Editor:

Upon reading the biased news article "Where is Dr. Fran Day?" (March 18), I noticed that of the two, maybe three, people interviewed, all of the sources had negative feedback concerning their treatment and subsequent lack of re-filled prescriptions. Where was the positive feedback about Dr. Day?

I've never met with Dr. Day, but my family and peers have recommended her in the past, especially when I was living on a limited budget, and skeptical of run-of-the-mill, prescription-happy pharm doctors. Perhaps Dr. Day took a leave of absence because she was tired, and wary, of using her medical license to prescribe drugs like Methadone (and Zoloft), both of which are highly addictive and often abused.

She runs a private practice, and uses a sliding-scale fee for patients who are unable to pay for regular hospital visits. This is great for addicts, who benefit from "private" and "cheap," but not when their meds aren't available, or when they have to check in to the E.R.

Had these patients gone to a county clinic or hospital, they may have been subject to paying a substantive medical bill. In addition, methadone patients admitted to a hospital or clinic would still have to "sleep it off" (which Dr. Day was penalized for advising), and perhaps face questions from the police, since methadone is used to treat addiction to heroin, which is an illicit drug.

A couple of years ago, my mother visited Dr. Fran Day for a routine physical exam while on an extended vacation. She described Ms. Day as "quirky, but professional, attentive and down-to-earth." The doctor gave her a healthy prognosis, advised more exercise and daily vitamins, and sent Mom on her way.

Physicians are held to high medical standards, which involve more than simply filling out prescriptions. Dr. Fran may have her day in court, but it seems she served her patients well, and in the end, followed the physician's credo, which is "Do no harm."

Elise Castle, McKinleyville