Breast Cancer Awareness Month Fails to Disclose Limitations of Mammography by Jeffrey Dach

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October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is an advertising campaign for national mammography screening. An eminent radiologist, Leonard Berlin MD says this message fails to disclose the limitations of screening mammography, namely that mammography will miss 30-70% of breast cancers, and leads to over diagnosis and over treatment. He also says mammography disclosures should be mandated, just like the cigarette and drug warnings that appear on their ads.

Otherwise, we create unrealistic expectations for mammography which cannot be met. The public expects every breast cancer to be detected. They are not. This translates into increased medical malpractice payouts for the missed cancer, which is now the most prevalent medical malpractice case against all physicians. (1) (1A) (1B) (2) (3) (4)

The fact is that mammograms are difficult to interpret, cancers can be hidden, and many are missed. This cancer miss is not from lack of training or competency on the part of the radiologist. It is inherent in the mammogram technique itself.

The American College of Radiology says that 30-70% of breast cancer are missed on the initial mammogram, and are seen in retrospect a year later by going back to the previous mammogram interpreted as normal.With this legal environment, it is a miracle that mammography has survived at all.(5) (6)

Screening Mammography is Not Prevention.

Leonard Berlin points out that 57% of the American women believe that mammograms prevent breast cancer, a misleading message from Breast Awareness Month. (1B) Mammograms are designed to detect cancer, not prevent it. Thinking that a mammogram can prevent breast cancer is like thinking that checking your house annually for broken windows, prevents robberies.

Secondly. the most likely outcome of a positive mammogram is an unnecessary biopsy, causing emotional distress, breast deformity and scarring. 80% of all breast biopsies done for a positive finding on a mammogram are negative for cancer. (5)

My Own Experience with Mammography

When I began residency training in radiology at Rush Presbyterian Hospital in Chicago in 1971, the state of the art was Xeromammography. This was a machine made by the Xerox Company which was prone to mechanical failure, and always breaking down. It produced a blue photo on paper with blue toner powder. (27) (29)

Example of Xeromammogram

Example of X-ray Film Mammogram

In those days, Franklin S Alcorn MD, was the only brave soul willing to read the Xerox images, and the book was Xeroradiography by John N. Wolfe. In 1972, the consensus in the department was that mammography was an orphan procedure and might never become acceptable. Some docs thought xeromammography was bordering on quackery, and screening mammogram had not been invented yet. (30)

Useful to the Surgeon

In those early days, the surgeon's criteria for doing a breast biopsy was a palpable mass. Many women have palpable lumps and bumps called fibrocystic breast disease which is quite common, and now known to be caused by iodine deficiency. (7)

Cyst or Solid Breast Mass?

In those days, the surgeon approached a breast mass with needle aspiration to differentiate between a fluid containing cyst or a solid mass. Nowadays, ultrasound determines this easily.

Back to the needle aspiration procedure; if the lesion is a cyst, the fluid is removed and the mass disappears. If no fluid can be obtained, then the mass is solid, and surgical removal is the next step. This is where the surgeons found the xeromammogram useful, occasionally showing a second occult mass or calcification which alerts the surgeon to remove additional tissue.

Invention of Needle Localization

Sometimes the surgeon had trouble actually finding the tiny calcifications at surgery since they couldnt feel them, so needle localization was invented. The radiologist placed a needle in the breast tissue near the calcifications which guided the surgeon to the spot to be removed. The surgically excised breast tissue was returned to the X-ray department for another mammogram of the specimen to determine if the lesion had been removed (see below).

Example of excised specimen with needle localization (done for calcifications)

Example of Needle Localization for spiculated mass typical for malignancy in specimen.

The Switch from Blue Paper to Gray Xray Film

Grey X-Ray film mammograms replaced the blue Xerox paper images around 1982. By that time, I had joined a radiology group in Hollywood, Florida, but they were still using the xerox machine even though the whole country had already made the switch to regular x-ray film. This inevitable switch-over to X-ray film made possible the large scale national breast screening programs, since the mammogram could be done at any hospital x-ray department. (27)

Finally, We All Learn Mammography

My radiology group made the plunge into film mammography. None of us had prior training or experience reading mammograms, so we traveled to expensive meetings and teaching courses on mammography from leaders in the field, such as Marc Homer MD and Laszlo Tabar MD (Sweden), and then we started reading on our own. (8)

From Breast Needle Biopsy to the Creation of a New Department

Soon we were doing the needle localizations (using the Marc Homer needle) and needle biopsies in the radiology department. Initially, biopsies were done with simple supplies, a standard 20 gauge needle and 10 cc disposable syringes. A few years later, the radiology industry came out with spring loaded and vacuum assisted biopsy guns, and later invented dedicated biopsy tables using stereo-tactic guidance. This machine allows the operator to take two x-rays at different angles, and uses a computer to calculate the exact position for the biopsy needle.

By 2005, the cranky unreliable blue toner xeromammogram had been replaced with a shiny new department on the third floor with all the new modalities: hi-resolution digital mammography, stereotactic biopsy, breast ultrasound, and breast MRI. There is no question that the combination of these modalities makes a powerful and useful tool for diagnosis, treatment and follow up of breast cancer cases. However, this is quite different from screening mammography which is discussed below.

Victimization of Women?, No, Merely Good Medical Care.

When we started the screening mammogram program, many of the suspicious findings were false positive meaning they looked like something, but were in fact nothing. The radiologist would send a report of "suspicious requires biopsy" to the doctor who would tell the patient it might be cancer, and the terrorized woman would then not only submit to surgical biopsy under anesthesia, she would become hysterical and insist on the biopsy immediately. The negative biopsy would be a relief to the patient making the surgeon a hero. Feminists call this victimization of women, and healthcare professionals would call this good medical care.

Occasionally, about 10-20% of the time, a real cancer would be found at surgery. These were typically spiculated masses or branching tell-tale calcification patterns. In the early days, the punctate calcifications and the milk-of calcium (teacup) were called benign and did not require biopsy, and the branching calcifications indicated malignancy requiring biopsy and further treatment, However, nowadays, even the benign calcifications are routinely sent for biopsy, sometimes showing a controversial non-aggressive cancer called DCIS. (9) (10)

What's Your Track Record ?

At first, we had no idea how many of our mammogram readings of suspicious for cancer were actually found to be cancer by surgical biopsy and pathology evaluation. So, we started compiling the pathology data and attended monthly conferences to review the data and our track record. The average is one cancer every 5 biopsies, but each radiologist and hospital may have more or less. Optimally, this information should be posted on the wall of the waiting room. Unfortunately, this type of data is rarely available to the patient.

Questioning Screening Mammography

In the 1980s I believed, along with every one else in the health care industry, that mammography was capable of early detection of breast cancer, and that mass screening programs were capable of reducing breast cancer mortality. I even wrote a short editorial that appeared in the Miami Herald to this point which won the praise of my associates at the hospital.

Starting around 1995, however, I began to question the idea of screening mammography. Even from the beginning, there was a debate between proponents and critics of mammogram screening. They argued that the studies either did, or did not show reduction in breast cancer mortality. The critic, Samuel Epstein says mammograms cause harm from overtreatment with unnecessary breast biopsies, and the radiation increases breast cancer risk.

Luck of the Draw - Mammography Malpractice

One of radiologists in my group had the misfortune of being sued for malpractice. He missed a cancer on a mammogram that was visible in retrospect a year later. Remember, this happens 30-70% of the time, routinely.

This event happened early in his career, just out of training, before I joined the group. His insurance company quickly settled the case by paying the woman a settlement of a million dollars, with no attempt at defending the case. As you can imagine, this was a major event which changed how he interpreted mammograms. After that, he was gun shy, almost always did a callback for additional views, and always recommended biopsy for any vague density. The problem is that almost every mammogram has vague densities. Almost all of these biopsies were unnecessary for the patient, but they were quite necessary for the radiologist, considering the medico-legal climate.

The x-ray techs quickly learned to bring the mammograms over to my reading area for a quick negative, rather than to the other reading room, where they usually end up doing more views and send the patient for biopsy of a questionable area. This went on for years, and I was never sued for malpractice on a mammogram reading during my entire career. I consider this "the luck of the draw".

Realizing the high rate of false positive biopsies and the emotional impact on women, I did my best to call the negative mammograms negative realizing there could be a cancer hiding somewhere, and the visible cancers were sent to biopsy.

Biopsy Everything and Anything

The reality of a hostile medico-legal malpractice climate and financial pressure dictates the practice of mammography in most community hospitals. Current practice is to basically biopsy anything and everything that shows up on the mammogram, as long as the patient is compliant. Its not difficult getting compliance by telling patient that it might be cancer, we cant be sure. That usually is enough to make the woman hysterical and submit to biopsy. The radiologist is happy because he thinks he is reducing his chances of being sued for malpractice. His partners and the hospital administrators are happy because the procedures bring in more income. If cancer is found, the surgeons are happy because they have more lumpectomies and cancer operations to keep them busy.

DCIS, the Controversial Non-Aggressive Cancer

Over half of the cancers detected with mammography are DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ). This is a non-aggressive form of cancer which has a 98% survival after 5 years even with no treatment, although when found, they are treated with surgery as any other cancer. Some consider this detection and treatment of DCIS a form of overtreatment, others consider it good medical care.

Example small calcifications representing DCIS on an old Xerox-mammogram..

Some critics have said that increased mammographic detection of DCIS has skewed the statistics, falsely reducing breast cancer mortality. This makes it look like we are reducing breast cancer mortality, and we are not.

Without mammography, most of these DCIS cases would go undetected, and probably never cause a problem. Autopsy studies of women dying from car accidents have shown occult DCIS in up to 15% of the population. The actual incidence of cancer mortality is 0.4 per cent, not 15 per cent, suggesting that 96% of DCIS cases never go on to clinical disease. Yet, when DCIS is detected on the mammogram, these cases are treated with the same mastectomy or lumpectomy.

A third of the time, pathologists will disagree on the diagnosis of DCIS while looking at the same case. (11) (12)

Lung Cancer Screening

Screening tests in radiology have been tried before. For example chest x-ray screening for lung cancer was tried, studied and abandoned. It was found that when you do a chest X-ray on smokers every 6 months, find the cancers and send the patient to surgery for treatment, there is no change in mortality figures. No lives are saved. In addition to make matters worse, when you go back to the earlier films 6 months before, on the film that was read as negative or normal in retrospect the lesion is visible 90% of the time. (13) (14)

We thought these problems would be solved by moving up to CAT scans, a more advanced imaging technique. However, now we have a problem with seeing too many "suspicious" lesions and the false positive diagnosis. The net result is that lung cancer screening even with CAT scanning has not caught on. (15)

Mammogram screening in the under 50 age group NOT recommended by all other countries.

Current guidelines recommend a screening mammogram every 2 years for the 40-50 year age group. No other western country does this, as these women have dense breast tissue difficult to image and are most prone to a false positive reading, or a diagnosis of DCIS, the controversial less aggressive form of cancer. Most European countries restrict screening to post-menopausal women, after 50, when breast tissue involutes to fat and the cancers become more conspicuous.

Efficacy of Breast Cancer Screening - Does It Reduce Mortality?

The public perception is that breast cancer screening reduces breast cancer mortality. The reality is that this is a fiercely debated question in the medical literature with no clear winner. Leonard Berlin's articles summarize this debate in the medical literature. (3)

The debate is best shown by one example mentioned Dr. Berlin in the Sept 2002 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine in which two conflicting articles appeared in the same issue, one stating that mammography has no mortality benefit, and the other saying it does.

Here are the two articles:

(1) Canadian researchers concluded that mammography screening did not reduce breast cancer mortality (16) (17)

(2) United States Preventive Services Task Force concluded mammography reduces breast cancer mortality among women 40-74 years old. (18) (19)

Another excellent review of major Mammography Screening Studies can be found at the National Breast Cancer Coalition (web site). (44)

Bottom line, the debate rages on with no clear winner.

One observation which might clarify the debate is this: in two countries with socialized medicine, Canada and Sweden, careful studies of mammography screening were found to have NO Mortality Benefit compared to breast clinical exam.

Here in the US, however, with a 4 billion dollar fee-for-service screening mammogram industry, the mammography studies are interpreted to show that Yes, there is a Mortality Benefit of about 15-20% .

The influence of money and politics over medical science is pervasive, and mammography is certainly not immune. A few MD PHD's from Canada or Sweden are not about to derail a 4 billion dollar industry in the US.

Conflict of Interest in Sponsoring Breast Cancer Awareness Month?

Screening mammography critic, Samuel Epstein MD, irritates the establishment every time he points out that in 1984, the American Cancer Society created the October National Breast Cancer Awareness Month sponsored by money from the Astra-Zeneca Company, the maker of Tamoxiphen, the best selling breast cancer drug. In addition, Astra-Zeneca also manufactures industrial chemicals that cause breast cancer. Some consider this a conflict of interest.

Epstein also points out that past ACS advertisement promised early detection results in a cure nearly 100% of the time. Even more seriously, the Awareness Month advertisements avoid any reference to information on avoidable causes and prevention of breast cancer. (20) (21)

What is breast cancer prevention?

A previous newsletter discusses Iodine supplementation as the most effective way to prevent breast cancer. Iodine tablets are safe, inexpensive and readily available. This is true prevention.(7)

Samuel Epsteins landmark book, "The Politics of Cancer" discusses carcinogenic chemicals in our food supply, home and workplace. Removing them can reduce breast cancer. This is true prevention. (22) (23)

The Untold Message of Breast Cancer Awareness Month:

To summarize, here is the untold message of Breast Cancer Awareness Month:

1) mammography screening is detection, not prevention and has several limitations, namely 30-70% missed cancers, and a tendency towards over diagnosis and over treatment. (5)

2) Many different carcinogenic chemicals cause breast cancer, and removing these chemicals from the workplace or home can reduce breast cancer rates. (22) (23)

3) Iodine deficiency causes fibrocystic disease, and Iodine supplementation prevents breast cancer.(7)

4) Synthetic hormones like Provera increase breast cancer risk. (WHI Study)(24)

5) Bio-Identical Hormone programs are safe, and do not increase risk of breast cancer. (French Cohort Study) (25)

Will mainstream medicine ever endorse Dr. Leonard Berlin's Truth-in-Mammography disclaimers ? No, this will never happen. The public's unrealistic expectation that a breast cancer nodule will be detected 100% of the time will continue, and the high cost of medical malpractice will simply be absorbed into "the cost of doing business". The screening mammogram is here to stay.

As for my own opinion, I am not opposed to the status quo of mammogram screening in the over 50 age group. However, I am opposed to creating unrealistic expectations with false and misleading advertising.

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Jeffrey Dach MD
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References

(1) American Cancer Society Breast Cancer Prevention Page: Yearly mammograms are recommended starting at age 40 and continuing for as long as a woman is in good health.

(1A) 3-29-2005 Leonard Berlin, M.D, FACR, Chairman of Radiology at Rush North Shore Medical Center, Skokie, will be awarded the Distinguished Service Gold Medal Award of the Chicago Radiological Society, its highest honor at a ceremony on April 21, in Chicago, IL. The Gold Medal is awarded annually to an individual who has rendered unusual service to the science of radiology and will be presented to Dr. Berlin by his son, radiologist Jonathan W. Berlin, M.D. Berlin is Charman of Skokie Valley Hospital Department of Radiology.

