.O. unless there is direct evidence of apostacy
or porneia. I've been down this road w/a C.O. who was a vile, racist, woman hater. I turned
up the burners as high as possible. The best I could muster was an investigation by the
D.O. that led to a public apology.
If these guys are good "society" men, they can get away with a great deal. That is a fact.
Lee
the thread on judicial committes reminded me of my last meeting.
as a jw elder.
a major rift had developed on the body of elders.
The thread on judicial committes reminded me of my last meeting
as a JW elder. A major rift had developed on the body of elders
between conservative elements and the moderate/liberal elements.
With the moving away of some moderates the conservatives had
taken a 5-4 majority and were flexing their muscles, using the J.C.
process to even some old scores and to "whip the congregation
into shape." They were egged on by one of the most conservative,
hardline circuit overseers I have ever met. The man was nothing
short of a complete moron.
After a major tiff at a body of elders meeting where horns locked
and the proverbial poop hit the fan (Hardliners tried to remove
me as the WTS conductor), two elders were assigned to meet
with me and ask a bunch of questions to try and satisfy the questions
in the minds of the hardliners.
Here is the question that pushed me over the edge:
"Br._____, when was the last time you disfellowshipped
a young person?"
That was it for me - "Jehovah painted it red" as one elder use to say.
I knew I could no longer actively support the WTS or stand by
and watch these oppressive wolves destroy lives and families.
I was already quite involved with efforts to promote reform of
the blood doctrine at the time.
Lee
