I'm outraged on behalf of my friend and colleague, Dr. Barbara Brewitt, M. Div, Ph.D., chief scientist and CEO of Biomed Comm, an innovative healthcare company, which is being aggressively and unfairly targeted by the Washington State Department of Health. Biomed Comm Inc. is the leader in safe, over-the-counter homeopathic cell signaling products called Cell Signal Enhancer® medicines.

Dr. Brewitt is an innovative, visionary thinker who is attempting to marry pharmaceuticals and natural medicine. (Think "disruptive technology" and you are on target.) She has been in business with the highest ethical standards since 1996 and has lobbied the Food and Drug Administration (without success) to regulate the industry. Her peer-reviewed and published clinical studies have gained her numerous patents as well as global recognition. In fact her company was selected by Fast Company magazine as one of the 2004 Fast 50, the first time a natural medicine company has received this business award.

This year has been a challenging one for Dr. Brewitt. At the beginning of the year, a large pharmaceutical company suddenly cut off the supply of materials used to make the proteins required in her product. At the same time, a hostile competitor bought out her manufacturer. After weighing her options, Dr. Brewitt decided to establish a manufacturing facility in Washington and applied for a license. This act of following the law triggered a "cease and desist" action by the State of Washington. To make it worse, the media were notified at the same time and Dr. Brewitt's case has been tried publicly on television and in print. She has been forced to defend herself against allegations she calls, "outrageous."

Do you get the pattern here? Dr. Brewitt, at every phase of her research and her business development has attempted to operate with high ethical standards and within the law. What she is doing is certainly threatening to certain factions in the pharmaceutical industry. Although in eight years of distribution, her products have harmed no one, the State of Washington is suddenly concerned for the public health. (If you don't believe that this kind of organized attack is possible, go rent the movies Tucker: The Man and His Dream or The Constant Gardner.)

I am one of Dr. Brewitt's business colleagues who are taking a stand. Granted, there isn't a lot that one person can do, but one voice can and should speak truth to power. My friend, I wish you strength and courage as you fight this battle against your company and your reputation. As an ethical leader you are being severely tested.