Petition: ASHA Needs to Actively Enforce its Code of Ethics
Arlene A. Pietranton, Executive Director
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
2200 Research Blvd., Mail Stop #309
Rockville, MD 20850-3289
We, the signatories, petition the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) to rigorously enforce compliance to its self-imposed Code of Ethics.
ASHA could not be clearer in its intention to protect consumers. Principle of Ethics I, Rule J states that “Individuals shall not guarantee the results of any treatment or procedure, directly or by implication.”
However, such promises of specific outcomes in stuttering are widespread.
Some websites of ASHA members market their treatment of stuttering with statements like “[statement removed]” “[statement removed]” and “[statement removed].
Such advertisements clearly violate ethical and professional conduct as intended by ASHA. These promises provide people who stutter and their families with unrealistic outcomes and they also mislead professionals and the public into believing in the availability of a quick fix for stuttering. Such claims are hurtful to both consumers and professionals.
Unfortunately, ASHA does not actively enforce compliance with its ethics code regarding advertising outcomes. If ASHA credentials are to have any meaning, they must represent not just knowledge and skill, but also the ethics required to protect consumers and the public by action and not just by words.
Most members of ASHA do not have the time to spend dozens of hours filling out ethical complaint forms, calling and writing letters to members who may be in violation of the Code of Ethics and cannot afford to fight off frivolous lawsuits that may result from pursuing ethical concerns. Yet ASHA reported in 2007 having more than 106 million dollars in total assets. Clearly ASHA has the resources, the power and the structure, if it has the interest, resolve and determination, to enforce its own Code of Ethics.
We, the signatories, petition ASHA to implement procedures to encourage compliance with its ethics policy regarding comments by clinicians advertising the outcome of their therapy procedures. Specifically, ASHA could confidentially review public marketing statements used by members after being made anonymously aware by members or the public. Following a preliminary check, the statement(s) in question could then be referred to ASHA's ethics committee for review and the committee could decide explicitly and in writing whether they violate our Code of Ethics with regard to promising outcomes.
ASHA's officers and ethics committee have a responsibility for enforcing the basic principles of ethical conduct by clinicians who promise uniformly successful outcomes. Any marketing and advertising statements made by ASHA members that have the potential to mislead our patients and clients should not be tolerated. Enforcing our standards and ethics in advertising helps us to elevate our commitment to those we serve. ASHA’s current “buyer beware” approach towards the marketing done by its members is not in the best interest of consumers, the public and the professions.
We look forward to a timely response to these concerns, addressed to the corresponding authors below, Peter Reitzes and Phil Schneider (338 14th St. Apt. 1L Brooklyn, NY 11215; preitzes@yahoo.com)
Appendix
[Editor's note - The appendix has been removed because the petition is closed]
Signatories:
Peter Reitzes, MA CCC-SLP
Co-host, StutterTalk Podcast
Phil Schneider, Ed.D. CCC-SLP
Schneider Speech Pathology
Board Recognized Fluency Specialist
Associate Professor Emeritus, Queens College, City University of New York
National Stuttering Association Speech Pathologist of the Year, 2004
Jane Fraser
President, Stuttering Foundation of America
Ernie Canadeo
Board Chairman, National Stuttering Association
Lee Caggiano, M.A. CCC-SLP
Board Recognized Specialist and Mentor in Fluency Disorders
Director - Stuttering Therapy and Resource Center of Long Island
Co-Founder/Director of Friends: The National Assoc. of Young People Who Stutter
Adjunct Professor,- New York University, Queens College and C.W. Post University
Robert W. Quesal, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BRS-FD
ASHA Fellow
Vice-Chair for Speech-Language Pathology, Council on Academic Accreditation
Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Western Illinois University
Gary J. Rentschler, Ph.D. CCC-SLP
Board Recognized Fluency Specialist
Department of Speech-Language Pathology
Duquesne University
Walt Manning, Ph.D.
