[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 98 (Friday, July 11, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H5176]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page H5176]]
                 THE PLIGHT OF DR. STANISLAW BURZYNSKI

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Pallone] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, on May 28 of this year a Federal jury found 
Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski of Houston, TX, innocent of all charges 
stemming from an FDA inspired indictment and criminal investigation. We 
have heard of Dr. Burzynski in this Congress and also in the last 
Congress from his 400-plus cancer patients who brought their own plight 
as well as his plight to our attention.
  The Government's conduct in this case was disturbing to me and to 
many of my colleagues in the House of Representatives. I know that the 
gentleman from Texas [Mr. Barton] and other Members have raised the 
issue of Dr. Burzynski's case in past hearings of the Committee on 
Commerce.
  It would appear that the Government's handling of this case placed 
cancer patients at jeopardy at one point, and the treatment of Dr. 
Burzynski by the Government was, at times, reprehensible. Taxpayer 
money and resources were badly utilized on two Federal trials.
  I look forward to working with the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Barton] 
and my other colleagues to get accountability from those involved in 
this situation. What happened, Mr. Speaker, to Dr. Burzynski and his 
patients should never be allowed to happen to any other doctor or any 
other patient. This is another reason why I support the Access to 
Medical Treatment Act, H.R. 746, which I have cosponsored with the 
gentleman from Oregon [Mr. DeFazio], so that Americans can have their 
legal right to pursue the medical treatment of their choice without 
fear that their Government will impede their access or, in certain 
cases, even jail their doctor.
  I urge my colleagues to support this needed legislation. Perhaps with 
Dr. Burzynski's vindication, the FDA will now focus all of its 
attention and resources to work with his cancer patients and his drug 
discovery. I hope that is the outcome of this ill-fated and these two 
ill-fated trials.

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