Letters
Seniors should get help with Medicare Part D

The process of selecting the best plan for Medicare Part D has been criticized by the vast majority of people as being a confusing mess that no one can accurately traverse.

The senior citizen is asked to assemble the documentation from 54 different plans, making sure that any paper documentation is currently accurate and evaluate each plan for type of drugs required, out-of-pocket expenses and participating pharmacies.

What this process calls for is a simple computer program that allows the individual to input the drug data and ZIP code to determine the best choices in priority order.

Surely a senior has a family member that has computer access or the government can allow the senior to send the data required to a location that will perform the evaluation. If a small cost like $10 is required then so be it.

Senior citizens can not be required to perform a function that is totally out of bounds with what we can execute.

Bob Witt

Tinton Falls

Legislature must act on domestic violence bills

Domestic violence is an insidious, vicious crime. FBI statistics indicate a woman is beaten every 18 seconds in the United States by a person who professes to love her. In New Jersey, where domestic violence laws are among the toughest in the country, more than 76,000 domestic violence offenses were reported in 2004.

The New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs (NJSFWC), the largest volunteer women’s service organization in the state, believes these numbers are too high and the crimes too serious to be allowed to be tolerated.

It is clear domestic violence continues to be a crime that affects all of society.

In 70 percent of families where there is domestic violence, there is also child abuse.

Forty percent of violent juvenile offenders witnessed domestic violence in their homes.

The second most common cause of death for pregnant women is murder (National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.)

We must break the cycle of violence now.

With more than 13 pieces of domestic violence legislation pending in Trenton, the NJSFWC will take its pledge to protect the victims directly to state legislators on March 9. The time to act is now.

Deen Meloro

president

New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs of GFWC

Students can opt for dissection alternatives

As a biologist, I know that forcing young people to participate in animal dissection in the classroom can destroy their budding interest in science.

But students in New Jersey schools can now enjoy the option of humane alternatives to dissection, thanks to a choice-in-dissection law recently signed by the governor.

Studies have shown that students who learn from dissection alternatives including interactive computer programs and videos do as well as or better on anatomy tests than students who learn by dissecting animals.

According to a study published in The American Biology Teacher, two groups of high school students performed equally well on a test following either an interactive videodisc simulation or animal dissection.

New Jersey students, parents and teachers can learn more about dissection and humane alternatives at www.DissectionAlternatives.org

Megha Even

research analyst

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

Washington, D.C.