Professor & Associate Dean
School of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology
The University of Memphis
Memphis Speech & Hearing Center
Barry Guitar, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Professor Communication Sciences; Adjunct Professor of Psychology and Education
University of Vermont
Author of Stuttering: An Integrated Approach to Its Nature and Treatment and Co-Editor of Treatment of Stuttering: Established and Emerging Interventions
John A. Tetnowski, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BRS/M-FD
Ben Blanco/BoRSF Endowed Professor in Communicative Disorders
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Peter R. Ramig, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Professor
Department of Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences
University of Colorado
Bill Murphy M.A. CCC-SLP
Clinical Professor
ASHA Fellow
Board Recognized Specialist in Fluency Disorders
Dept. of Speech, Language, Hearing Sciences
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN
Charlie Osborne, M.A., CCC-SLP
Assistant Clinical Professor
Center for Communicative Disorders
University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
Kim Krieger MS, CCC-SP
Board Recognized Specialist-Fluency Disorders
Director of the Successful Stuttering Management Program and SLP for the Mead School District
Adriana DiGrande, MS, CCC-SP
Board Recognized Specialist-Fluency Disorders
Director, New England Fluency Program
Lexington, MA
E. Charles Healey, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BRS-FD
Professor
Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders
University of Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska
Craig Coleman, M.A., CCC-SLP, BRS-FD
Clinical Coordinator, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
Co-Director, Stuttering Center of Western PA
Kenneth O. St. Louis, Ph.D., CCC/SLP
Board Recognized Specialist and Mentor in Fluency Disorders
Department of Speech Pathology & Audiology
West Virginia University
Gerald A. Maguire, M.D.
AssociateProfessor of Clinical Psychiatry
Kirkup Endowed Chair in StutteringTreatment
Senior Associate Dean, Educational Affairs
University ofCalifornia, Irvine School of Medicine
Judy Kuster
Emertius Professor
Minnesota State University, Mankato
Webweaver of The Stuttering Home Page
Tom Weidig, Ph.D.
The Stuttering Brain Blog
Former Trustee of British Stammering Association (BSA)
Former Chair of the BSA Research Committee
Leys Geddes
Chair, British Stammering Association
Russ Hicks
Person Who Stutters (significantly)
Member of the National Stuttering Association
Distinguished Toastmaster
Toastmasters International
Retired Computer Systems Consultant
Texas Instruments Incorporated
Dallas, Texas
Cathy Olish
Person Who Stutters
Member, National Stuttering Association
National Stuttering Association Board of Director
Co-Chapter Leader for the Royal Oak NSA Adult and Kids/TWST Chapters
Co-founder, Covert Stuttering Email Group
Eric Jackson, M.S.
Co-host: StutterTalk podcast
Adjunct Assistant Professor - Long Island University
Uri Schneider, MA, CCC-SLP
Schneider Speech Pathology
New York and Jerusalem, Israel
Andrew Floyd, MA CCC-SLP
SLP and Person Who Stutters
Nina Ghiselli, Psy.D., Psychologist
Person Who Stutters
Co-chapter Leader, National Stuttering Association
Jean Sawyer, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Assistant Professor
Communication Sciences and Disorders
Illinois State University
Susanne Stevenson, M.S. CCC-SLP
Scott Palasik, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Assistant Professor
Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences
University of Southern Mississippi
Kenneth J. Mylott M.S., CCC-SLP
Blogger: ASHA Watch
http://ashawatch.blogspot.com/
Kathy Swiney, CCC/SLP, BRS-FD
Speech Pathologist - ASHA Fluency Specialist
Co-Leader NSA TWST Support Group
Susan Paskerian, MSW
Person Who Stutters
Member National Stuttering Association
Lori Melnitsky MA CCC SLP
Director. All Island Speech and Stuttering Therapy
Anthony Pearson
Person who stutters
Stuttering Student Blog
Child Care Counselor
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Charles Goldman MS CCC BRS-FD
Assistant Professor of Speech
Brooklyn College
City University of New York
Julie D. Anderson, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Associate Professor
Department of Speech and Hearing Science
Indiana University
Bloomington, IN
