RHYTHM METHOD RESEARCH

EG AR DI NG the letter headed "Way of family perfection" (June 30),' the Government ha.; not given a grant for research in planning by rhythm. Ttie project under research was approved by the sub-committee of the Family Research Trust and the £2,100 needed was available because Archbishop Beck of Liverpool and 18 priests had given the money to the Trust.
This project has been held up for eight years for lack of funds. When trust foundations have been approached the answer has been: "Your priorities are too low." Naturally they are not prepared to finance research into "rhythm" planning since it is a method apparently only of interest to one religious sect, the majority of whom have spent years saying the method is not a viable proposition.
The irony of the situation is that now. when all other methods of planning have been proved deficient or unacceptable on various occasions. people are looking to the rhythm method. Dr. C. Tietse. an authority on evaluating methods of birth control, stated at a Stockholm conference last year: "It seems highly pro bahle that this method could be significantly improved through scientific research."
Despite the pleas of Pope Pius XI in 1930 and his successors, and of Cardinal Suenens in 1958 (International Catholic Scientific Conference, Brussels) less than I per cent of all research into ovulation and the "safe period" has been carried out. (W. M. 0. Moore, M.R.C.O.G. the Practitioner, July 1970).
One could "blame" the maledominated medical profession, but Catholics 'in general have refused to evaluate rhythm as a method of planning. The handful of doctors interested have learned to continue working quietly hoping for a breakthrough in the scientific field.
What we 'have needed is a. "Germaine Greer" who is in a position to say "why shouldn't this method be at least as good as any others?" Of course from the point of view of industry there is no "profit" motive in promoting it. The "pill" industry has made millions.
Peggy Norris 45 St. Mary's Road, 1-Euyton, Liverpool.