(1B) Leonard Berlin, MD Mammography Screening Can Survive Malpractice . . . If Radiologists Take Center Stage and Assume the Role of Educator

(2) Berlin L. The missed breast cancer redux: time for educating the public about the limitations of mammography? AJR Am J Roentgenol 2001; 176:1131–1134.

(3) Malpractice Issues in Radiology, Breast Cancer, Mammography, and Malpractice Litigation: The Controversies Continue Leonard Berlin,Excellent discussion of controversy of screening mammography and impact on mortality figures.

(4) Perspective Dot Size, Lead Time, Fallibility, and Impact on Survival Continuing Controversies in Mammography Leonard Berlin MD

(5) STATEMENT of Leonard Berlin, M.D. To the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education Labor and Pensions Re: Mammography Quality Standards Act Reauthorization April 8, 2003. Leonard Berlin: Suffice it to say that research studies performed at some of the most prestigious medical institutions in the United States reveal that as many as 90% of lung cancers, and 70% of breast cancers, can at least partially be observed on previous studies read as normal.

(6) A Manifesto for Truth-in-Mammography Advertising by Leonard Berlin MD Imaging Economics, November 2004 From cigarettes to pharmaceuticals to financial services, all advertisements feature a disclaimer: Why not those for mammography? Of all medical malpractice lawsuits filed in the United States that allege a delay in the diagnosis of breast cancer, radiologists are the most frequently sued specialists. Of all medical malpractice lawsuits lodged against radiologists, the most frequent cause is the allegation of a missed breast cancer on mammography. Why has "missed breast cancer" risen to first place in the medical malpractice standings? I suggest that it is because we have oversold mammography. We have marketed mammography without informing the American public all that we know about not only the benefits, but more important the limitations and potential harms of mammography.

(7) Iodine Prevents Breast Cancer by Jeffrey Dach MD

(8) Screening mammogram studies Swedish Study by Dr. Laszlo Tabar (1977- 1984) Population-based randomized controlled study 31% reduction in breast cancer mortality in women 50 plus

(9) INTERACTIVE MAMMOGRAPHY ANALYSIS WEB TUTORIAL Images of benign calcifications, secretory disease, milk of calcium, etc.

(10) Tutorial 2 : CALCIFICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH A HIGH PROBABILITY OF MALIGNANCY

(11) Ductal Carcinoma In Situ of the Breast Elisabeth L. Dupont, MD; Ni Ni K. Ku, MD; Christa McCann, BA; and Charles E. Cox, MD, FACS DCIS, 60% of DCIS cases are discovered solely by mammography Seven major autopsy studies of women not known to have had breast cancer have provided insight. Six studies found an incidence of 4% to 18%.7 The seventh and largest study showed a 0.2% incidence (1 in 519 cases).8 However, this study included a significant proportion of groups known to have a smaller than usual risk of breast cancer. Of the more than 1,000 cases comprising these seven studies, only one case of invasive cancer was detected. Further analysis with fixed criteria is needed. (DCIS) this type of cancer now accounts for nearly half of mammographically detected cases of cancer.

(12) Using Autopsy Series To Estimate the Disease "Reservoir" for Ductal Carcinoma in Situ of the Breast: How Much More Breast Cancer Can We Find? H. Gilbert Welch, MD, MPH, and William C. Black, MD Annals of Internal Medicine December 1997 Volume 127 Issue 11 Pages 1023

(13) DOES LUNG CANCER SCREENING SAVE LIVES?

(14) Lung cancer screening

(15) Corporate Medical Policy Lung Cancer Screening, CT Scanning or Chest Radiographs BC BS doesn’t cover Lung cancer screening with chest CAT or Xrays.

(16) Miller AB, To T, Baines CJ, Wall C. The Canadian national breast screening study. 1. Breast cancer mortality after 11 to 16 years of follow-up. Ann Intern Med 2002;137:305 312 After 11 to 16 years of follow-up, four or five annual screenings with mammography, breast physical examination, and breast self-examination had not reduced breast cancer mortality compared with usual community care after a single breast physical examination and instruction on breast self-examination. The study data show that true effects of 20% or greater are unlikely. Controversy will persist because other studies suggest that screening causes small reductions in breast cancer mortality.The Editors

(17) Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Vol. 92, No. 18, 1490-1499, September 20, 2000 Canadian National Breast Screening Study-2: 13-Year Results of a Randomized Trial in Women Aged 50–59 Years Anthony B. Miller, Teresa To, Cornelia J. Baines, Claus Wall, For the Canadian National Breast Screening Study-2 Results: Randomization achieved virtually equal distribution of demographic and breast cancer risk variables. At the first annual screen, 21% of the cancers found by mammography alone (in the mammography plus physical examination group) were 20 mm or more in size compared with 46% of those found by physical examination in the mammography plus physical examination group and 56% in the physical examination-only group. The corresponding percentages for screens were 10%, 42%, and 50%, respectively. Screening detected 267 invasive breast cancers in the mammography plus physical examination group compared with 148 in the physical examination-only group. By December 31, 1993, 622 invasive and 71 in situ breast carcinomas were ascertained in the mammography plus physical examination group, and 610 and 16 were ascertained in the physical examination-only group. At 13-year follow-up, with 107 and 105 deaths from breast cancer in the respective groups, the cumulative rate ratio was 1.02 (95% confidence interval = 0.78 ). Conclusion: In women aged 50 - 59 years, the addition of annual mammography screening to physical examination has no impact on breast cancer mortality.

(18) Humphrey LL, Helfand M, Chan BKS, Woolf SH. Breast cancer screening: a summary of the evidence for the U. S. Preventive Services Task Force. Ann Intern Med 2002;137:347 -360 The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening mammography, with or without clinical breast examination, every 1 to 2 years for women aged 40 and older.

(19) United States Preventive Services Task Force concluded mammography reduces breast cancer mortality among women 40-74 years old.

(20) Dangers and Unreliability of Mammography: Breast Examination is a Safe, Effective, and Practical Alternative Samuel S. Epstein, Rosalie Bertell, and Barbara Seaman International Journal of Health Services, 31(3):605-615, 2001.

(21) Cancer, Inc - National Breast Cancer - Awareness Month Sierra, Sept, 1999 by Sharon Batt, Liza Gross THEY MAKE THE CHEMICALS, THEY RUN THE TREATMENT CENTERS, AND THEY'RE STILL LOOKING FOR "THE CURE"--NO WONDER THEY WON'T TELL YOU ABOUT BREAST CANCER PREVENTION Astra Zeneca Sam Epstein

(22) Cancer Prevention Coalition

(23) The Politics of Cancer, Revisited 1998 By Samuel S. Epstein, M.D. Foreword by Congressman David Obey,Introduction by Congressman John Conyers In this book, world-cancer expert Dr. Samuel Epstein indicts the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society for responsibility in losing the cancer war-

(24) Postmenopausal Hormone Replacement Therapy Scientific Review Heidi D. Nelson, MD, MPH; Linda L. Humphrey, MD, MPH; Peggy Nygren, MA; Steven M. Teutsch, MD, MPH; Janet D. Allan, PhD, RN JAMA. 2002;288:872-881.

(25) French Cohort Study

(26) Leonard Berlin MD biography

(27) Breast Imaging: From 1965 to the Present Edward A. Sickles, MD, Radiology. 2000;215:1-16.) Examples of xeromammograms and film mammograms, speculated lesion, needle localization.

(28) Case 41: Ductal Carcinoma in Situ, Alanna T. Harris, MD The detection of ductal carcinoma in situ has increased markedly in recent years secondary to the widespread use of screening mammography, and it now accounts for 25 to 40% of mammographically detected breast cancers

(29) History of Breast Cancer WILLIAM L. DONEGAN

(30) History: Narratives Radiology in Illinois By Franklin Alcorn, M.D. Dr. Alcorn's history appeared in the program of the Chicago Radiological Society at the Centennial of Radiology in 1995.

(31) Miller AB, To T, Baines CJ, Wall C. The Canadian national breast screening study. 1. Breast cancer mortality after 11 to 16 years of follow-up. Ann Intern Med 2002;137:305-312 After 11 to 16 years of follow-up, four or five annual screenings with mammography, breast physical examination, and breast self-examination had not reduced breast cancer mortality compared with usual community care after a single breast physical examination and instruction on breast self-examination. The study data show that true effects of 20% or greater are unlikely. Controversy will persist because other studies suggest that screening causes small reductions in breast cancer mortality.The Editors

(32) Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Vol. 94, No. 20, 1546-1554, October 16, 2002

Detection of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ in Women Undergoing Screening Mammography Virginia L. Ernster

Results: A total of 3266 cases of breast cancer were identified, 591 DCIS and 2675 invasive breast cancer. The percentage of screen-detected breast cancers that were DCIS decreased with age (from 28.2% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 23.9% to 32.5%] for women aged 40 to 49 years to 16.0% [95% CI = 13.3% to 18.7%] for women aged 70 to 84 years). However, the rate of screen-detected DCIS cases per 1000 mammograms increased with age (from 0.56 [95% CI = 0.41 to 0.70] for women aged 40 to 49 years to 1.07 [95% CI = 0.87 to 1.27] for women aged 70 to 84 years). Sensitivity of screening mammography in all age groups combined was higher for detecting DCIS (86.0% [95% CI = 83.2% to 88.8%]) than it was for detecting invasive breast cancer (75.1% [95% CI = 73.5% to 76.8%]).

Conclusions: Overall, approximately 1 in every 1300 screening mammography examinations leads to a diagnosis of DCIS. Given uncertainty about the natural history of DCIS, the clinical significance of screen-detected DCIS needs further investigation.

(33) Ductal Carcinoma In Situ of the Breast Elisabeth L. Dupont, MD; Ni Ni K. Ku, MD; Christa McCann, BA; and Charles E. Cox, MD, FACS

DCIS, 60% of DCIS cases are discovered solely by mammography Seven major autopsy studies of women not known to have had breast cancer have provided insight. Six studies found an incidence of 4% to 18%.7 The seventh and largest study showed a 0.2% incidence (1 in 519 cases).

However, this study included a significant proportion of groups known to have a smaller than usual risk of breast cancer. Of the more than 1,000 cases comprising these seven studies, only one case of invasive cancer was detected. Further analysis with fixed criteria is needed. (DCIS) this type of cancer now accounts for nearly half of mammographically detected cases of cancer.

(34) STATEMENT of Leonard Berlin, M.D. To the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education Labor and Pensions Re: Mammography Quality Standards Act Reauthorization April 8, 2003.

Leonard Berlin: Suffice it to say that research studies performed at some of the most prestigious medical institutions in the United States reveal that as many as 90% of lung cancers, and 70% of breast cancers, can at least partially be observed on previous studies read as normal.

(35) A Manifesto for Truth-in-Mammography Advertising by Leonard Berlin MD Imaging Economics, November 2004

From cigarettes to pharmaceuticals to financial services, all advertisements feature a disclaimer: Why not those for mammography?

Of all medical malpractice lawsuits filed in the United States that allege a delay in the diagnosis of breast cancer, radiologists are the most frequently sued specialists. Of all medical malpractice lawsuits lodged against radiologists, the most frequent cause is the allegation of a missed breast cancer on mammography. Why has "missed breast cancer" risen to first place in the medical malpractice standings? I suggest that it is because we have oversold mammography. We have marketed mammography without informing the American public all that we know about not only the benefits, but more important the limitations and potential harms of mammography.

(36) Mammography Books

(37) AJR 2001; 176:1123-1130

Perspective Dot Size, Lead Time, Fallibility, and Impact on Survival Continuing Controversies in Mammography Leonard Berlin

mammography had become the most prevalent procedure involved in malpractice lawsuits filed against radiologists, and that the allegation of an error in the diagnosis of breast cancer had become the most prevalent condition precipitating medical malpractice lawsuits against all physicians.

An article published in the ACR (American College of Radiology) Bulletin pointed out that 30-70% of breast cancers detected at followup mammography are visible in retrospect on initial mammograms that had been interpreted as showing normal findings

The debate as to whether screening mammography saves lives and lengthens survival rages on and will certainly not be resolved in the foreseeable future .

This article is not intended to be a comprehensive review of all available data on the subject of mammographic efficacy. Even if it were, no definitive answer to the question of whether mammography does indeed reduce mortality from breast cancer would be found.

(38) Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Vol. 92, No. 18, 1490-1499, September 20, 2000 Canadian National Breast Screening Study-2: 13-Year Results of a Randomized Trial in Women Aged 50 to 59 Years Anthony B. Miller, Teresa To, Cornelia J. Baines, Claus Wall, For the Canadian National Breast Screening Study-2

Results: Randomization achieved virtually equal distribution of demographic and breast cancer risk variables. At the first annual screen, 21% of the cancers found by mammography alone (in the mammography plus physical examination group) were 20 mm or more in size compared with 46% of those found by physical examination in the mammography plus physical examination group and 56% in the physical examination-only group. The corresponding percentages for screens were 10%, 42%, and 50%, respectively.

Screening detected 267 invasive breast cancers in the mammography plus physical examination group compared with 148 in the physical examination-only group. By December 31, 1993, 622 invasive and 71 in situ breast carcinomas were ascertained in the mammography plus physical examination group, and 610 and 16 were ascertained in the physical examination-only group. At 13-year follow-up, with 107 and 105 deaths from breast cancer in the respective groups

Conclusion: In women aged 50 to 59 years, the addition of annual mammography screening to physical examination has no impact on breast cancer mortality.

(39) Pink Ribbon Madness: Say No to Breast Cancer Exploitation for Corporate Profit

(40) article critical of mammographhy

(41) Dangers and Unreliability of Mammography: Breast Examination is a Safe, Effective, and Practical Alternative Samuel S. Epstein, Rosalie Bertell, and Barbara Seaman International Journal of Health Services, 31(3):605-615, 2001.

(42) AJR 2001; 176:1131-1134 Malpractice Issues in Radiology The Missed Breast Cancer Redux Time for Educating the Public About the Limitations of Mammography? Leonard Berlin

(43) Cancer, Inc - National Breast Cancer - Awareness Month Sierra, Sept, 1999 by Sharon Batt, Liza Gross

THEY MAKE THE CHEMICALS, THEY RUN THE TREATMENT CENTERS, AND THEY'RE STILL LOOKING FOR "THE CURE"--NO WONDER THEY WON'T TELL YOU ABOUT BREAST CANCER PREVENTION Astra Zeneca Sam Epstein

(44) National Breast cancer Coalition, Position Statement on Screening Mammography Updated May 2007

Excellent review of all studies up to May 2007. Overall, mammography screening has a modest effect on breast cancer mortality. When analyzed in absolute terms, the death rate is reduced by just 0.05%.

(45) Dr. Nortin Hadler is professor of medicine and microbiology/immunology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and an attending rheumatologist at University of North Carolina Hospitals.

Does Screening Mammography Save Lives? Numbers May Not Justify Practice for Routine Mammograms

OPINION By NORTIN HADLER. M.D. In the United States, radiologists are so hesitant to read a mammogram as "normal" that false positive rates can reach 80 percent. This hedging on the readings is driven by the fact that "missing a breast cancer" on mammography is the most frequent reason for malpractice litigation in the United States.

But screening mammography is so terribly blunt that it approaches useless: It finds very few cancers that are truly treatable, it misses many of these and it is awash in false positives. Norway, Sweden, Australia and the United Kingdom are re-examining their national experience with screening mammography because of appraisals similar to mine.

