Gorbachev and earlier to his predecessors. but to no avail. We know that several years ago refuseniks. diagnosed as having cancer were granted the permission to leave together with their families in conformity with the letter and spirit of Heisinki Final Act about the human approach to reunification of families with ailing family members. The fact that we are still denied visas is incompatible with the assertion by M.S. Gorbachev at the XXVII Congress of CPSU that reunification of families should be approached in humane and positive spirit. Two remarkable breakthroughs in cancer therapy have occurred in the United States.