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}____.______.____._"'""'_""""'â€" 3. A very large clinical study involving 40,021 patients called the GUSTO Study took place over the last two years. OTMlI participated in this trial in which three treatments were compared for efficacy: Streptokinase intra- venously, a mixture of Streptokinase and TPA, as well as, TPA by itself. The results of the trial show that at thirty days after heart attack, 14% fewer patients died when treated with TPA than with Streptokinase. To put it in another way, the death rate of patients treated with Streptokinase was 7.3% at the 2. There are two drugs avail- able to do the job: One called Streptokinase, is older and is derived from bacteria called streptococci. The other one, TPA, is a biogenetically produced replica of the body's own natu- rally occurring "clot-busting," substance. It is usually present in very small amounts, but given in large doses through the vein will break up clots without being deactivated by the immune sys- tem. TPA has been proven to be between 1.5 and 2 times better than streptokinase in its ability to break up clots in the early hours of heart attack. l. A heart attack is caused by an obstruction in one or more coronary arteries supplying vital blood to the heart muscle. This obstruction is usually caused by a clot formed on top of a hard atherosclerotic plaque (hardening of the arteries) of variable size. It has been shown through many studies that dissolving such a clot within a short time after the onset of heart attack symptoms is life saving. It makes sense that the sooner, and more completely the artery is open, the better. Dear Sir: With reference to your article (Oct. 20th) on the costs of the new heart drug and the GUSTO Trial results, as the OTMH prin- ciple investigator of this study, I would like to clarify some of the points made. Medicine and money makeamstrange mix Anyone aspiring to political leadership of the federal Tories might do well to give it some very serious consideration first....very serious consideration indeed. Given the state in which Mulroney left both the country and his party, it's lit- tle wonder that Tory insiders 'guided' Campbell to the edge of the political abyss before she jumped. In leading her party to the worst political defeat in Canadian history, Campbell had little choice. Unlike one of her predecessors, by the name of Joe Clark, Campbell has decided she's had enough of politics and will now become citizen Campbell. Not willing to give up the political spotlight so soon after it shone on him, Clark chose to stay around and be a constant reminder to then-prime minister Brian Mulroney, of the fickleness of the Canadian public and also the Progressive Conservative Party itself. In turfmg out Clark, the party was look- ing for some new blood to challenge the Liberals and in Mulroney they got it. But one thing about Mulroney, he knew when to get out and he left a winner. And as he globe-trots around the world and holds court at his Montreal home now, he can look at both Clark and Campbell and smile. He's out of politics but it was a decision made by him at his time. he formal announcement Monday by Progressive Conservative leader I Kim Campbell, that she is stepping down as the top Tory, came as no surprise and brings here whirlwind political career to an appropriate end. She was a woman who took over the reins of the wrong national party at the wrong time in the wrong country, waging the wrong kind of campaign. In short, like all good political and military generals, she took full responsibility for the ignominious Oct, 25th defeat and now walks out of the public spotlight. Lend a helping hand to the Salvation Army at 1225 Rebecca (827-5324) or the Oakville United Way at 84 Chisholm (845-5571). The depressed economy has taken its toll in human terms and it's ironic that at a time when need is the greatest, the agencies existing to help many of these people, find themselves without the resources to do so. Like the Salvation Army, the Oakville United Way too found the going hard this year and failed to meet its $1.9-million goal. It has had to deal with agencies trying to cope with funding shortfalls and taking up the slack has not been easy. 'tss OPINION) Various groups and individuals have been instrumental in giving food to the Salvation Army's special foodbank on Rebecca Street and toys to a separate toy depot at Trafalgar Village. is Christmas and holiday season has put some extra pressure on social ser- l vice agencies to not only cope with continuing needs but also to make the sea- son special for disadvantaged children and their families. Agencies providing services to the needy are themselves fighting for funding after they've seen some traditional funding sources evaporate. Chief among these groups is the Salvation Army. In previous years, they have been able to cope with the demand for services with local help and the support of the Toronto arm of the Salvation Army. This year that support has been cut and the local unit is on their own. EDITORIAL Helping out Next! Name change is an expense hospital really doesn't need Dear Sir: I have just finished reading in the Oakville Beaver of the OTMH Board of Governors contemplating changing the name of the Hospital. What, on earth, for? In these troubled financial times, when hospitals are cutting back on staffing and beds because of no Dear Sir: After reading your editorial on 'Keep the Faith' - Nov. 28th, I thought I would drop a line of encouragement. The editorial was right on the money Thank you for some good old common sense. You are so correct. and it was a delight to read and re-read your article. Unfortunately. what you wrote is true, and something is terribly wrong when we can't as a Christian Nation mention the birth of Jesus Christ in case it might offend; well, that is an offence to me! Thank you again, and Merry Christmas and