If a woman's life was saved because of early detection of an evil breast cancer, she should thank her lucky stars rather than her mammographer. I would relegate mammograms to the archives of false starts, next to radical mastectomy

(46) After 40 Years, Mammography Remains as Much Emotion as Science Judith Randal

Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Vol. 92, No. 20, 1630-1632, October 18, 2000

For the better part of a century, it would have been unthinkable to treat primary breast cancer with anything but the operation pioneered in the 1890s by William Halsted, M.D., one of the most prominent surgeons of his day. Beginning in the 1970s, the Halsted era drew gradually to a close when randomized controlled trials found that the operation generally known as radical mastectomy was no more effective than less drastic surgery (sometimes in combination with radiation). Could a similar fate await the current gold-standard status of screening mammography? Will a time come when its popularity dwindles, too?

mammography now a $4 billion a year industry in the United States alone

Absent unforeseen developments, it is probably safe to predict that mammography for screening will continue to be as much about strongly held opinions and political pressures as about science.

(47) Good News and Bad News About Breast Cancer by David Plotkin M.D. The Atlantic Monthly

Breast cancer is a major public-health concern; it kills 0.04 percent of all American women yearly.

Most of the time the news is reassuring; two thirds to four fifths of all biopsies reveal that the abnormality is not malignant. (Women in their forties are more likely than older women to have negative biopsies, because mammograms of their naturally lumpier breasts are harder to interpret.)

An official nationwide mammography program would be a huge commitment: 51.5 million American women are aged forty or above. And one must bear in mind the cost of needless medical procedures generated by the huge number of false-positive mammograms—two to four false positives for every true positive, according to some measures.

On balance, then, I reluctantly support the status quo. When my patients come in for their mammograms, I do not try to dissuade them. But I tell them that the most optimistic interpretation of the available evidence suggests that routine mammography has only a marginal effect on a woman's chances of surviving breast cancer—and that it may have no effect at all.

(48) Journal of Clinical Oncology, Vol 21, Issue 1 (January), 2003: 41-45

High Prevalence of Premalignant Lesions in Prophylactically Removed Breasts From Women at Hereditary Risk for Breast Cancer

N. Hoogerbrugge, P. Bult, L.M. de Widt-Levert, L.V. Beex, L.A. Kiemeney, M.J.L. Ligtenberg, L.F. Massuger, C. Boetes, P. Manders, H.G. Brunner Full text

The fact that an occult carcinoma was present in only one of 67 patients in our study might indicate that surveillance is as effective as prophylactic mastectomy. However, in our study, all 10 DCIS cases were missed by surveillance, and it was recently shown by Meijers-Heijboer that surveillance is less effective than prophylactic mastectomy in preventing breast cancer deaths.

(49) Mammographic Screening for Breast Cancer Suzanne W. Fletcher, M.D., and Joann G. Elmore, M.D., M.P.H. NEJM Volume 348:1672-1680 April 24, 2003 Number 17

(50) POINT COUNTERPOINT On the efficacy of screening for breast cancer David A Freedman,1 Diana B Petitti,2 and James M Robins International Journal of Epidemiology 2004;33:4355

(51) International Journal of Epidemiology 2004;33:6973 Rejoinder David A Freedman, Diana B Petitti and James M Robins REJOINDER

(52) Screening for Breast Cancer. Joann G. Elmore, MD, MPH; Katrina Armstrong, MD; Constance D. Lehman, MD, PhD; Suzanne W. Fletcher, MD, MSc JAMA. 2005;293:1245-1256.

All major US medical organizations recommend screening mammography for women aged 40 years and older. Screening mammography reduces breast cancer mortality by about 20% to 35% in women aged 50 to 69 years and slightly less in women aged 40 to 49 years at 14 years of follow-up.

Approximately 95% of women with abnormalities on screening mammograms do not have breast cancer with variability based on such factors as age of the woman and assessment category assigned by the radiologist. Studies comparing full-field digital mammography to screen film have not shown statistically significant differences in cancer detection while the impact on recall rates (percentage of screening mammograms considered to have positive results) was unclear.

(53) Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention Vol. 13, 501-510, April 2004

Fear, Anxiety, Worry, and Breast Cancer Screening Behavior: A Critical Review Nathan S. Consedine, Carol Magai, Yulia S. Krivoshekova, Lynn Ryzewicz and Alfred . Neugut3

Women's fears surrounding breast cancer seem to encompass nearly "everything" but certainly include fear of a breast cancer diagnosis, fear of pain/discomfort, and more complicating, fear of embarrassment. To this list, we can add fear of the medical establishment, radiation, nonspecific "cancer worry" general anxiety, or phobia .

(54) Cancer: When it isn’t a killer DCIS: Precancer, benign cancer or what? What Doctors Don't Tell You (Volume 13, Issue 10)

The cancer establishment was recently rocked to its core when Professor Michael Baum, an eminent and well-respected breast surgeon and researcher, claimed that screening for breast cancer should be scrapped because it caused hundreds of healthy women to undergo risky, mutilating and unnecessary treatments even when they may never develop the disease. His comments, made at a meeting of the Royal Society of Medicine, cut even more deeply because Baum was one of the physicians who helped set up the 50-million-a-year breast-screening service (Frith M, Scrap Breast Cancer Screening, Evening Standard, 10 December 2002, p 1).

Baum has stated publicly that the most dramatic consequence of the rise in the numbers of routine mammographies has been a huge increase in the incidence of small, well-contained, relatively benign breast cancers known as ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) (BMJ Rapid Responses at bmj.com/cgi/eletters/325/ 7361/418#24945, 24 August 2002).

(55) Michael Baum, Emeritus Prof. of Surgery University College London The Portland Hospital, 212-214 Great Portland Street, London W1W 5QN Re: Screening and Mastectomy rates

(56) 'Scrap breast cancer screening' By Maxine Frith, Health Correspondent, Evening Standard 10.12.02

The man who helped to set up the NHS breast screening programme claims today that it does more harm than good.

Professor Michael Baum, a leading expert in the field, said that screening for the disease causes hundreds of healthy women to have risky, mutilating and unnecessary treatments even when they may never develop the disease.

Fifteen years after he established one of the first screening centres in the UK, Professor Baum has now called for the £50million a year service to be shut. He believes the techniques used for screening are not accurate enough and lead to too many false alarms.

Professor Baum, who is to address the Royal Society of Medicine in London today, has been a long-standing critic of screening but has never before gone so far as to say it should be scrapped entirely,

He is one of the most eminent breast surgeons in the country and a respected researcher into the disease. His comments have sparked a furious row among experts over the benefits of the NHS breast screening programme

(57) Breast screen 'wrong care' fears, Breast screening may produce false positives. Concerns have been raised that breast cancer screening might lead to some women undergoing unnecessary treatment. Researchers looked at international studies on half a million women. They found that for every 2,000 women screened over a decade, one will have her life prolonged, but 10 will have to undergo unnecessary treatment. UK experts said women over 50 should go for their breast checks, but a screening pioneer raised doubts about the NHS programme's future. The report, published in the Cochrane Library, involved a review of breast cancer research papers from around the world.

(58) Doubts raised by the pioneer of screening By Nic Fleming, Medical Correspondent 18/10/2006

(59) Screening for breast cancer with mammography. Gotzsche PC, Nielsen M Cochrane Reviews

Main results: Seven completed and eligible trials involving half a million women were identified. We excluded a biased trial from analysis.

Two (Canada and Malmo)trials with adequate randomisation did not show a significant reduction in breast cancer mortality, relative risk (RR) 0.93 (95% confidence interval 0.80 to 1.09) at 13 years; four trials with suboptimal randomisation showed a significant reduction in breast cancer mortality, RR 0.75 (0.67 to 0.83) (P = 0.02 for difference between the two estimates). RR for all six trials combined was 0.80 (0.73 to 0.88).

The two trials with adequate randomisation did not find an effect of screening on cancer mortality, including breast cancer, RR 1.02 (0.95 to 1.10) after 10 years, or on all-cause mortality, RR 1.00 (0.96 to 1.04) after 13 years. We found that breast cancer mortality was an unreliable outcome that was biased in favour of screening, mainly because of differential misclassification of cause of death.

Numbers of lumpectomies and mastectomies were significantly larger in the screened groups, RR 1.31 (1.22 to 1.42) for the two adequately randomised trials; the use of radiotherapy was similarly increased.

Authors' conclusions: Screening likely reduces breast cancer mortality. Based on all trials, the reduction is 20%, but as the effect is lower in the highest quality trials, a more reasonable estimate is a 15% relative risk reduction. Based on the risk level of women in these trials, the absolute risk reduction was 0.05%. Screening also leads to overdiagnosis and overtreatment, with an estimated 30% increase, or an absolute risk increase of 0.5%.

This means that for every 2000 women invited for screening throughout 10 years, one will have her life prolonged. In addition, 10 healthy women, who would not have been diagnosed if there had not been screening, will be diagnosed as breast cancer patients and will be treated unnecessarily. It is thus not clear whether screening does more good than harm. Women invited to screening should be fully informed of both benefits and harms.

(60) Should We Offer Routine Breast Cancer Screening with Mammography? SEAN P. DAVID, M.D., S.M., Brown Medical School, Pawtucket, Rhode Island July 15 2003

(61) Screening for breast cancer with mammography Gotzsche PC, Nielsen M cochrane collaboration 2006 full text pdf

(62) BMJ 2001;323:956 (27 October)

Row over breast cancer screening shows that scientists bring "some subjectivity into their work Susan Mayor, London

The review claimed that there was no reliable evidence to support the value of mammo-graphy screening in reducing deaths from breast cancer and alleged an association with increased rates of breast surgery.

Ole Olson and Peter Gotsche from the Nordic Cochrane Centre, Righospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark, reassessed as part of a Cochrane review a meta-analysis of seven randomised trials of screening mammography which they had previously carried out. This confirmed their original conclusion, they said, that there was no evidence of a reduction in either total or breast cancer mortality in two of the trials that they considered to be of sufficient quality to analyse.

They added: "We have also confirmed that screening leads to more aggressive treatment, increasing the number of mastectomies by about 20% and the number of mastectomies and tumourectomies by about 30%" (Lancet 2001;358:1340-2 ).

(63) BMJ 2002;324:677 ( 16 March ) Hazel Thornton, independent advocate for quality in research and healthcare. Letters Breast screening seems driven by belief rather than evidence.

(64) BMJ 2001;323:1131 ( 10 November ) Letters. Office of NHS cancer screening programme misrepresents Nordic work in breast screening row Peter C Gotzsche, director. Nordic Cochrane Centre, Rigshospitalet, DK-2100 Copenhagen ø,

(65) List of articles in Lancet on Screening Mammography

(66) Professor of Radiology Course Director LÃzlo³ TabÃr, M.D. Professor of Radiology Course Director 2007 BREAST SEMINAR SERIES Covering the world of breast diagnosis

(67) Screening mammogram studies Swedish Study by Dr. Laszlo Tabar (1977- 1984) Population-based randomized controlled study 31% reduction in breast cancer mortality in women 50 plus

(68) National Breast Cancer Coalition (NBCC) The Mammography Screening Controversy:Questions and Answers February 8, 2002

(69) www.stopbreastcancer.org National Breast Cancer Coalition 1707 L Street, NW, Suite 1060 Washington, D.C. 20036 (202) 296-7477 voice (202) 265-6854 fax
Position Statement on Screening Mammography Updated May 2007

(70) BreastCancerChoices.org cancer advocacy Iodine Supplement Information
contact lynne. Breast Cancer Choices, Inc., a nonprofit organization
helping patients make informed choices about breast screening,
diagnostic procedures and treatment.

Womens perception of the benefits of mammography screening: population based survey in four countries. Domenighetti G, DAvanzo B, Egger M, et al.Int J Epidemiol 2003; 32:816 821.

Xeromammography is not quackery done by quacks says John Wolfe MD, author of Xeromamogram interpretation. Film screen mammography replaced it shortly there-after.

Enthusiasm for cancer screening in the United States. JAMA 2004; 291: 7178. Schwartz LM, Woloshin S, Fowler FJ Jr, Welch HG

Bartow SA, Pathak DR, Black WC, et al. Prevalence of benign atypical, and malignant breast lesions in populations at different risk for breast cancer: a forensic autopsy study. Cancer. 1987;60:2751-2760.

Ringberg A, Palmer B, Linell F, et al: Bilateral and multifocal breast carcinoma: A clinical and autopsy study with special emphasis on carcinoma-in-situ. Eur J Surg Cancer 17:2029, 1991

Do Vaccinations Cause Autism? by Jeffrey Dach MD

If you ask this question to anyone in the medical establishment, government or drug industry, the answer would be a firm NO, with supportive peer review medical publications. However, if you asked this question to mothers of autistic children, or the (DAN) physicians treating them, the answer would be a an equally emphastic YES, of course , pointing to their own supportive medical studies. (1)(2)(3)(3A)(4)(5) (93-99)

Canary in the Coal Mine

Autistic kids are the canaries in the coal mine, having genetic variations called SNP's (Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms), so they can't easily eliminate environmental toxins from their bodies. The most toxic is the ethyl mercury preservative in vaccines, unwittingly injected into young children before they are old enough to eliminate the mercury. Mercury impairs the immune system, causes auto-immune diseases, and is directly toxic to the brain, causing neurological disorders. (6)(7)(8)(9)

It's a Crime in Iowa and California

Iowa was the first state to ban mercury containing vaccines, Jan 2005. (106)

California has followed suit and more than 30 other states have similar bans under consideration.

In California, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the Thimerosal (Mercury) Law which took effect on July 1, 2006 prohibiting vaccination with mercury-containing vaccines to pregnant women or to children under age three. At the federal level, however, Pres. George Bush plans to veto similar legislation (FY 2008 HHS-Labor-Education Appropriations Bill). (10) (11)

The Most Bitter Debate

There is no greater rancor in medicine than the autism-vaccine debate, and this debate has reached the federal vaccine court where 5000 autistic kids and their families are requesting compensation for vaccine injury.

Vaccination Deemed Necessary to Protect Society

Society has deemed vaccination necessary to protect the nation from diseases such as smallpox, polio, diphtheria, and tetanus. In return for these benefits, society accepts the inevitable injury or death of the unlucky few from adverse effects. After all, vaccines contain foreign substances which provoke an immune response.

Examples of vaccine injury include the 1 death per million from viral encephalitis and disseminated viral infection after smallpox vaccination. Another example of vaccine injury is paralytic polio after receiving the live Sabin oral polo vaccine. With the eradication of polio, there are now more polio cases caused by the vaccine then are prevented by it in the US. (12)(13)(14)

The Swine Flu vaccine caused more deaths than did the Swine Flu itself, and there were 500 cases of vaccine associated Guillan Barre paralysis. Both the live polio vaccine and the Swine Flu vaccines have been discontinued in the US for these reasons. (15) (16)

The National Childhood Vaccine Injure Act

Large jury awards arising from DPT vaccine injury litigation in the 1980’s induced some vaccine makers to cease production, representing a threat to national military readiness in the case of biological warfare. (17)(18)

So, Congress passed the 1986 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act to provide for uninterrupted vaccine production. This law made the vaccine manufacturers immune from civil litgation, and instead established a Federal Court system to provide speedy compensation for vaccine-related injuries or death. (19)

The court uses a table which lists the types of injuries which automatically qualify for compensation. However, Autism is not included in this table. (20)

5000 Autism Cases Before the Vaccine Court

There are currently 5,000 cases before the Federal Vaccine Court requesting compensation for vaccine related autism, and a ruling is expected within the next 6-12 months.(21)(22)(108)

The 5,000 autistic families are represented by Kevin P. Conway, Ronald C Homer & Syvia Chin-Caplan, 16 Shawmut Street, Boston, MA 02116, Phone: 617-695-1990 (23)(24)

Acceptance by the Medical Establishment Not Necessary

A previous case was a victory. In Capizzano 05-5049 (3/9/2006),the Court decided that peer-reviewed scientific literature was not needed to win compensation. All that was needed was a medical theory linking an injury to the vaccine, a logical sequence of cause and effect, and a temporal relationship between them. This can be accomplished by medical records, or by an expert opinion. Peer-reviewed literature, pathological markers, rechallenge and general medical acceptance, are not required to win compensation.

