April 13, 2000

Larry M. Weisenthal, M.D.
Weisenthal Cancer Group
15140 Transistor Lane
Huntington Beach, CA 92649

Dear Dr. Weisenthal:

Thank you for speaking with us on Wednesday and for your follow up note. We will announce that we are canceling the planned panel meeting on consideration of the requests of the parties who had asked us to make a coverage decision. We will also announce that one of the requestors has stated his intention to formally ask us to make a coverage decision on a more focused sub-set of the earlier addressed issues, and that we have another panel scheduled for August 12-13 in Baltimore. We will submit, upon receipt, your anticipated package of materials to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association Technology Evaluation Center (TEC) and request that the technology assessors incorporate it into the information they are evaluating. We expect to have their report available in ample time for you and other interested parties to provide comments prior to the panel meeting.

Again, thank you for your thorough and contemplative letter. We look forward to receiving the submission you are currently working on. If you need anything further, please feel free to call Erica Bisguier-Reed at (410)786-0163.

Sincerely,

Hugh F. Hill, III, M.D., J.D.
Acting Director Coverage & Analysis Group
Office of Clinical Standards and Quality