Brent A. Gregg, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Director, UCA Stuttering Clinic
Assistant Professor of Speech Pathology
University of Central Arkansas
Conway, Arkansas
Mercedes Cooper Delaney, M.S. CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Kris Baines, MA, CCC-SLP
SLP in private practice
Walnut Creek, CA
Stacie M. Greene, M.S., CCC-SLP
Clinical Director
St. Ambrose University
Master of Speech-Language Pathology Program
Davenport, IA
Shannon Muir
Registered Speech-Language Pathologist
Word of Mouth Speech and Language Services
Vancouver, Canada
Charley Adams, Ph.D, CCC-SLP
Clinical Assistant Professor
Communication Sciences & Disorders
University of South Carolina
Chapter Leader and Mid-Atlantic Regional Chapter Coordinator, National Stuttering Association
Newsletter Editor, International Cluttering Association
Karen Schilling
B. A. Kennedy
400 S. Wacouta
Prairie du Chien
Thom Lightfoot, MA, CCC-SLP
Valerie Johnston, MS, CCC-SLP
Director, Overton Speech and Language Center
Roger D. Colcord, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BRS-FD
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, OH
Roslyn Kushner, M.S., CCC-SLP
Private Practice
Matthew L. Murtha
Commander, U.S. Coast Guard
Person Who Stutters
Member, National Stuttering Association
Member, Covert Stuttering Email Group
Susan Miller, Ph.D.
Voice and Communication Consultant
www.voicetrainer.com
Susan Marks, MS, CCC
ASHA Fellow
Speech/Language Pathologist
Masters Family Speech and Hearing Center
Children's Hospital of Wisconsin
Deanna Earley, M.S., CCC-SLP, BRS-FD
Earley Palagi & Assoc., Inc.
Mirla G. Raz, M.Ed., CCC-SLP
Communication Skills Center
GerstenWeitz Publishers
Lisette Wesseling
Person Who Stutters
New Zealand
Olga O'Connell, M.A. CCC/SLP
O'Connell Speech Therapy Services-Private Practice
Brownsville, TX
Dawn La Clair, M.A., CCC-SLP
Executive Director
Simply Speaking Speech & Language Center
Barbara Thomas, M.A., C.C.C.
Speech-Language Pathologist
Private Practice, Tulsa, OK
Daniel Fedison
Person Who Stutters
Connie J. Suter
ASHA Member, CCC-SLP
Public School Speech and Language Therapist
Lois B. Cook, M.A.,CCC-SLP;
Certified LDT-C; SpecEd;
Board Recognized Fluency Specialist & Mentor
Speech and Communication Professionals
Westchester County, NY
Laura Palreiro M.S. CCC-SLP
Speech and Language Pathologist
Corpus Christ, Texas
Rita D. Thurman, M.S., CCC
NSA Chapter Leader Raleigh, NC
Board Member NC Speech-Language Hearing Association
Director of Speech-Language Therapy Associates
Raleigh, North Carolina
B.G. Firmani
Person who stutters
New York City
Theresa S. Massimi MA, CCC-SLP
Joan Lada Butterworth, M.S.,CCC-SLP, BRS-FD
Clinical Supervisor
Worcester State College
Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic
Margaret Schmidt, M.A., CCC-SLP
Donna K. Cooperman, DA/CCC-SLP, BRS-FD
Fellow of ASHA
Arnold J. Golub,Ph.D.,CCC-SLP (Retired)
Mark Power, M.A. CCC BRS-FD
Power Stuttering Center
Newport Beach, California
Dr. Sharon Arslanian
parent of person who stutters
Professor
Greenfield Community College
Greenfield, MA
Holly Hubbard Nover, MA, CCC/SLP
Person who Stutters' & SLP
Member, National Stuttering Association
Member, Jacksonville NSA Support Group
Jacksonville Area Speech Pathology Association Board Member
Jacksonville, FL
Vianne Bjornberg, M.S., CCC-Sp,BRFS
Private Practice
9035 Wadsworth Parkway, Suite 3300
Westminster, CO
Laura Busto Marolt
SLP, Fluency Disorders Specialist
Buenos Aires, Argentina
INA B. HAMBURGER, MA, CCC-SLP
SBFD
Nola Radford, Ph. D., CCC-SLP
Board Recognized Fluency Specialist
Professor and Interim Chair
Dept. of Communicative Disorders
Jackson State University
Jackson, MS
Matthew Ozoemena
Person Who Stutters
Member, British Stammering Association
Daniel Bell
Member, British Stammering Association and McGuire Program
England
Hannah Laday
person who stutters
Chapter Leader, National Stuttering Association
Metuchen, NJ
Lucy Reed, M.A., CCC-SLP
Mirjana Lasan
Speech Language Therapist
Croatia
Patricia Chunn MS CCC-Sp
Private Practice in Indianapolis
Dr Satyendra Srivastava (sachin)
Coordinator
The Indian Stammering Association (TISA)
Dehradun, India
Lynn Fox, MA, Med, CCC-SLP
Clinical Assistant Professor
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Edmund L. Thile, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Professor Emeritus
San Diego State University, Department of Communicative Disorders
Former Member, ASHA Ethical Practices Board
Director, San Diego County Speech Pathology Services, Inc.