In other words, it is not necessary for the acceptance by the medical establishment that vaccines cause autism., nor was it necessary for the peer review literature to show that vaccines cause autism. All that is needed is to show that Johnny was OK before the vaccination, and after the vaccination, Johnny developed autism.

280 Billion Dollars for Autistic Children - Do the Math

The current rate of autism as 1 in 150 children. Since there are 4 million live births annually in the US, this calculates out to 28,000 autistic kids annually, or 280,000 autistic kids per decade. Assuming the 5000 autistic families prevail in court with an average payout of one million dollars per autistic child, with the potential for 280,000 claims, the potential payout could amount to 280 billion dollars. This is an incredibly large amount of money, about the same amount of spending for 2 years of war in Iraq.(25) For this reason alone, it seems inconceivable that the federal vaccine court would grant compensation for autism. However, only time will tell.

Vaccine-Strain Measles Detected in Autistic Kids from MMR

The Vaccine Court’s compensation table includes Vaccine-strain measles infection, so these autistic kids would automatically be entitled to compensation. There are a number of reports of measles infection in the small bowel in autistic kids shown with endoscopic biopsy and PCR testing. Of course, mainstream medicine claims these findings are debatable, as seen in this article in Nature by DeStefano. (26)(27)(28)(70-75).

Lack of Evidence of Harm

As expected, the medical establishment claims there is a lack of evidence that thimerosol vaccines cause autism, and lack of evidence that the MMR vaccine causes persistent measles infection. (29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36)

A recent Sept 2007 New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) article speaks against the notion that thimerisol containing vaccines cause neurological problems.(37)

Autism is Increasing to Epidemic Proportions

A decade ago, the rate of autism was 1 per 10,000. The CDC now says that the current autism rate is 1 per 150. Some say that this dramatic rise in autism rates correlates with the increase in mercury exposure with Thimerosal, as children vaccination schedules have increased. See diagram below. (38)

Mothers Report the Children Are Fine until the Vaccinations, and then Develop Autism

Thousands of families are reporting their normal children changed after receiving mercury-containing vaccines, and began displaying Autism symptoms (which mimic mercury poisoning). (100).

Children with autism have more measurable mercury in their bodies than normal children, because they have difficulty eliminating it. A typical mercury dose received by a two-month old after three mercury vaccines is 125 times EPA's daily allowable exposure levels. In 2001, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) stated it is "biologically plausible" that Thimerosal in vaccines caused autism, ADD/ ADHD and neurodevelopment disorders in general. (40) (41) (42) (43) (44)(45)(46)(47)(48)

Videos on You Tube

There are many videos posted on U-Tube showing a typical story. The new born child develops normally, is then vaccinated and becomes autistic. After biologic treatment by a DAN physician the child dramatically improves. (Click Here for Video) (39)

What are the Features of autism?

The autistic child becomes non-verbal, with no self expression, and assumes postures to put pressure on lower abdomen (indicating pain). There may be hand flapping, and stacking objects. The autistic child shows no interest in other people, or he may be interested in people, but does not know how to talk with, play with, or relate to them. Initiating and maintaining a conversation is difficult. Speech and language skills may begin and then be lost, or they may develop very slowly, or they may never develop. The autistic child may have repeated ritualistic actions such as spinning, rocking, staring, finger flapping, and hitting self. Autistic kids have neurological disorders including epilepsy, gastro-intestinal problems, fine and gross motor deficits, and anxiety and depression. Boys are nearly 4 times more likely to have a parent-reported autism diagnosis than girls. There are about (80 Videos) on You Tube which show the typical signs of Autism: (49)

See Dr. Arthur Krigsman’s (video presentation) on Autism (DAN 2004 meeting) (50)(52)(53).

Symptoms and Biologic Treatment of Autism - Dr. Arthur Krigsman

50-70 % of autistic kids get a gasterointestinal disorder called autism associated entero-colitis, with inflammation of small bowel, stomach, and esophagus. They may have abdominal pain, diarrhea (loose stool, unformed stool, chronic oatmeal consistency, undigested food, malabsorption, constipation, malodorous stools. They may have abdominal distention, due to bowel inflammation and excessive gas. Growth curve may show regression at the onset of GI symptoms and onset of cognitive regression at the 15 month time frame.

Endoscopy finds pathology in these 70% who may have constipation/diarrhea with difficulty passing stool, or 3-4 days without a bowel movement. Endoscopy of small bowel shows lymphoid nodular hyperplasia, and severe LNH resembles Crohns disease.

Leaky Gut Syndrome in Autistic Kids

Autistic kids have an inflamed gut membrane which has increased intestinal permeability, also called “leaky gut” syndrome. In leaky gut, the undigested food macromolecules are absorbed by the leaky gut into the blood stream, an abnormal event. Metabolic pathways to break down these macromolecules are not normally in use.

Gluten from bread, and Casein from milk derivatives produce opioids, which are found in urine of autistic children. By removing the offending foods, the opioids disappear. There are 28 other proteins present in urine whih can b detcted with organic acid testing at the Great Plains Lab, William Shaw. (54)(55)(56)

Gut inflammation can be controlled on long term basis with anti-inflammatory drugs for biopsy proven inflammation on endoscopy. These are 5ASA drugs like Sulfadiazine, and the Salicylates. Very few patients cannot tolerate these drugs. Some kids need steroids (2-4 weeks), same as Crohn’s disease cases. Anti-Fungals (nystatin, diflucan) are widely used by DAN practitioners. Parents will say the kids do better on anti-fungals even though it is difficult to demonstrate fungus found on culture. Organic acid urine tests typically show presence of fungal metabolites which disappear with anti-fungal drugs. Autistic kids are also given digestive enzymes and probiotics which help to improve GI and cognitive symptoms.

Mothers Claim their Autistic Childs with Chelation therapy which removes Mercury

Katie Wright revealed that her autistic son Christian (grandson of NBC Chair Bob Wright), recovered significant function after chelation treatments to remove mercury. (101)(102).

As customary, she was viciously attacked by the medical establishment for her public statement. However, Katie was vigorously defended by John F Kennedy Jr. in this Huffington Post article.(57)(58)(59)(105)(107)

How To Make Vaccinations Safer

To make vaccination safer, Stephanie Cave MD and Sherry Tenpenny have suggested waiting until child is older to give the vaccinations, use single dose mercury-free vaccines, and use vitamin supplements such as Vitamin A and C prior to vaccination. They suggest avoiding vaccination when the child is sick. (60) (61)

Dr. Cave recommends waiting to vaccinate until ther child is at least 6 months of age, preferably older. Do only one vaccine at a time, at least a month apart.

Vaccination is NOT mandatory. Use an Exemption

Information on exemptions was mentioned in a previous newsletter. (62)

New Medical Discoveries Are Usually Rejected

Ignatz Semmelweis, for example, was ridiculed for his suggestion that surgeons should wash their hands before an operation.(63) The British Navy finally gave limes to sailors 50 years after James Lind’s showed citrus fruit cured scurvy.(64) As a reward for his discovery that elevated homocysteine causes heart disease, Kilmer McKully MD, was fired from his job and research grant terminated.(65 ) The thimerisol-autism connection is just another example of the above.

In Iowa and California, it is a illegal to inject a newborn with mercury with the newborn Hepatitis B shot, and and it should be crime in your state as well. Hepatitis B is obtained through IV drug abuse, or via sexual transmission, both activies not possible for newborns.

Hopefully, the injection of mercury into newborns will soon become a relic of the past, taking its rightful place in the museum along with bloodletting and leeches. Until then, there is much work to be done to remove mercury from our vaccinations. As a nation, we can’t afford not to. (66)

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Regards,

Jeffrey Dach, M.D.
4700 Sheridan, Suite T.
Hollywood Florida, 33021
954 983 1443

www.drdach.com
www.jeffreydach.com
www.truemedmd.com

References can be found at th orihinal article at:

http://jeffreydach.com/2007/10/11/autism-vaccines-and-robert-f-kennedy-jr-by-jeffrey-dach-md.aspx

(1) Do Vaccines Cause Autism ?

(2) DEFEAT AUTISM NOW! (DAN!) Physician Referral List: Implementing the Defeat Autism Now!

(3) Biological Evidence of Significant Vaccine Related Side-effects Resulting in Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Presentation to the Vaccine Safety Committee of the Institute of Medicine, The National Academies of Science, February 9, 2004.Jeff Bradstreet MD, ICDRC, 321-953-0278

(3A)Molecular Aspects of Thimerosal-induced Autism Richard C. Deth, Ph.D. Professor of Pharmacology Northeastern University Boston, Massachusetts

(4) Deth's research has uncovered evidence thimerosal creates deficits in the D4 receptor-mediated phospholipids methylation essential for detoxification and sustaining attention to tasks. The research provides the first scientific link between attention deficits and autism. Deth has identified the metabolic process, called methylation, whereby thimerosal can cause the brain damage associated with autism.

(5) An enzyme critical to methylation, methionine synthase, uses an active form of vitamin B12 to complete its chemical function, according to Deth. Thimerosal interferes with the conversion of dietary forms of B12 into the active form and so impedes DNA methylation and disrupts some normal gene actions.

(6) Mercury Poisoning

(7) EPA mercury Site

(8) HHS agency for Toxic Substances

(9) Mass Dept of Environmental Protection

(10) California Mercury Law

(11) Bush will VETO similar Mercury Law

(12) WHO Cessation of Oral (live) polio vaccine,Policy paper.

(13) Oral Polio Vaccine Cessation

(14) vaccinia smallpox CDC info

(15) Swine Flu Vaccination

(16) The Sky is Falling: An Analysis of the Swine Flu Affair of 1976, by Joel Warner

(17) The Tainted History of the DPT Vaccine by Harold Stearley

(18) At Risk: Truth About Vaccines, Lawsuits & Shortages Barbara Loe Fisher

(19) Office of Special Masters of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims,

(20) Vaccine Injury Table outlining which vaccine related injuries are to be compensated.

(21) Current status of 4900—claims for vaccine injuries resulting in autism spectrum disorder before US Court of Federal Claims, Special masters Patricia Campbell Smith, Denise Vowel and George L Hastings Jr. Ruling is expected after Jan 15, 2008.

(22) Audio and written transcripts of this first test case. the Cedillo Case No. 98-916V are available at this page:

(23) Homer legal web site. news and links relating to vaccine litigation.

(24) Federal Vaccine Court decisions with summary and full pdf file of transcripts.

(25) The Possible Costs to the United States of Maintaining a Long-Term Military Presence in Iraq September 2007

(26) references pertaining to measles MMR vaccine and autism. The vaccine strain of measles virus has been found in 85% of samples taken from the guts of children with regressive autism, according to Dr. Stephen Walker of the Wake Forest University School of Medicine.The study replicates findings made by Dr. Andrew Wakefield, a gastroenterologist, in 1998, and by Prof. John O’Leary, a pathologist, in 2002.

(27) Potential viral pathogenic mechanism for new variant inflammatory bowel disease. Mol Pathol. 2002 April; 55(2): 84–90. V Uhlmann, C M Martin, O Sheils, L Pilkington, I Silva, A Killalea, S B Murch, J Walker-Smith, M Thomson, A J Wakefield, and J J O'Leary.

Results: Seventy five of 91 patients with a histologically confirmed diagnosis of ileal lymphonodular hyperplasia and enterocolitis were positive for measles virus in their intestinal tissue compared with five of 70 control patients. Measles virus was identified within the follicular dendritic cells and some lymphocytes in foci of reactive follicular hyperplasia. The copy number of measles virus ranged from one to 300 000 copies/ng total RNA. onclusions: The data confirm an association between the presence of measles virus and gut pathology in children with developmental disorder.

(28) VACCINES AND AUTISM Detection of measles virus in children with ileo-colonic lymphoid nodular hyperplasia, enterocolitis and developmental disorder Molecular Psychiatry (2002) 7, S47–S48. Martin CM, Uhlmann V, Killalea A, Sheils O, O'Leary JJ.

(29) wikipedia MMR vaccine

(30) VACCINES AND AUTISM MMR vaccine and autism: a review of the evidence for a causal association Molecular Psychiatry (2002) 7, S51–S52. CDC finds NO causal association F DeStefano National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, CDC

(31) New Data refutes Measles Virus from Vaccine in Children with Autism,

(32) PEDIATRICS Vol. 118 No. 1 July 2006, pp. e139-e150 Pervasive Developmental Disorders in Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Prevalence and Links With Immunizations Eric Fombonne, MDa, Rita Zakarian, MEda, Andrew Bennett, PhD, CPsychb, Linyan Meng, MSca and Diane McLean-Heywood, MAb The findings ruled out an association between pervasive developmental disorder and either high levels of ethylmercury exposure comparable with those experienced in the United States in the 1990s or 1- or 2-dose measles-mumps-rubella vaccinations.

(33) The "Wakefield" Studies: Studies Hypothesizing That MMR Causes Autism Dr. Paul Offit, M.D., FAAP, Chief of Infectious Diseases and Director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Those who claim that MMR causes autism often cite two papers by Andrew Wakefield and colleagues. This section summarizes those studies and lists their critical flaws.Conclusion; autism is not caused by thimerosol vaccines

(34) Web site which states that Autism not caused by vaccines, funded by CDC

(35) The relationship between the MMR vaccine and autism, From The Vaccine Education Center Newsletter AMA page denying link between thimerosol vaccines and autism

(36) VACCINE STUDY IN NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE WRONG IN CONCLUDING MERCURY EXPOSURES ARE HARMLESS, STATES SAFEMIN"Early Thimerosal Exposure and Neuropsychological Outcomes at 7 to 10 Years," appearing in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM, 9/27/07 issue), DS

(37) A Sept 2007 NEJM article speaks against the notion that thimerisol containing vaccines cause neurological problems. Volume 357:1281-1292 September 27, 2007 Number 13 Early Thimerosal Exposure and Neuropsychological Outcomes at 7 to 10 Years

(38) VOLUME 114 | NUMBER 7 | July 2006 • Environmental Health Perspectives diagram of autism epidemic rise

(39) Video BioMedMom,on YouTube showing Autistic Child Development

(40) Critical Issues, Mercury from Safe Minds.org

(41) Stephanie Cave Book, What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children's Vaccinations, by Stephanie Cave, M.D., F.A.A.F.P and Deborah Mitchell.

