Mr. Phillip Gorden, M.D.
Director National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
NIH-31, Room 9A-52
9000 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, Maryland 20892
Dear Dr. Gorden:
Several of my constituents have contacted me regarding federal efforts to understand prostatitis. Thus far, the NIDDK has been helpful in helping me respond to their concerns, and I am very pleased that you will be hosting a Prostatitis conference in December, I and my staff have learned, however, that: very little is known about this debilitating disease.
My staff has been unable to find answers to some basic questions about prostatitis, including: (1) How many men are affected? (2) what is the societal cost of prostatitis (3) Is there evidence to support a link between prostatitis and prostate cancer?
I would appreciate any additional information that you might: be able to provide on these questions. If none is available, I am interested in learning more precisely what steps the NIDDK plans to take to answer these questions,
Thank you very much for your attention. I appreciate your continued helpfulness as I try to respond to the concerns of my constituents.
Yours truly,
CMB:Elbc