God bless. end of thirty days while with TPA, the death rate was 6.3R. 4. In fact, TPA was better than Streptokinase in treatment of all types of heart attacks, with all Keep the Faith editorial 'right on the money FHONTE ALONE CALL845-5585 EEC SPEAK YOUR MIND l All callers are allowed 45 sec- onds to express their opinion and must provide their name, address and phone number for verification. A cross section of the responses will be published in next Wednesday's Oakville Beaver. Got a gripe? Give us a call. Readers are invited to express their opinion on a topic of their choice by calling 845-5585, box 5250. Why even consider spending untold dollars on stationery, signs, and promotion, and celebration of the new name? Please - think again! Barbara Worden funding, why would it enter any- one's mind to do something as frivolous as changing the Hospital's name. A rose is a rose, is a rose! Doctors face similar questions for other treatments: To choose the more expensive and more effective antibiotic? To choose a new, more sophisticated and non- traumatic surgical or diagnostic procedure (eg. MR1)? To choose a life-sustaining therapy such as dialysis? To choose a more effec- 5. Like all better Ihings in life, TPA comes at a much higher cost than streptokinase ($2.746 ver- sus $426). The issue, then, really is: How much is your life worth? in Oakville owing OTMH's decision since 1988. The Oekville Beaver welcomes your comments. Allkrtttrmrttu+itpterdandirtctuttetttewriwtadttrr-and phone number. Lenora would be typed. doutAr-ard and addremed to: Lem to the Edltor, The Oekvllle Beam, 461 Spoon Rd., Oekvllle. ont. LOX 384 4E 845-3824 Fax: 845-3085 Zlassme Irculatlc IN Patty Weglarz their lives to lo fund TPA m THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Advertising: 845-2809 845-9742 or 845-9743 akvmc - witness the recent removal of dozens of medicines from the seniors' drug plan. More and more often, we are going to find that the best is only available to the Americans. Until recently, the publicly funded healthcare system absorbed these sharply increas- ing costs, but now it is clear that the government cannot provide the best for everybody. Newer and unquestionably better thera- pies are more frequently left out There is no use hiding behind medical/economic studies: Life is precious, and should your life be in immediate danger because of a heart attack, you may wish to pay for the 14% better odds even if the government won't. You should have the choice - something that is currently not available in this province. 7.3% death rate. It is that same difference that makes us go to the bank to refinance our house when the mortgage rates drop from 7.3% to 6.3%. No One com- plains that the difference of 1% is not worth the bother. Just like mortgage rates, the benefit in lower mortality translates into handsome dividends for those whose lives are saved. care costs. Ultimately. patients know bet- ter. They know that there is a big difference between a 6.3% and tive, better tolerated. but more expensive cholesterol drug? Physicians. as patient advocates, always try to provide patients with the "best available" therapy. In the process of doing so, they are vilified by medical economists and health adminis- trators as a source of all "health care evil" and spiraling health FRCP(C),FCCP,FACC Department of Medicine (Cardiology), OTMH Chairman, Thrombolysis Committee, OTMH GUSTO Study, Principle Investigator, OTMH Mt Andrew Zawadowski, M.D., 6K Robert Gil-hey Advertising Director Norman Alexander Editor Geoff Hill Circulation Director Teri Cllll Mce Manager Tim Colon Production Manager Ian Oliver Publisher L.'C1'.'1'l'1'l11t Hopefully, with local elections due in 1994, we will clear out the 'crew' who have knowingly (or unknowingly) led us to this impasse over the past 10 years or so and get some 'real' people with back- bone enough to see the reality and make the tough decisions that need to be made. Suffice it to say that, in my mind, reality must now become the order of the day and our elected representatives must watch the ratio of wage/benefits for public servants in line with the private sector. Again, I put myself in 'their' position: no doubt, I would work hard to preserve my advantage and slowly but surely, hopefully unnoticed whittle away at public services with, as we can see recently with our police force, the old 'scare' tactic thrown in whereby a reduction of services should put the (taxpaying) public at risk. There are so many loopholes to escape into, growth areas such as waste management, as an example (almost a 'Motherhood' issue today that is costing, the taxpayer plenty), that will make con- trol of that amorphous mass of public servants even more difficult. Trouble is, that from a dwindling pool of public money, the amount taken out by public servants in wages and benefits becomes a millstone around the neck of the public. It becomes obvious that as federal/provincial transfer payments to municipalities, regions and the educational establishment decline, which they will, the amount allocated to wages and benefits will soar as a portion of the whole, leaving less for the basic essential services that the public, by right, should have. There is no doubt that, through the good times, public servants and institutions were the beneficiaries of almost unlimited public spending. Nothing wrong with this, in the same situation, I am sure I would have taken advantage of such public largesse and fight hard, in recessional times that we have today to retain my advan- tage while all about me, wages and earnings tumble and real hard- ship through unemployment increases. Surely this is human nature. Dear Slr: . We will, indeed. be looking for leadership (letter by Kathleen d Peter Dooly. Dec. 8th) from our present Town and Regional coun- cillors and trustees both now, and more so, in the future. 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