(42) Video: Dr. Mark Geier Speaks at Mercury-Free Vaccines Rally in front of CDC 2007

(43) Video You Tube: Dr. Mary Megson Speaks on Autism Epidemic and Vaccines in front of CDC 2007

(44) Video: Boyd Haley, PhD Speaks at Mercury-Free Vaccines Rally at CDC 2007

(45) Video: Shows How Mercury Kills the Brain ~ Autism Connection

(46) Sherri J. Tenpenny, D.O. Vaccinations, Alternative Medicine, Mothering MAgazine.

(47) A prospective study of mercury toxicity biomarkers in autistic spectrum disorders. Geier DA, Geier MR. J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2007 Oct;70(20):1723-30.

(48) Urinary porphyrin profile analysis (UPPA) to assess body-burden and physiological effects of mercury in children diagnosed with ASDs.

(49) Video on You Tube: Signs of Autism

(50) Video:Current Concepts in the Treatment of Autistic Spectrum Associated Enterocolitis, Arthur Krigsman, M.D.Presented at DAN conference 2004. next meeting appearance National Autism Association November 9-11, 2007, Atlanta

(52) Arthur Krigsman MD Web Site, pediatric gasteroenterologist, Bio

(53) Arthur Krigsman MD Gasteroenterologist Wikipedia

(54) Great Plains Lab web site

(55) Biological Treatment of Autism by William Shaw PhD

(56) The Official Autism 101 Manual is the most comprehensive book on Autism"

(57) Robert F. Kennedy Jr defends attack on Mothers, The poisonous public attacks on Katie Wright this week--for revealing that her autistic son Christian (grandson of NBC Chair Bob Wright), has recovered significant function after chelation treatments to remove mercury -- surprised many observers unfamiliar with the acrimonious debate over the mercury-based vaccine preservative Thimerosal. But the patronizing attacks on the mothers of autistic children who have organized to oppose this brain-killing poison is one of the most persistent tactics employed by those defending Thimerosal against the barrage of scientific evidence linking it to the epidemic of pediatric neurological disorders, including autism. Mothers of autistics are routinely dismissed as irrational, hysterical, or as a newspaper editor told me last week, "desperate to find the reason for their children's illnesses," and therefore, overwrought and disconnected.

(59) Video: Christian and Makena, Non verbal aggressive little guy has turned into a wonderful healthy little boy with the help of the specific carbohydrate diet, vitamins, supplements, chelation therapy, ABA, Occupational and Speech therapy.

(60) Interview with Stephanie Cave MD, Mothering MAgazine

(61) Dr. Sherry Tenpenny. In 1987, the World Health Organization advocated the combined administration of Vitamin A with the measles vaccine. When a dose of 100,000 IU of Vitamin A is given with the vaccine, lower rates of side effects occur, and antibodies still develop. Therefore, be sure to give your child is given Vitamin A on the day s/he receives the vaccine. I would also suggest giving powdered Vitamin C (10mg per pound), for 3 days before, the day of, and for 5 days after any vaccine. If you chose to vaccinate, I recommend that you wait until your child is at least 6 months of age, preferably older. Do only one vaccine at a time, at least a month apart

(62) Guard Your Daughters from Gardasil

(63) Ignaz Semmelweiss

(64) James Lind and the Story of Scurvy

(65 ) Kilmer McCully MD and the discovery of the Homocytseine cause for heart disease

(66) Blood Letting Antique Medical Museum

(67) Wakefield AJ and Montgomery SM. Autism, viral infection and measles mumps rubella vaccination. Israeli Medical Association Journal 1999;1:183-187

(68) A prospective study of mercury toxicity biomarkers in autistic spectrum disorders. Geier DA, Geier MR. J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2007 Oct;70(20):1723-30.

(69) Press Release September 30, 2007 WASHINGTON, DC – A new peer-reviewed scientific/medical case study confirms that many children with autistic spectrum disorders (ASDs) suffer from mercury poisoning. The new study, “A Prospective Study of Mercury Toxicity Biomarkers in Autistic Spectrum Disorders” by Mr. David A. Geier and Dr. Mark R. Geier has been published in the most recent issue of the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A (volume 70, issue 20, pgs 1723-1730).

(70) Uhlmann V., Martin C, Shiels, Wakefield AJ, O’Leary JJ. Possible viral pathogenesis of a novel paediatric inflammatory bowel disease. Molecular Pathology 2002;55:84-90

(71) Singh VK, Lin SX, Yang VC. Serological association of measles virus and human herpesvirus-6 with brain autoantibodies in autism. Clin Immunol Immunopathol. 1998;89:105-8.

(72) Singh VK, Jensen RL, Elevated levels of measles antibodies in children with autism, Pediatric Neurology, 2003;28:292-294.

(73) Abnormal measles-mumps-rubella antibodies and CNS autoimmunity in children with autism. Singh VK, Lin SX, Newell E, Nelson C.Department of Biology and Biotechnology Center, Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84322, USA. singhvk@cc.usu.edu, J Biomed Sci. 2002 Jul-Aug;9(4):359-64.

(74) Wakefield, A.J., et al.Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in children Lancet 351: 637-641, 1998.

(75) Uhlmann, V., et al. Potential viral pathogenic mechanism for new variant inflammatory bowel disease. Journal of Clinical Pathology: Molecular Pathology 55:1-6, 2002.

(76) Taylor, B., et al. Autism and measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine: no epidemiological evidence for a causal association. Lancet 353:2026-2029,1999.

(77) VACCINES AND AUTISM IMMUNIZE, Paul A. Offit, MD, Director, Vaccine Education Center, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

(78) Dales, L., et al. Time trends in autism and in MMR immunization coverage in California. JAMA 285:1183-1185, 2001

(79) Lancet. 2000 Oct 7;356(9237):1273.Response to the MMR question.Taylor B, Miller E, Farrington CP.

(80) Kaye, J.A., et al. Mumps, measles, and rubella vaccine and the incidence of autism recorded by general practitioners: a time trend analysis. Brit Med J 322:460-463, 2001.

(81) Taylor, B., et al. Measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination and bowel problems or developmental regression in children with autism: population study. Brit Med J 324:393-396, 2002.

(82) Adrien, J., et al. Blind ratings of early symptoms of autism based upon family home movies. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 32:617-626, 1993.

(83) Adrien, J., et al. Early symptoms in autism from family home movies: evaluation and comparison between 1st and 2nd year of life using I.B.S.E. scale. Acta Paedopsychiatrica 55:71-75, 1992.

(84) Adrien, J., et al. Autism and family home movies: preliminary findings. J Autism Devel Disorders 21:43-49, 1991.

(85) Osterling, J., et al. Early recognition of children with autism: a study of first birthday home videotapes. J Autism Devel Disorders 24:247-257, 1994.

(86) Mars, A.E., et al. Symptoms of pervasive developmental disordeers as observed in prediagnostic home videos of infants and toddlers. J Pediatr 132:500-504, 1998.

(87) Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1998 Nov 10;95(23):13982-7. Links Movement analysis in infancy may be useful for early diagnosis of autism.Teitelbaum P, Teitelbaum O, Nye J, Fryman J, Maurer RG.

(88) Jefferson T, Price D, Demicheli V, Bianco E. Unintended events following immunization with MMR: a systematic review. Vaccine 2003; 21: 3954-3960

(89) Demicheli V, Jefferson T, Rivetti A, Price D. Vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella in children (Review). The Cochrane Collaboration 2005

(90) Balzola F, Daniela C, Repici A, Barbon V, Sapino A, Barbera C, Calvo PL, Gandione M, Rigardetto R, Rizzetto M. Autistic enterocolitis: confirmation of a new inflammatory bowel disease in an Italian cohort of patients. Gastroenterology. 2005;128:Suppl.2;A-303

(91) Balzola F., Barbon V.,Repici A., Rizzetto M., Clauser D., Gandione M., Sapino A., Panenteric IBD-Like Disease in a Patient with Regressive Autism Shown for the First Time by the Wireless Capsule Enteroscopy: Another Piece in the Jigsaw of this Gut-Brain Syndrome? American Journal of Gastroenterology. 2005;100:979

(92) González L., López K., Martínez M., Navarro D., Negrón L., Rodríguez R., Villalobos D., Flores L., Sabrá A. Endoscopic and Histological Characteristics of the Digestive Mucosa in Autistic Children with Gastrointestinal Symptoms. Preliminary Report. G.E.N. Suplemento Especial de Pediatría-Nº 1, 2005; pp41-47.

(93) Autism articles and References

(94) Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine and Autistic Spectrum Disorder: Report From the New Challenges in Childhood Immunizations Conference Convened in Oak Brook, Illinois, June 12-13, 2000 Neal A. Halsey, MD, Susan L. Hyman, MD, and the Conference Writing Panel Conclusions. Although the possible association with MMR vaccine has received much public and political attention and there are many who have derived their own conclusions based on personal experiences, the available evidence does not support the hypothesis that MMR vaccine causes autism or associated disorders or IBD. Separate administration of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines to children provides no benefit over administration of the combination MMR vaccine and would result in delayed or missed immunizations. PEDIATRICS Vol. 107 No. 5 May 2001, p.e84

(95) Vaccine truth

(96) Regressive Autism, Ileal-Lymphoid Nodular Hyperplasia, Measles Virus and MMR Vaccine Summary of Published Studies Offering Evidence for Linkages By David Thrower

(97) Vaccine Autoimmune Project for Research and Education (VAP) VAP's co-founder Ray Gallup and Dr. Yazbak examine the most recent United States Department of Education statistics and reveal that the 1 in 150 estimate is outdated by five years. They report that the present prevalence of ASD may be as high as 1 in 67.

(98) Biological Evidence of Significant Vaccine Related Side-effects Resulting in Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Presentation to the Vaccine Safety Committee of the Institute of Medicine, The National Academies of Science, February 9, 2004. Jeff Bradstreet MD, ICDRC, 321-953-0278

(99) Gastrointestinal comorbidity, autistic regression and Measles-containing vaccines: positive re-challenge and biological gradient Andrew J. Wakefield, FRCS FRCPath; Carol Stott, PhD; and Kirsten Limb, BSc A.J. Wakefield, C. Stott, K. Limb / Medical Veritas 3 (2006) 796–802

(100) Mercury & Autism Comprehensive research into the autism mercury poisoning connection. Autism: A Unique Type of Mercury Poisoning. See Table A: Summary Comparison of Characteristics of Autism & Mercury Poisoning. Sallie Bernard, Albert Enayati, B.S.Teresa Binstock Heidi Roger Lyn Redwood, R.N., M.S.N., C.R.N.P. Woody McGinnis, M.D. Contact: (201) 444-7306 by ARC Research

(101) Katie Wright, Autism Debate Strains a Family and Its Charity New York Times

(102) Autism Every Day Film with Katie Wright at Sundance Film Festival

(103) Book Review :Louder Than Words By Jenny McCarthy on TACANOW

(104) Jenny Mccarthy Interview in People Magazine, author of Louder than Words, on New York Times Best Seller List. number 5 on 10/15/07

(105) Robert F Kennedy Jr. Home Web Site

(106) Iowa Health Fredom Coalition, First State to Ban Mercury in Vaccines.

(107) Deadly Immunity, originally published on Salon.com June 16, 2005
by Robert F Kennedy Jr

(108) Cases in Vaccine Court — Legal Battles over Vaccines and Autism Stephen D. Sugarman, J.D. NEJM, Volume 357:1275-1277 September 27, 2007 Number 13

Books:

Louder Than Words, By Jenny McCarthy, on the New York Times Best Seller List No. 5,
Non-Fiction HardCover 10/15/07.(103)

Vaccines, Autism and Childhood Disorders: Crucial Data That Could Save Your Child's Life (Paperback) by Neil Z. Miller (Author), Bernard Rimland (Foreword)

What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children's Vaccinations (Paperback) by Stephanie Cave MD(Author), Deborah Mitchell

A Shot in the Dark (Paperback) by H. Coulter (Author)

How to Raise a Healthy Child in Spite of Your Doctor (Mass Market Paperback) by Robert S. Mendelsohn MD

Evidence of Harm: Mercury in Vaccines and the Autism Epidemic: A Medical Controversy (Paperback) by David Kirby

Vaccines: Are They Really Safe and Effective (Paperback) by Neil Z. Miller

Vaccinations: A Thoughtful Parent's Guide: How to Make Safe, Sensible Decisions about the Risks, Benefits, and Alternatives (Paperback) by Aviva Jill Romm

Vaccine Guide: Risks and Benefits for Children and Adults (Paperback) by Randall Neustaedt

References for Autism

1
http://specialchildren.about.com/od/autismandvaccines/i/vaccines.htm
Do Vaccines Cause Autism

2 http://www.autismwebsite.com/practitioners/danus.html
DEFEAT AUTISM NOW! (DAN!) Physician Referral List: Implementing the Defeat Autism Now!

3 http://www.nationalautismassociation.org/pdf/IOM-Bradstreet.pdf

Biological Evidence of Significant Vaccine Related Side-effects Resulting in Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Presentation to the Vaccine Safety Committee of the Institute of Medicine,
The National Academies of Science, February 9, 2004.
Jeff Bradstreet MD, ICDRC, 321-953-0278

3A http://www.whale.to/a/deth.pdf
Molecular Aspects of Thimerosal-induced Autism
Richard C. Deth, Ph.D. Professor of Pharmacology Northeastern University Boston, Massachusetts

4 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Deth
Deth's research has uncovered evidence thimerosal creates deficits in the D4 receptor-mediated phospholipids methylation essential for detoxification and sustaining attention to tasks. The research provides the first scientific link between attention deficits and autism. Deth has identified the metabolic process, called methylation, whereby thimerosal can cause the brain damage associated with autism.

5 http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20041113/bob8.aspAn enzyme critical to methylation, methionine synthase, uses an active form of vitamin B12 to complete its chemical function, according to Deth. Thimerosal interferes with the conversion of dietary forms of B12 into the active form and so impedes DNA methylation and disrupts some normal gene actions.

6 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_poisoning Mercury Poisoning

(7) http://www.epa.gov/mercury/ EPA mercury Site

(8) http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/substances/mercury/index.html
HHS agency for Toxic Substances

(9) http://www.mass.gov/dep/toxics/stypes/hgres.htm
Mass Dept of Environmental Protection

(10) http://www.dhs.ca.gov/ps/dcdc/izgroup/shared/mercury_law.htm
California Mercury Law

(11)http://www.autismtoday.com/articles/Bush%20To%20Veto%20Ban%20On%20Mercury%20In%20Vaccines.asp

Bush will VETO similar Mercury Law

12 http://www.polioeradication.org/content/publications/OPVCessationFrameworkEnglish.pdf
WHO Cessation of Oral (live) polio vaccine..policy paper.

13 http://www.polioeradication.org/content/fixed/opvcessation/opvcessation.asp Oral Polio Vaccine Cessation
14 http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5010a1.htmvaccinia smallpox CDC info

(15)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swine_flu Swine Flu Vaccination

(16) http://www.haverford.edu/biology/edwards/disease/viral_essays/warnervirus.htm The Sky is Falling: An Analysis of the Swine Flu Affair of 1976, by Joel Warner

(17) http://www.monitor.net/monitor/free2/dpt.html The Tainted History of the DPT Vaccine by Harold Stearley

(18) http://vaccineawakening.blogspot.com/2007/06/at-risk-truth-about-vaccines-lawsuits.html At Risk: Truth About Vaccines, Lawsuits & Shortages Barbara Loe Fisher

(19) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccine_court Office of Special Masters of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims,

20) http://www.hrsa.gov/vaccinecompensation/table.htm Vaccine Injury Table outlining which vaccine related injuries are to be compensated.