Pamela Hurley, M.A., CCC-SLP
Mandy Sims
Fiancé of a Person Who Stutters
Member/Volunteer, National Stuttering Association
Joe Mirly
Person Who Stutters
Gloria Klumb
NSA chapter Leader
Madison Wis.
Joan Kwiatkowski, M.A., CCC-SLP
Clinical Professor
Department of Communicative Disorders
University of Wisconsin – Madison
Vicki Benson Schutter
Member and Former Board Member of the National Stuttering Asso.
Lifelong Stutterer
Avid Liver of Life
Houston, Texas
Edward Dowling
Person Who Stutters
Maria Pemsl-Dowling
Spouse of a Person Who Stutters
Gunars K. Neiders
Psychology Doctorate Candidate
Associate Member of ASHA, Member of SID-4 (Special Interest Division on Fluency and Fluency Disorders)
Student Member of American Psychological Association
Student Member of Association for Cognitive Behavior Psychology.
Frank Stechel, MA, Med
Courtney T Byrd, PhD
Assistant Professor, Dept of Comm Sciences and Disorders
The University of Texas at Austin
Director, Austin Center for Stuttering Intervention and Research
Austin, TX
Bonnie L. Weiss
Person Who Stutters
Chapter Leader,
Buffalo, NY Chapter.
Associate Editor of LETTING GO and STUTTER BUDDIES
John Derks
Person Who Stutters
Member of the British Stammering Associaiton
United Kingdom
J. Sarah Myers, M.H.S., CCC-SLP
Southern Boone County Schools
Barbara Samuels, M.A., CCC SLP SP 419
A Private Practioner
Woodland Hills, CA
James A. McClure
Person who stutters
Fellow, Public Relations Society of America
Captain, U.S. Navy (retired)
Board of Directors, National Stuttering Association
Consumer Representative, Specialty Board on Fluency Disorders
Ajit Harisinghani, MS(USA),CCC-Sp
Pune, India
www.speechfoundation.com
Tricia Krauss-Lehrman, M.M.S./CCC-SLP
Board Recognized Fluency Specialist
UTD/Callier Center for Communication Disorders
Dallas, Texas
Laura D. Halley, M.S., CCC-SLP
Jenna Langsdale, B.A.
Speech Pathology Intern
University of Texas at Dallas
Manohar Mikkili
Software build and Release engineer
PTC, Pune, India.
The Indian Stammering Association (http://t-tisa.blogspot.com )
Kishore Bisht
Engineer
Milan, Italy
Margaret M. Leahy
Senior Lecturer
Clinical Speech & Language Studies
Trinity College
Dublin, Ireland
Debbie Ostman, M.A., CCC-SLP
Board Recognized Fluency Specialist
Fond du Lac School District
Fond du Lac, WI
Bob Rochefort
Member. National Stuttering Association
Chapter Leader. NSA Boston Chapter
NSA Regional Chapter Coordinator. Northeastern States
Retired Quality Manager. First Electronics INC. Boston Ma.
