New Drug for Stuttering Shows Great Promise

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (May 24, 2006) — The Stuttering Foundation of America today welcomed news that clinical trials of the drug pagoclone showed significant speech improvements for people who stutter.

"We were particularly pleased to learn that pagoclone does not appear to have any serious side effects, unlike some drugs used in the past," says Jane Fraser, president of the Stuttering Foundation.

The drug's manufacturer, Indevus Pharmaceuticals, announced the results today (see the announcement on the Stuttering Foundation's Web site, www.stutteringhelp.org).

The Stuttering Foundation reached more than 800,000 people who stutter in 101 countries in the past year. If pagoclone is approved, it will be another effective tool to treat this frustrating and embarrassing disorder that affects millions worldwide.

CELEBRITY FOCUS

Bruce Willis

While the world knows Bruce Willis as an A-list actor, few know that he struggled with stuttering throughout his first 20 years.

Walter Bruce Willis was born in 1955 in West Germany to his German mother, Marlene, and his American GI father, David Willis. The family settled in David’s hometown of Penns Grove, New Jersey in 1957, and the couple has three other children.

Winston Churchill

Seeking to "remove Winston Churchill's stutter by second guessing the diagnosis" indicates neither a truthful retelling of history nor an informed opinion about a complex speech disorder, say experts in the field of speech-language pathology.

Recent news reports that quote Dr. John Mather, a Washington physician, as saying that Churchill's stutter "is a lie" brought adamant critical response from specialists in the field of stuttering and fluency disorders.

Mel Tillis

Mel Tillis, born Lonnie Melvin Tillis, was an influential figure in country music, both as a songwriter and a performer. His journey to fame was marked by overcoming personal challenges, including a stutter that he turned into a defining part of his public persona.

Marilyn Monroe

From Edward S. Herrington's letter to Southcoasttoday.com

I am writing in response to "The importance of voice" (May 29), which mentioned that famous actor James Earl Jones struggled with stuttering. Another famous voice that you cited was the trademark breathy voice of Marilyn Monroe; however, you did not make mention of the fact that Marilyn Monroe also struggled with stuttering at various points in her life, sometimes very painfully.

John Stossel

John Stossel is one of the most recognized and articulate reporters today. However, he once considered giving up his broadcasting career because of his stuttering.

“Fear of stuttering can easily become worse than the stuttering itself,” observed Stossel. “The idea that I’m on television and making speeches is still a shock to me sometimes.”