21
http://www.uscfc.uscourts.gov/OSM/Autism/Autism%20Update%20-%20September%2028,%202007.pdf Current status of 4900—claims for vaccine injuries resulting in autism spectrum disorder before US Court of Federal Claims, Special masters Patricia Campbell Smith, Denise Vowel and George L Hastings Jr. Ruling is expected after Jan 15, 2008.

22) ftp://autism.uscfc.uscourts.gov/autism/index.html . Audio and written transcripts of this first test case. the Cedillo Case No. 98-916V are available at this page:

23 http://www.ccandh.com/default.asp. Homer legal web site. news and links relating to vaccine litigation.

24 http://www.ccandh.com/decisions.asp Homer legal website; This page contains a listing of federal vaccine court decisions with summary and full pdf file of transcripts.

25 http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/86xx/doc8641/09-20-ConradLTpresenceinIraq.pdf
The Possible Costs to the United States of Maintaining a Long-Term Military Presence in Iraq September 2007

26 http://www.thoughtfulhouse.org/supporting_research.htm#measles
references pertaining to measles MMR vaccine and autism. The vaccine strain of measles virus has been found in 85% of samples taken from the guts of children with regressive autism, according to Dr. Stephen Walker of the Wake Forest University School of Medicine.The study replicates findings made by Dr. Andrew Wakefield, a gastroenterologist, in 1998, and by Prof. John O’Leary, a pathologist, in 2002.

27) http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pubmed&pubmedid=11950955

Mol Pathol. 2002 April; 55(2): 84–90. Potential viral pathogenic mechanism for new variant inflammatory bowel disease V Uhlmann,1* C M Martin,2* O Sheils,2 L Pilkington,1 I Silva,1 A Killalea,1 S B Murch,3 J Walker-Smith,4 M Thomson,4 A J Wakefield,4 and J J O'Leary1

Results: Seventy five of 91 patients with a histologically confirmed diagnosis of ileal lymphonodular hyperplasia and enterocolitis were positive for measles virus in their intestinal tissue compared with five of 70 control patients. Measles virus was identified within the follicular dendritic cells and some lymphocytes in foci of reactive follicular hyperplasia. The copy number of measles virus ranged from one to 300 000 copies/ng total RNA. onclusions: The data confirm an association between the presence of measles virus and gut pathology in children with developmental disorder.

28 http://www.nature.com/mp/journal/v7/n2s/pdf/4001179a.pdf

VACCINES AND AUTISM Detection of measles virus in children with ileo-colonic
lymphoid nodular hyperplasia, enterocolitis and developmental disorder
Molecular Psychiatry (2002) 7, S47–S48. Martin CM, Uhlmann V, Killalea A, Sheils O, O'Leary JJ.
29 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MMR_vaccine
wikipedia MMR vaccine

30 http://www.nature.com/mp/journal/v7/n2s/pdf/4001181a.pdf
VACCINES AND AUTISM MMR vaccine and autism: a review of the evidence for a causal association Molecular Psychiatry (2002) 7, S51–S52 CDC finds NO causal association F DeStefano National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, CDC

31 http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/545428

New Data refutes Measles Virus from Vaccine in Children with Autism

32
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/118/1/e139

PEDIATRICS Vol. 118 No. 1 July 2006, pp. e139-e150
Pervasive Developmental Disorders in Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Prevalence and Links With Immunizations Eric Fombonne, MDa, Rita Zakarian, MEda, Andrew Bennett, PhD, CPsychb, Linyan Meng, MSca and Diane McLean-Heywood, MAb The findings ruled out an association between pervasive developmental disorder and either high levels of ethylmercury exposure comparable with those experienced in the United States in the 1990s or 1- or 2-dose measles-mumps-rubella vaccinations.

33 http://www.cispimmunize.org/fam/autism/a_wake.html
The "Wakefield" Studies: Studies Hypothesizing That MMR Causes Autism Dr. Paul Offit, M.D., FAAP, Chief of Infectious Diseases and Director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Those who claim that MMR causes autism often cite two papers by Andrew Wakefield and colleagues. This section summarizes those studies and lists their critical flaws.Conclusion; autism is not caused by thimerosol vaccines

34 http://www.immunize.org/index.htm
Web site which states that Autism not caused by vaccines, funded by CDC

(35) http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/13697.html
The relationship between the MMR vaccine and autism
From The Vaccine Education Center Newsletter
AMA page denying link between thimerosol vaccines and autism

(36)http://www.safeminds.org/pressroom/vaccine-study.html
VACCINE STUDY IN NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE WRONG IN CONCLUDING MERCURY EXPOSURES ARE HARMLESS, STATES SAFEMIN"Early Thimerosal Exposure and Neuropsychological Outcomes at 7 to 10 Years," appearing in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM, 9/27/07 issue), DS

A Sept 2007 NEJM article speaks against the notion that thimerisol containing vaccines cause neurological problems.

(37) http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/357/13/1281
Volume 357:1281-1292 September 27, 2007 Number 13
Early Thimerosal Exposure and Neuropsychological Outcomes at 7 to 10 Years

38 http://www.safeminds.org/pressroom/ehp0114-a00412.pdf

VOLUME 114 | NUMBER 7 | July 2006 • Environmental Health Perspectives
diagram of autism epidemic rise

39 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJIXEyXE4Vk
BioMedMom

40 http://www.safeminds.org/mercury/
Critical Issues, Mercury from Safe Minds.org
41 http://www.vaccinationnews.com/DailyNews/October2001/WhatDocMayNotTell.htm
Link to Stephanie Cave Book, What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children's Vaccinations, by Stephanie Cave, M.D., F.A.A.F.P and Deborah Mitchell.

42 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDY7mst7ytg&mode=related&search=Megson%20Autism%20Vaccines

Dr. Mark Geier Speaks at Mercury-Free Vaccines Rally

43
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6yIncJnx4U&mode=related&search=
Dr. Mary Megson Speaks on Autism Epidemic and Vaccines
44
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHMWDBJzh7s&mode=related&search=Megson%20Autism%20Vaccines
Boyd Haley, PhD Speaks at Mercury-Free Vaccines Rally Urinary Porphyrin Profile

45
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85tgwh3HpsM&mode=related&search=
Mercury toxicity video How Mercury Kills the Brain ~ Autism

46 http://www.mothering.com/sections/experts/tenpenny-archive.html#doctor-fears Sherri J. Tenpenny, D.O. Vaccinations, Alternative Medicine

47 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=17885929
J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2007 Oct;70(20):1723-30. A prospective study of mercury toxicity biomarkers in autistic spectrum disorders. Geier DA, Geier MR.

48 http://www.mercury-freedrugs.org/docs/07930_PR_UrineTestingConfirmsAutismIsMercuryPoisoningb.pdf

This study utilized urinary porphyrin profile analysis (UPPA) to assess body-burden and physiological effects of mercury in children diagnosed with ASDs.

49 http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=signs+of+autism&search=Search Signs of Autism U-Tube

50 http://www.autismwebsite.com/krigsman/
Video:Current Concepts in the Treatment of Autistic Spectrum Associated Enterocolitis, Arthur Krigsman, M.D.Presented at DAN conference 2004. next meeting appearance National Autism Association November 9-11, 2007, Atlanta

52 http://www.thoughtfulhouse.org/bio_akrigsman.htm
Arthur Krigsman MD Web Site, pediatric gasteroenterologist

53 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Krigsman
Arthur Krigsman MD Gasteroenterologist

54 http://www.greatplainslaboratory.com/home.htm Great Plains Lab web site

55 http://www.greatplainslaboratory.com/bookstore/autism.asp#biologicalTretments
Biological Treatment of Autism by William Shaw PhD

56 http://www.autism101manual.com/ The Official Autism 101 Manual is the most comprehensive book on Autism"

57 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-f-kennedy-jr/attack-on-mothers_b_52894.html?view=screen
Robert F. Kennedy Jr Attack on Mothers The poisonous public attacks on Katie Wright this week--for revealing that her autistic son Christian (grandson of NBC Chair Bob Wright), has recovered significant function after chelation treatments to remove mercury -- surprised many observers unfamiliar with the acrimonious debate over the mercury-based vaccine preservative Thimerosal. But the patronizing attacks on the mothers of autistic children who have organized to oppose this brain-killing poison is one of the most persistent tactics employed by those defending Thimerosal against the barrage of scientific evidence linking it to the epidemic of pediatric neurological disorders, including autism. Mothers of autistics are routinely dismissed as irrational, hysterical, or as a newspaper editor told me last week, "desperate to find the reason for their children's illnesses," and therefore, overwrought and disconnected.

59 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWG-SWQ3vSs&mode=related&search= Christian and MAkena Non verbal aggressive little guy has turned into a wonderful healthy little boy with the help of the specific carbohydrate diet, vitamins, supplements, chelation therapy, ABA, Occupational and Speech therapy.

60 http://www.mothering.com/articles/growing_child/vaccines/biochemistry.html Interview with Stephanie Cave MD

61 http://www.mothering.com/sections/experts/tenpenny-archive.html#doctor-fears
Sherry Tenpenny. In 1987, the World Health Organization advocated the combined administration of Vitamin A with the measles vaccine. When a dose of 100,000 IU of Vitamin A is given with the vaccine, lower rates of side effects occur, and antibodies still develop. Therefore, be sure to give your child is given Vitamin A on the day s/he receives the vaccine. I would also suggest giving powdered Vitamin C (10mg per pound), for 3 days before, the day of, and for 5 days after any vaccine.
If you chose to vaccinate, I recommend that you wait until your child is at least 6 months of age, preferably older. Do only one vaccine at a time, at least a month apart

62 http://jeffreydach.com/2007/05/06/jeffreydachdrdachvaccinehpv.aspx
Guard Your Daughters from Gardasil

63 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignaz_Semmelweis Ignaz Semmelweiss

64
http://www.jameslindlibrary.org/trial_records/17th_18th_Century/lind/lind_1753_commentary.html James Lind and the story of Scurvy

65
http://www.drpasswater.com/nutrition_library/homocysteine.html
Kilmer McCully MD and the discovery of the Homocytseine cause for heart disease

66
http://www.medicalantiques.com/medical/Scarifications_and_Bleeder_Medical_Antiques.htm

(67) http://www.ima.org.il/imaj/ar99nov11.pdf
Wakefield AJ and Montgomery SM. Autism, viral infection and measles mumps rubella vaccination. Israeli Medical Association Journal 1999;1:183-187

(68)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=17885929
J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2007 Oct;70(20):1723-30. A prospective study of mercury toxicity biomarkers in autistic spectrum disorders. Geier DA, Geier MR.

(69)
http://www.mercury-freedrugs.org/docs/07930_PR_UrineTestingConfirmsAutismIsMercuryPoisoningb.pdf

Press Release Contact: September 30, 2007 WASHINGTON, DC – A new peer-reviewed scientific/medical case study confirms that many children with autistic spectrum disorders (ASDs) suffer from mercury poisoning. The new study, “A Prospective Study of Mercury Toxicity Biomarkers in Autistic Spectrum Disorders” by Mr. David A. Geier and Dr. Mark R. Geier has been published in the most recent issue of the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A (volume 70, issue 20, pgs 1723-1730).

70) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=9756729&ordinalpos=3&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
Uhlmann V., Martin C, Shiels, Wakefield AJ, O’Leary JJ. Possible viral pathogenesis of a novel paediatric inflammatory bowel disease. Molecular Pathology 2002;55:84-90
71) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=12849883&ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
Singh VK, Lin SX, Yang VC. Serological association of measles virus and human herpesvirus-6 with brain autoantibodies in autism. Clin Immunol Immunopathol. 1998;89:105-8.
===

72) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=12849883&query_hl=43
Singh VK, Jensen RL, Elevated levels of measles antibodies in children with autism, Pediatric Neurology, 2003;28:292-294.
----

73)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=12145534&ordinalpos=2&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
Abnormal measles-mumps-rubella antibodies and CNS autoimmunity in children with autism. Singh VK, Lin SX, Newell E, Nelson C.Department of Biology and Biotechnology Center, Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84322, USA. singhvk@cc.usu.edu, J Biomed Sci. 2002 Jul-Aug;9(4):359-64.

74) Wakefield, A.J., et al.Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in children Lancet 351: 637-641, 1998.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=9500320&dopt=Abstract%20

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Uhlmann, V., et al. Potential viral pathogenic mechanism for new variant inflammatory bowel disease. Journal of Clinical Pathology: Molecular Pathology 55:1-6, 2002. http://jcp.bmj.com/cgi/data/55/1/DC1/1

76) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=10376617&ordinalpos=2&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
Taylor, B., et al. Autism and measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine: no epidemiological evidence for a causal association. Lancet 353:2026-2029,1999.

77)
http://www.immunize.org/autism/offit_article.pdf
VACCINES AND AUTISM IMMUNIZE, Paul A. Offit, MD, Director, Vaccine Education Center, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

78) http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/285/9/1183
Dales, L., et al. Time trends in autism and in MMR immunization coverage in California. JAMA 285:1183-1185, 2001

79)
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Lancet. 2000 Oct 7;356(9237):1273.Response to the MMR question.Taylor B, Miller E, Farrington CP.
80) http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/322/7284/460?view=full&pmid=11222420
Kaye, J.A., et al. Mumps, measles, and rubella vaccine and the incidence of autism recorded by general practitioners: a time trend analysis. Brit Med J 322:460-463, 2001.

81)
Taylor, B., et al. Measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination and bowel problems or developmental regression in children with autism: population study. Brit Med J 324:393-396, 2002.

82)
Adrien, J., et al. Blind ratings of early symptoms of autism based upon family home movies. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 32:617-626, 1993.

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83)Adrien, J., et al. Early symptoms in autism from family home movies: evaluation and comparison between 1st and 2nd year of life using I.B.S.E. scale. Acta Paedopsychiatrica 55:71-75, 1992.

84)http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=2037548&dopt=AbstractPlus
Adrien, J., et al. Autism and family home movies: preliminary findings. J Autism Devel Disorders 21:43-49, 1991.

85) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8050980&dopt=AbstractPlus Osterling, J., et al. Early recognition of children with autism: a study of first birthday home videotapes. J Autism Devel Disorders 24:247-257, 1994.

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Mars, A.E., et al. Symptoms of pervasive developmental disordeers as observed in prediagnostic home videos of infants and toddlers. J Pediatr 132:500-504, 1998.

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Teitelbaum, P., et al. Movement analysis in infancy may be useful for the early diagnosis of autism.Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 95:13982-13987, 1998.