Elena A. Caffentzis, M.S. CCC-SLP
Board Recognized Specialist-Fluency Disorders
Private Practice
Hartsdale, New York
Keith Boss
Board Trustee of the British Stammering Association (BSA):
Board Director of the International Stuttering Association (ISA):
Chair of ISA Outreach
United Kingdom
Norbert Lieckfeldt
Chief Executive, British Stammering Association
person who stammers
David Evans, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Assistant Professor
Department of Speech Pathology & Audiology
University of South Alabama
Suzanne Bonifert, MS, CCC/SLP
Head of Speech-Language Pathology Services
Dallas, TX
Emma Paul
Speech and Language Therapist
Lancashire, England
Mara Luque, MA SLP
Fluency Disorders Specialist
University of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires. Argentina
Michael Sugarman, MSW, MBA
Chair, International Stuttering Association
Person who Stutters
Co-Founder of National Stuttering Association (formerly known as NSP)
Susan D. Brooks, MA, CCC/SLP
Board Recognized Fluency Specialist
Speech-Language Pathology Services
Harvard, MA
Jeff Campoli
Graduate Student
Communication Sciences and Disorders
Long Island University
Mary Marasovich, MA/CCC/SLP
Oahu Speech Language Pathology
Honolulu, Hawaii
Craig Zora
Person Who Stutters
DNR Aquatic Land Manager
Connie L. Parrish
Person who stutters
Woodridge, Illinois
Barbara L. Dahm CCC-SLP
Board Recognized Specialist-Fluency Disorders
Director, CTI - Stuttering Online Therapy
Glen Rock, NJ
Steve Lipsky
Person Who Stutters
Joel Korte
Graduate Student in Speech-Language Pathology
Person Who Stutters
Kristel Kubart, M.S., SLP-CF
Colin Marsh
Person Who Stutters
Trustee, British Stammering Association
United Kingdom
Mark Shohet, CCC-SLP
Bryan Brown MA CCC-SLP
Isabella K. Reichel, Ed.D., CCC-SLP/A
Board-Recognized Specialist in Fluency Disorders
Associate Professor,
Graduate Program in Speech-Language Pathology,
Touro College, New York City
Chair, Committee of International Representatives,
International Cluttering Association
Jon Metcalf
Person Who Stutters
Michael Roybal
Person who stutters
Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
Samantha Gennuso
Graduate candidate for M.S. Mass Communications
Person Who Stutters
Rozie Matthews M.S., CCC-SLP
Board Recognized Specialist in Fluency Disorders
Bernie Weiner
Person Who Stutters
Central North Regional Chapter Coordinator for the National Stuttering Association
Former Co-Leader of the Royal Oak, Mi. NSA Chapter
Two Time Chapter Leader of the Year for the National Stuttering Association
Sara MacIntyre
Person who stutters
Member, National Stuttering Association
Laura San Martin, PE
Person Who Stutters
National Stuttering Association, Member and Los Angeles Chapter Co-Leader
Simon Klein
Person who Stutters
Sweden
Abena Asare
Person Who Stutters
Ph.D Candidate, New York University History Department
Angela Gibbs, L.C.S.W., M.S.W.
Mother of Person Who Stutters and
Case Manager, Physical Rehabilitation Services
Great River Medical Center
West Burlington, IA
Brian Burgess
Graduate Student
Communication Sciences and Disorders
Worcester State College
Evan Sherman
Person Who Stutters
National Stuttering Association Syracuse, NY Chapter Co-leader
Barbara Reitzes
Mother of a Person Who Stutters
Marc Reitzes
Father of a Person Who Stutters
Sarah McCormack
Person Who Stutters
Member of the Irish Stammering Association (ISA Ireland)
Jeff Shames, LMSW
Person Who Stutters
Producer, "Spit It Out" and "My First Friends Convention"
Active in Friends, the National Assoc. for Young People Who Stutter
Longtime Member of National Stuttering Assoc.
