DURBIN RELEASES TAPE OF DURKIN ON WEST NILE VIRUS AND EPHEDRA
SENATOR DEFENDS WORK ON "LIFE AND DEATH" ISSUES FOR ILLINOISANS

CHICAGO - In a tape released Sunday by the Durbin for Senate Campaign, Republican U.S. Senate Candidate Jim Durkin criticized U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin's work to regulate ephedra - an herbal drug which has caused over 80 deaths nationwide - and bring increased funding to Illinois to battle the West Nile Virus.

"What are you doing? What's important to this nation and this country?" Durkin said at an August 14th Republican rally.

"When it comes to defining leadership, Jim Durkin misses the point," said Durbin spokeswoman Stacey Zolt. "Senator Durbin identified problems facing his constituents, and worked to bring leaders to the table to find an answer."

"West Nile Virus, which has claimed 33 lives in Illinois, should not be dismissed with a laugh by my opponent," Durbin said.

At the Republican Party rally on Governor's Day at the Illinois State Fair last August, Durkin criticized the hearing Durbin held that day with statewide officials to discuss the West Nile Virus' attack on Illinois.

On August 14 - the same day of Durkin's speech - Durbin convened a roundtable discussion with Illinois health and agriculture experts, including Illinois Public Health Director Dr. John Lumpkin, to outline prevention and preparedness procedures to stop the spread of the virus. Durbin's efforts to raise the profile of the 33 deaths and 599 West Nile cases in Illinois - the most cases deaths of any state - resulted in an additional $350,000 in emergency funding from the Center for Disease Control for Illinois.

Durkin also criticized Senator Durbin's work to push the Food and Drug Administration to regulate ephedra, an over-the-counter herbal drug which caused the death of a 16-year-old Lincoln high school student. Durbin chaired a Governmental Affairs Oversight subcommittee hearing on the issue on Oct. 8. in Washington.

One month before Sean Riggins of Lincoln died from a heart attack after taking Yellow Jackets, a caffeine-rich combination of ephedra and kola bean extract, Durbin challenged Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson to have the FDA take action against the sale of ephedra products.

The FDA has linked ephedra to 81 deaths - including Sean Riggins - and 1,400 incidents of heart attacks, high blood pressure and stroke. Meantime, products containing ephedra are marketed as a natural supplement for weight loss and energy.

Riggins, who played on the high school football and wrestling teams, had no pre-existing heart conditions and passed a physical exam one month prior to his death. The Logan County coroner, Dr. Chuck Fricke, testified before a Senate panel on Oct. 8 that Riggins' death was directly related to his consumption of a dietary supplement known as Yellow Jacket, a speed-like pill containing ephedra used by athletes to increase performance.

Durbin pressed the FDA to act before more kids die, before more Americans suffer heart attacks while attempting a quick-fix for weight loss. "What more does it take? How many more kids have to die before we say 'enough is enough'?" Durbin asked at the hearing.

"A Senator's responsibility includes keeping a watchful eye on public health issues that threaten Illinois families," Durbin said. "My opponent should listen more closely to the families across our state to understand their concerns."

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Date: October 13, 2002
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