Jefferson T, Price D, Demicheli V, Bianco E. Unintended events following immunization with MMR: a systematic review. Vaccine 2003; 21: 3954-3960

Demicheli V, Jefferson T, Rivetti A, Price D. Vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella in children (Review). The Cochrane Collaboration 2005

Balzola F, Daniela C, Repici A, Barbon V, Sapino A, Barbera C, Calvo PL, Gandione M, Rigardetto R, Rizzetto M. Autistic enterocolitis: confirmation of a new inflammatory bowel disease in an Italian cohort of patients. Gastroenterology. 2005;128:Suppl.2;A-303

Balzola F., Barbon V.,Repici A., Rizzetto M., Clauser D., Gandione M., Sapino A., Panenteric IBD-Like Disease in a Patient with Regressive

Autism Shown for the First Time by the Wireless Capsule Enteroscopy: Another Piece in the Jigsaw of this Gut-Brain Syndrome? American Journal of Gastroenterology. 2005;100:979

González L., López K., Martínez M., Navarro D., Negrón L., Rodríguez R., Villalobos D., Flores L., Sabrá A. Endoscopic and Histological

Characteristics of the Digestive Mucosa in Autistic Children with Gastrointestinal Symptoms. Preliminary Report. G.E.N. Suplemento Especial de Pediatría-Nº 1, 2005; pp41-47.

http://www.informedchoice.info/MMR.html autism articles
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/107/5/e84

PEDIATRICS Vol. 107 No. 5 May 2001, p. e84 ELECTRONIC ARTICLE:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine and Autistic Spectrum Disorder: Report From the New Challenges in Childhood Immunizations Conference Convened in Oak Brook, Illinois, June 12-13, 2000 Neal A. Halsey, MD, Susan L. Hyman, MD, and the Conference Writing Panel Conclusions.

Although the possible association with MMR vaccine has received much public and political attention and there are many who have derived their own conclusions based on personal experiences, the available evidence does not support the hypothesis that MMR vaccine causes autism or associated disorders or IBD. Separate administration of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines to children provides no benefit over administration of the combination MMR vaccine and would result in delayed or missed immunizations.

http://www.vaccinetruth.org/measles_in_the_brain.htm

http://www.vaproject.org/thrower/mmr-briefing-20070430.pdf

Regressive Autism, Ileal-Lymphoid Nodular Hyperplasia, Measles Virus and MMR Vaccine Summary of Published Studies Offering Evidence for Linkages By David Thrower

http://www.vaproject.org/

Va

Roger Federer, Ranked Number One

The number one ranked tennis player, Roger Federer, swept the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in all three years, 2004, 2006 and 2007.(1)(2)

What is Roger's Secret Weapon?

Of course, Roger Federer is a gifted athlete, but could he have a secret weapon that gives him an edge on the tennis court? You might be surprised to know that Roger Federer makes use of gadget called a BEMER. This is a portable pulsed magnetic field device which speeds healing of muscle and tendons after tough tennis matches. According to the BEMER web site, Roger and many other athletes have been using a portable pulsed magnetic therapy unit regularly. (3)

Horse Racing and Pulsed Magnetic Wave Devices

This type of therapy for sports injuries is nothing new. There is big money in Horse Racing, and trainers give their horses pulsed magnetic therapy to gain an edge on the track. Benefits include faster recovery time from sports injuries, improved blood flow, improved nerve regeneration, and faster wound and fracture healing. (4-11)

Dan Clark MD and the BioEnergetic Medicine Conference

I learned about Roger Federer using the BEMER at Dan Clark’s BioEnergetic Medicine Conference in Orlando. (15)

Robert O Becker, M.D., The Body Electric

Electromagnetic radiation as a therapeutic device wasn’t accepted by mainstream medicine until 1985 when Robert O Becker, M.D. discovered that non-united bone fractures heal with pulsed EMF electrical stimulation. This is now standard practice in all hospitals. Becker’s books, The Body Electric in 1985, and Cross Currents in 1990, broke new ground, and the 3 decades of research since then have shown pulsed EMF to be effective for non-united bone fractures, relief of musculo-skeletal pain, migraine headaches, low back pain, depression, wound healing, improvement in blood flow and nerve regeneration, to mention a few. Becker discovered that weak electric currents recruit stem cells which differentiate into the body part requiring healing. Becker also discovered a second nervous system in the body which corresponds to the Chinese acupuncture meridians. (9-14)(63-71).

Electromagnetic Waves are the Basis of the Chemical Bond

Although modern science began with Newton’s laws of mechanics in 1687, Michael Faraday’s principles of electromagnetic induction were discovered only recently in 1831. Since then, Einstein and quantum mechanics further changed our understanding of matter, energy, and the universe. Paradoxically, the electron and all electromagnetic energy are both particle and wave, and the electron’s wave function derived from quantum mechanics is the basis of the chemical bond, first described by Linus Pauling. The chemical bond is now understood as sharing electrons (electromagnetic energy wave forms) between two atoms or molecules. (16)(17)(18-21A)

Electro-Magnetic Energy Use in Diagnosis

We have been using electromagnetic energy for medical diagnosis since the beginning of modern medicine. For example, the Electrocardiogram (EKG) and Electroencephalogram (EEG) both record electrical activity from body parts. The CAT scanner makes an image by passing electromagnetic radiation through a body part. The MRI scanner makes an image by pulsing electromagnetic energy through the body and then “listening” for the emitted energy signal. The mass spectrograph, a primitive form of MRI machine is used daily in the hospital lab for routine blood testing.

Electromagnetic Energy is Essential for Life

When we bask in the sun, and our skin makes vitamin D from sun light, this is electromagnetic radiation driving a bio-chemical reaction in our body. Photosynthesis is another example of absorption of electromagnetic radiation to form carbon bonds in plants. As a matter of fact, all biochemistry can be explained as electrical interactions between outer shell electrons. Electromagnetic energy is a basic part of the biochemistry of life.

BEMER and ONDAMED

One elementary problem with pulsed electro magnetic therapy as a treatment is: how do we determine the exact pulse frequency to be used? The BEMER device steps through a series of pre-set frequencies. Another device called the Ondamed uses a more sophisticated method of diagnosis before applying the treatment. (22) The operator scans though a frequency range while palpating the radial pulse. When the pulse becomes palpably stronger, this indicates a vascular autonomic response (VAS), and that’s the frequency used for treatment. (23). Our understanding of pulsed magnetic field treatment is still in its infancy, and the next few decades will see more research and refinement of technique, and greater acceptance into mainstream medicine.

Presenters at the Meeting:

Shari Lieberman

Dr. Shari Lieberman presented three cases of plantar fasciitis treated with the Ondamed device, all with prompt recovery.(24) (25). Dr. Lieberman is currently compiling additional Ondamed cases of trigeminal neuralgia, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, bell’s palsy, and others.

Poly-MVA

Dr. Shari Lieberman also presented Poly-MVA case studies. Poly MVA is a non-toxic nutritional supplement containing palladium which has been used as cancer treatment. Dr. Lieberman presented cases of clinical improvement with Poly MVA. These cases included multiple myeloma, lung cancer, and prostate cancer. (30, 30A-D).

Merrill Garnett

Merrill Garnett, the inventor of Poly MVA, is a brilliant researcher and author of the book, First Pulse, which describes the electrical pulsations inside every cell, and how Poly MVA manipulates these electrical pulsations to cause the death of cancer cells without injuring normal cells. Garnett’s life-long search for an anti-cancer agent culminated in his discovery of Poly MVA. One hundred years from now, it is likely that history books will place Garnett in the same company with Faraday, Einstein, and Becker (31)(32)(33)(34)(35).

Patricia Kane PhD

Patricia and Ed Kane of the Haverford Wellness Center, Havertown, PA presented their treatment protocol and case studies. They use IV phospholipid therapy for ALS, Stroke, Environmental illness, Hypercoagulation, Parkinson's, Cardiovascular Disease, Hepatitis C and Autism. This is the original IV phospholipid formulation from Natterman in Germany, and they showed case photos before and after treatment which were simply amazing, and by far the most impressive at the meeting. (26-29)

Ed Kane, cell membrane phospholipid bilayers, the key to health.

Above diagram shows the bi-layer nature of the cell membrane.

Phospholipids are long chain carbon molecules which form microscopic tuning forks which can oscillate and resonate at set electromagnetic frequencies. (see diagram below)

Above diagram is magnified version of membrane bi-layer showing molecular structure of the phospholipid "tuning fork" composed of two long carbon chains joined at the top. Note one chain has a cis double bond which results in a 37 degree bend which vibrates back and forth.

These phospholipid bilayers are not only located at the outer cell membrane, they are also present as folded layers throughout the cell cytoplasm providing surfaces for all biochemical reactions to take place. Energy absorption by these bilayers speeds up biochemical reactions at the membrane surfaces.

(Below diagram is an electron micrograph inside a cell showing a mitochondria which has an oval shape. The vertical rows of lines inside the oval are membrane bilayers where energy production takes place. The membrane bilayers are made of tuning fork phospholipids which absorb and emit electromagnetic energy)

Sangeeta Pati, M.D.

Sangeeta Pati, M.D. discussed bio-identical hormones, reviewing the medical literature which demonstrates that bio-identical hormones are safe and do not increase risk of breast cancer as shown in the French Cohort study. In addition, bio-identical hormones are protective and reduce risk of heart disease as shown in a recent NEJM coronary calcium score study. On the other hand, the synthetic progestins are the bad guys which should be avoided. (36-39). Don’t miss Dr. Sangeeta Pati explaining bio-identical hormone therapy in a video interview on the Wellness Hour.

Eldred Taylor MD

Eldred Taylor MD discussed adrenal fatigue diagnosis with salivary cortisol testing, and treatment with cortisol or phosphatidyl serine. Dr. Taylor left his OB/Gyne practice because the field had degenerated to the point where the only information he needed was the patient’s age. (40) (41) Women younger than 50 get birth control pills and SSRI anti-depressants. Women older than 50 get synthetic HRT and SSRI antidepressants. Sadly, conventional medical practice has come down to that.

Adrenal Fatigue:

Adrenal Fatigue: Chronic daily stress eventually causes exhaustion, and this means reduced adrenal production of cortisol, which is the definition of adrenal fatigue. I had a recent phone conversation with an old time friend who is also an endocrinologist. She informed me that adrenal fatigue simply doesn’t exist as a real medical diagnosis. Mainstream medicine doesn’t believe in it. The adrenal gland is normal, functioning at 100%, or nonfunctional (Addison’s’ Disease), with nothing in between. For these doubting mainstream docs, Dr. Taylor presented a review of the medical literature showing that adrenal fatigue is indeed caused by cortisol deficiency which can be measured with salivary testing, and the condition can be cured with bio-identical natural cortisol. (43-55)

Russell Jaffe MD

Russell Jaffe MD discussed how vitamin and nutritional deficiencies are prevalent and cause chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and osteoporosis.(56)(57) Russell Jaffe is the founder of Perque, a unique vitamin an nutritional supplement company which is miles ahead of the competition. We use the Perque Vitamin C because it is 100% L-ascorbate, fully buffered with no fillers, and is the superior product. Russ has solved a number of nutritional supplement problems. His choline citrate solves the magnesium uptake block issue. His glucosamine joint product provides more rapid pain relief, his bioflavonoids provide more pain relief, and a new fiber which is better tolerated. Russ also has a new adrenal stress product containing Relora which was unveiled at the meeting, and the samples I tried were incredible. Russ has continued to improve the Perque line everytime and visit their booth. For example, Strontium is now included in the Bone Guard supplement for osteoporosis prevention. (58)(59)

Always the showman, Dr. Jaffe made the closing comments at the meeting describing how Louis Pasteur triumphed over his rival Bechamp with superior marketing, rather than with superior technology.

Did you find this newsletter interesting?
Feel free to email this to a friend with the button on the bar at the bottom of the page.

Regards,

Jeffrey Dach, M.D.
4700 Sheridan, Suite T.
Hollywood Florida, 33021
954 983 1443
www.drdach.com

References

(1) Roger Federer Web Site
http://www.rogerfederer.com/en/index.cfm

(2) Roger Federer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Federer

(3) list of athletes using BEMER
http://www.bemerclinics.com.au/public/html/sports.html

(4) http://www.horsemagneticpulser.com/HMPstory.pdf
History of Pulsed Magnetic Fields for Treatment of Horses
(PDF / Adobe Acrobat). horsemagneticpulser.com.

(5) http://www.debmar.com/equine/
Pulsed Magnetic Fields for Treatment of Horses. Debmar Equine.

(6) http://www.tgselectronics.com.au/vetpmft.html
Australian Pulsed Magnetic Fields for Treatment of Horses. TSG Electronics Australia.

(7) http://www.equi-stimlegsaver.com/history.htm
Horses and pulsed magnetic fields

(8) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_historical_horses
List of famous race horses:

(9) http://www.curatronic.com/pdf/PEMF%20therapeutic%20uses.pdf
Therapeutic Uses of Pulsed EMF review article 2003

(10) http://www.ursi.org/RSBissues/RSBdecember2003.pdf
Therapeutic Uses of Pulsed EMF review article 2003

(11) http://www.earthpulse.net/Becker.htm
Robert O. Becker Research Bibliography

(12) Becker’s The Body Electric Description on Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Body_Electric

(13) http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780688069711/The_Body_Electric/excerpt.aspx

The Body Electric Electromagnetism And The Foundation Of Life © 1985 By Robert Becker, Gary Selden

Described as “the greatest scientific work of the 20th century, with the POSSIBLE exception of Einstein's "Collected Works on Relativity". Yes, Becker is that good.”

(14)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0874776090/ref=sib_dp_pt/104-6967425-7603934#reader-link

CrossCurrents by Robert O Becker © 1990

(15) http://www.bioenergeticseminars.com/
Daniel Clark, MD, The 11th Annual International Congress Of BioEnergetic Medicine

(16)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Newton
Issac Newton

(17)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Faraday
Michael Faraday

(18)
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/mod1.html
Light- Particle/ Wave duality

(19) Matter and Energy
http://web.jjay.cuny.edu/~acarpi/NSC/index.htm

(20) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matter
definition of matter

(21)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy
definition of energy

(21A)
http://osulibrary.oregonstate.edu/specialcollections/coll/pauling/bond/narrative/page46.html
Linus Pauling and the Chemical Bond

(22) http://www.ondamed.net/
Ondamed Web Site

(23) http://www.iaam.nl/_fundamental/00080000.htm
The Biophysics of the Vascular Autonomic Signal and Healing, John M. Ackerman, M.D., Research of orthopedic surgeon, Joseph H. Navach, M.D.

(24) http://www.drshari.net/
Shari Lieberman

(25) http://www.ondamed.net/news_detail_us.php
Shari Lieberman joins Ondamed research team.

(26) http://www.bodybio.com/index.htm
Ed and Patricia Kane (BodyBio)

(27) http://www.bodybio.com/main/products/detoxxbook.htm Detoxx Book

(28) http://www.haverfordwellness.com/
Haverford Wellness Patricia Kane

28A) http://explorepub.com/articles/nutrition1.html
Essential Fatty Acids, Lorenzo's Oil and Beyond, by Patricia Kane, Ph.D., Millville, New Jersey, U.S.A. (Explore Issue: Volume 7, Number 6)

(29) PhosChol
http://www.phoschol.com/physicians/

(30) PolyMVA
http://www.polymva.com/

(30A)
http://www.facr.org/pdf/Case-studies-for-prostate-8-05.pdf
Poly MVA for treating Prostate Cancer, a report of three cases by Shari Lieberman PhD and James Forsyth M.D.