Ari Gershonovitch
Person Who Stutters
Israel
Hebrew Stuttering Blog
http://www.tapuz.co.il/blog/userblog.asp?foldername=LifeAndStuttering
Elana Yudman, M.S. CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Person Who Stutters
Joan Cahalan M.S., CCC-SLP, BRS-FD
Public School Speech-Language Pathologist
Private Practice
Omaha, Nebraska
Ro Ostergaard
Parent of a Person Who Stutters
Communications Manager
Communications and Government Relations
William Hogan, Director, Physician Network Development,
Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital
Barrington, IL
Sarah Bryant
Person Who Stutters
Member, National Stuttering Association
Brett Kluetz MA CCC-SLP
Person Who Stutters
The Katherine Thomas School
Treatment and Learning Centers
Rockville, MD
Caryn Herring
Person Who Stutters
Graduate Clinician and Research Assistant
Purdue University
Conor Manley
Person who stutters
Associate, Atlantic-Pacific Capital
New York, NY
Sarah J. D'Agostino
National Stuttering Association
family programs administrator and webmaster
person who stutters
Wolverine Lake, Michigan
Erin Bodner, MA SLP-CFY
Person Who Stutters
Minneapolis, MN
Hazel Lee Hewitt, M.A., CCC-SLP
Texas Children's Hospital
Christopher Rounick
Professional stutterer
Leslie Eckenthal, M.S. CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Person Who Stutters
New York, NY
Austin Applegate
Person Who Stutters
Mike Cohn
Person Who Stutters
Manhattan Stuttering Group, Chapter Co-Leader
Marybeth S. Allen, M.A., CCC-SLP, BRS-FD
Licensed Speech Language Pathologist
Board Recognized Specialist-Fluency Disorders
Instructor / Staff Speech Language Pathologist
University of Maine
Judith T. Eckardt, M.S., CCC-SLP
Board Recognized Specialist in Fluency Disorders
Private Practice in Tucson, AZ
NSA Speech Pathologist of the Year, 2001
Dana Davidson, MS CCC-SLP
Carl Herder, M.A., CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
American Institute for Stuttering
stutteringtreatment.org
Susan Short, MS, CCC-SLP
Mother of a Person Who Stutters
Board Recognized Fluency Specialist
SLP for Edwardsville, Illinois schools
Scot A. Squires, MBA
Information Specialist for the Stuttering Foundation of America
Katie Squires, M.S., CCC-SLP
South LaPorte County Special Education Cooperative
Karin B. Wexler, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Board Recognized Specialist and Mentor in Fluency Disorders
Teachers College, Columbia University and Westchester County, NY
Dr. Yelena Averbukh
Assistant Professor
Department of Medicine
Montefiore Medical Center
Bronx, New York
Elizabeth Kapstein, LCSW, CASAC
Person Who Stutters
Roisin McManus, BSN
Person Who Stutters
Jim Tsiamtsiouris, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Dept. of Communication Disorders
William Paterson University
Wayne, NJ
Roni K. Mandell, M.S., CCC-SLP
Board Recognized Specialist in Fluency Disorders
Director - Pediatric Center for Speech Pathology
Mindy Karten Bornemann MA, MS CCC- SLP
Speech Language Pathologist
NYC Public Schools
Phyllis Quarles, M.A., CCC-SLP
Sara Tatsch
Person Who Stutters
Nancy Gage, M.S., CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Board Recognized Specialist - Fluency Disorders
East Providence, RI
Stacey Jackson, MS, RD
Sister of Two People Who Stutter
Akash Acharya, PhD
Faculty, Centre for Social Studies (CSS)
University Campus
Surat, Gujarat
William S. Rosenthal, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus
Department of Communicative Sciences & Disorders
California State University, East Bay
David Friedman
PersonWho Stutters
Our Time Theatre, Board Member
Manhattan Stuttering Group, CoLeader
Catherine Maggard More, B.S.
Graduate Student in Communication Disorders
University of Texas at Dallas, Callier Center
Lisa Tuenge Davis
BA in elementary education - Nebraska
MA in Education - Nebraska
MA in school counseling - Texas
Plano, Texas





















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