(30B) http://www.polymva.com/pdf/MultipleMyeloma-final-revision.pdf
Poly MVA in treatment of Multiple Myeloma by Shari Lieberman

(30C)
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/act.2006.12.77
Poly-MVA for Treating Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Case Study of an Integrative Approach by Lieberman and Forsythe

(30D) http://www.townsendletter.com/FebMar_2003/polymva0203.htm
The Medical Journalist Report of Innovative Biologics: Cancer Remission Rates Increase from Use of the Safe and Effective Lipoic Acid Palladium Complex Poly-MVA
by Morton Walker, DPM From the Townsend Letter for Doctors & Patients
February/March 2003

(31) Foundation for the Advancement of Cancer Research
http://www.facr.org/

(32) http://www.polymvasurvivors.com/testimonial_colon.html
Poly-Mva Survivors web site

(33) http://www.electrogenetics.net/
Merrill Garnett Web Site

(34) First Pulse Book by Merrill Garnett, describes how Poly MVA Works
http://www.firstpulseprojects.com/Publications.html

(35) http://www.firstpulseprojects.com/firstpulsereview.html
review of First Pulse by Brian Thomas Carroll

http://www.explorepub.com/articles/summaries/13_1_garnett.html

The Fire in the Genes 2004 by Merrill Garnett, USA
(Explore Issue: Volume 13, Number 1)

(36) http://www.sajune.com/page4.html
Sangeeta Pati, M.D. SaJune Spa and Medical Center Orlando
http://www.sajune.com/

(37) http://www.wellnesshour.com/features/hormone_replacement/pati_sangeeta.html
Sangeeta Pati MD Video Interview on the Wellness Hour with Randy Alvarez

(37A) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxOvbBI-FRQ
Sangeeta Pati, MD Video Interview on the Wellness Hour with Randy Alvarez on U-Tube

(38) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=12626212&query_hl=3&itool=pubmed_docsum

French Cohort Study showing no increased risk of breast cancer from bio-o\\identical hormones.

(39) http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/356/25/2591
NEJM study which shows that estrogen therapy prevents heart disease.
Estrogen Therapy and Coronary-Artery Calcification
NEJM Volume 356:2591-2602 June 21, 2007 Number 25
JoAnn E. Manson, M.D. et al.

(40) http://getoutoflinenow.com/
Eldred Taylor Web site

(41)
http://www.alibris.com/search/search.cfm?qwork=8699964&wauth=Eldred&matches=19&qsort=r&cm_re=works*listing*title

The Book:Are Your Hormones Making You Sick? By Eldred and Ava Taylor

(42)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=6316831

Salivary cortisol: a better measure of adrenal cortical function than serum cortisol. Ann Clin Biochem. 1983 Nov;20 (Pt 6):329-35. Vining RF, McGinley RA, Maksvytis JJ, Ho KY.

(43)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=2828410

Salivary cortisol measurement: a practical approach to assess pituitary-adrenal function.
J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1988 Feb;66(2):343-8.
Laudat MH, Cerdas S, Fournier C, Guiban D, Guilhaume B, Luton JP.

(44) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=11164057&ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

J Psychosom Res. 2000 Nov;49(5):335-42. Salivary cortisol patterns in vital exhaustion.Nicolson NA, van Diest R.

(45) http://bjp.rcpsych.org/cgi/content/full/184/2/136

Br J Psychiatry. 2004 Feb;184:136-41. Salivary cortisol response to awakening in chronic fatigue syndrome.Roberts AD, Wessely S, Chalder T, Papadopoulos A, Cleare AJ. (FULL TEXT)

(46) http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content/full/86/8/3545
Hypothalamo-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Dysfunction in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and the Effects of Low-Dose Hydrocortisone Therapy. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism Vol. 86, No. 8 3545-3554 A. J. Cleare, J. Miell, E. Heap, S. Sookdeo, L. Young, G. S. Malhi and V. O’Keane (FULL TEXT)

(47) http://www.annalsnyas.org/cgi/content/abstract/1057/1/466
Stress-Induced Hypocortisolemia Diagnosed as Psychiatric Disorders Responsive to Hydrocortisone Replacement, SUZIE E. SCHUDER Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 1057: 466–478 (2005).

(48) http://edrv.endojournals.org/cgi/content/full/24/2/236
Endocrine Reviews 24 (2): 236-252, 2003, The Neuroendocrinology of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Anthony J. Cleare

(49) http://www.adrenalfatigue.org/
Adrenal Fatigue by James L Wilson D.C., N.D., Ph.D. The 21st Century Syndrome

(50) http://www.drpressman.com/Library/UseAdrenalCorticalExtracts.htm
The Use Of Adrenal Cortical Extracts In Adrenal Fatigue
By James L. Wilson DC, ND, PhD

(51) http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0398066213/ref=cm_cr_dp_orig_subj/104-6967425-7603934
Safe Uses of Cortisol (Cortisone, Hydrocortisone) by William McK., M.D. Jefferies (Author)

(53) http://crobm.iadrjournals.org/cgi/content/full/13/2/197
Crit Rev Oral Biol Med 13(2):197-212 (2002)
THE DIAGNOSTIC APPLICATIONS OF SALIVA— A REVIEW, The Monitoring of Hormone Levels, Eliaz Kaufman,*Ira B. Lamster

(54)
http://www.biodia.com/TechnicalCharts/SALIVARY_REFERENCES.pdf

references on salivary hormone testing

(55) http://coastherbal.com/web_standard/adrenal_stress.html
Adrenal stress and salivary cortisol article in The Standard

(56) http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/287/23/3116
Vitamins for Chronic Disease Prevention in Adults, Scientific Review ,
Kathleen M. Fairfield, MD,DrPH; Robert H. Fletcher, MD,MSc, JAMA. 2002;287:3116-3126.

(57)
http://jeffreydach.com/2007/07/08/americas-healthcare-system-found-critically-ill-by-russell-jaffe-md.aspx

SICKO, America’s healthcare system found ‘critically ill’
by Russell Jaffe MD PhD, July 4, 2007

(58) http://www.perque.com/
Perque, Russell Jaffe MD PhD, 2 of his LifeGuard Multivitamins have more nutritional value than 100 Centrum Silver, or 100 Theragram vitamins.

(59) http://www.perque.com/pdfs/DrGuyersOctNewsletter.pdf
Interview with Russell Jaffe MD

BOOKS

(60) http://www.amazon.com/Bioelectromagnetic-Healing-Rationale-its-Use/dp/0964107058/ref=pd_sim_b_3/104-6967425-7603934?ie=UTF8&qid=1190392414&sr=1-1
Bioelectromagnetic Healing: A Rationale for its Use by Thomas Valone © 2003

(61)

http://www.amazon.com/Energy-Medicine-Scientific-James-Oschman/dp/0443062617/ref=pd_sim_b_3/104-6967425-7603934?ie=UTF8&qid=1190392414&sr=1-1
Energy Medicine: The Scientific Basis by James L. Oschman © 2000

(62) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioelectromagnetics
Bioelectromagnetics

(63)
http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/163/1/88
A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Sequential Bilateral Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Treatment-Resistant Depression, Am J Psychiatry 163:88-94, January 2006

(64) https://www.advancesintherapy.com/frame.asp?https://www.advancesintherapy.com/detail.aspx?ID=229
Impulse magnetic-field therapy for migraine and other headaches: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Adv Ther. 2001 May-Jun;18(3):101-9
Pelka RB, Jaenicke C, Gruenwald J. Seventy-six percent of active-treatment patients experienced clear or very clear relief of their complaints.

(65)
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Pulsed+microamperage+stimulation:+a+controlled+study+of+healing+of+...-a014944034

Pulsed microamperage stimulation: a controlled study of healing of surgically induced wounds in Yucatan pigs

(66)
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Chronic+dermal+ulcer+healing+enhanced+with+monophasic+pulsed+...-a011704104 Chronic dermal ulcer healing enhanced with monophasic pulsed electrical stimulation

(67) http://www.industryinet.com/~ruby/electpropcells.html
Electrical Properties of Cells and Tissues

(68)
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2121/7/37
Nanoelectropulse-driven membrane perturbation and small molecule permeabilization
Gundersen BMC, Cell Biology 2006, P Thomas Vernier, Yinghua Sun and Martin A

Electric pulses produce membrane disturbances that are associated with phospholipid rearrangements and the influx of small molecules from the medium into the cytoplasm. Cellular responses are consistent with a nanopore-facilitated, electrophoretic mechanism for the PS externalization observed after exposure of cells to electric fields.

(69)
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pubmed&pubmedid=16545779
Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2006 May 5; 343(2): 351–360.
Nanosecond pulsed electric fields cause melanomas to self-destruct.
Richard Nuccitelli, Uwe Pliquett, Xinhua Chen, Wentia Ford, R. James Swanson, Stephen J. Beebe, Juergen F. Kolb, and Karl H. Schoenbach

(70)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=17714104&ordinalpos=21&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
Prospective, randomized, single-blind, sham treatment-controlled study of the safety and efficacy of an electromagnetic field device for the treatment of chronic low back pain: a pilot study.
Harden RN, Remble TA, Houle TT, Long JF, Markov MS, Gallizzi MA. Pain Pract. 2007 Sep;7(3):248-55.
This study demonstrates that TEMF may be an effective and safe modality for the treatment of chronic low back pain disorders.

(71)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=17632344&ordinalpos=53&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

Pulsed magnetic fields accelerate cutaneous wound healing in rats.
Strauch B, Patel MK, Navarro JA, Berdichevsky M, Yu HL, Pilla AA.

Plast Reconstr Surg. 2007 Aug;120(2):425-30.
The authors successfully demonstrated that exposing wounds to pulsed magnetic fields of very specific configurations accelerated early wound healing in this animal model, as evidenced by significantly increased wound tensile strength at 21 days after wounding.

(72) http://www.baar.com/beckerbk.htm
"The Body Electric" tells the fascinating story of our bioelectric selves. Robert O. Becker, a pioneer in the field of regeneration and its relationship to electrical currents in living things, challenges the established mechanistic understanding of the body. He found clues to the healing process in the long-discarded theory of the 18th century vitalists that electricity is vital to the life process. But as exciting as Becker's discoveries are, pointing to the day when human limbs, spinal cords, and organs may be regenerated after they have been damaged, equally fascinating is the story of Becker's struggle to do such original work. As his understanding of the effects of electrical forces led him to alert the public to their possible effects on the environment, the establishment erected an even higher wall of resistance. "The Body Electric" also explores new pathways in our understanding of evolution, acupuncture, psychic phenomena, and cancer, all within the framework of Dr. Becker's colorful and controversial career.

(73) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Body_Electric
The Body Electric: Electromagnetism and the Foundation of Life is a book by Robert Becker and Gary Selden.

(74) http://www.rexresearch.com/becker/becker1.htm
Cross Currents, Dr. Robert O. Becker,

(75) http://www.horsemagneticpulser.com/HMPstory.pdf
THE STORY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE EXPERIMENTAL
HORSE MAGNETIC PULSER By Gary Wade, Physicist 6/03/2007

(76) List of famous race horses:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_historical_horses

Abercrombie
Adios
Adios Butler, famous harness-racer
Affirmed, last horse to win the U.S. Triple Crown (1978)
Albatross
All Along
Alydar, finished second to Affirmed in all three Triple Crown races, and one of the great sires in North American history
Aristides, winner of the first Kentucky Derby
Arkle, reckoned the greatest steeplechaser of all time
Arko
Assault, U.S. Triple Crown winner (1946)
Barbaro, 2006 Kentucky Derby winner
Best Mate, 2002, 2003 and 2004 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, often given title 'Greatest Steeplechaser' since Arkle, and an equal to him
Carbine, two-time winner of the Melbourne Cup
Cigar, a great champion in the 1990s
Citation, U.S. Triple Crown winner (1948)
Dan Patch, America's greatest pacer
Dance Smartly, Breeders' Cup champion
Dawn Run, great racemare and the only horse ever to complete Champion Hurdle, Cheltenham Gold Cup double
Desert Orchid, won King George four times and Cheltenham Gold Cup, beautiful grey
Exterminator exceedingly popular, "iron horse" of American racing history
Funny Cide, first New York bred and first gelding since Clyde Van Dusen to win the Kentucky Derby
Genuine Risk, the second filly to win the Kentucky Derby (1980)
Gloaming
John Henry, grand old man of racing
Kelso, only five-time winner of U.S. Horse of the Year
Kindergarten, weighted more than Phar Lap in the Melbourne Cup
Kingston Town
Kissin George
La Troienne, most important broodmare of the Twentieth Century
Lottery, UK
Makybe Diva, won Melbourne Cup three successive times
Man o' War, often considered America's greatest racehorse; won 20 of 21 career starts
Might and Power
Montrose
Nijinsky II, last horse to win the English Triple Crown (1970)
Northerly
Northern Dancer
Precious Bunny
Phar Lap, New Zealand/Australia's most famed racehorse; won 37 of 51 career starts
Red Rum, only horse in the history of the Aintree Grand National to win the race three times (he also came second on two other occasions)
Ruffian, the great filly champion who won every race she started until her final (and fatal) race
Seattle Slew, U.S. Triple Crown winner (1977)
Seabiscuit
Secretariat, U.S. Triple Crown winner (1973)
Shergar, the kidnapped winner of the 1981 Epsom Derby
Silky Sullivan, arguably the fastest closer of all time
Smarty Jones
Spectacular Bid
War Admiral
Winning Colors, the third (and currently last) filly to win the Kentucky Derby (1988)

Special Radio Announcement :

Dr. Dach is on the RADIO, Click Here to Listen to Rdaio Show:

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(Dr. Dach comes on air 15 minutes after start, so be patient)

Special Television Announcement :

Watch Dr. Dach being interviewed on Fox Channel 7 News talking about
Bio-Identical Hormones. Air time is Sept 13, 2007 at 5 P.M.

Jeffrey Dach, M.D.
4700 Sheridan, Suite T.
Hollywood Florida, 33021
954 983 1443

Web Site: http://www.drdach.com/
BLOG http://jeffreydach.com/
TrueMedMD http://jeffreydach.com/

Special Radio Announcement : Dr. Dach is on the RADIO, Click Here to Listen

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Special Television Announcement : Watch Dr. Dach being interviewed on Fox Channel 7 News talking about Bio-Identical Hormones. Air time is Sept 13 at 5 P.M.
Watch Dr. Dach being nervous on television !

___________________________________________

Protect Your Family from Bad Drugs by Jeffrey Dach MD

Over the last 30 years, 20 per cent of drugs approved by the FDA were classified as “BAD Drugs”, meaning that they were later withdrawn from the market or given a black box warning. (1) (2). Why does the FDA approve risky drugs which end up being banned? This question is explored in these two articles (3) (4). “The FDA is incapable of protecting the American Public against another Vioxx”. This is a quote from David Graham MD, director of drug safety at the FDA, during congressional testimony. (5) (6) (7) (8)

How can you tell if you are dealing with a BAD DRUG? Here are the early warning signs:

1) The drug has been recalled or given a black box warning.

2) The drug is in litigation with numerous lawsuits against the drug company.

3) The drug has been banned in other countries.

Listing of Drugs which have black box warnings: Click Here (9)

Partial Listing of Recalled or Banned drugs: Baycol, Bextra, Colchicine, Complete Moisture Plus, Duract, Duragesic, Fentanyl Patch, Ephedra, Fen-Phen, Hismanal, Lotromex, Palladone, Permax, Pondimen, Posicor, Propulsid, Raplon, Raxar, Redux, Renu Moisture Loc Lens Solution, Rezulin, Seldane, Tysabri, Vioxx, Zelnorm (10) (11).

Consumer Reports listing of risky drugs: Click Here (12).

Drug Litigation may be Our Only Protection from Bad Drugs

Do you like lawyers? If you asked me if I liked lawyers, I would laugh and tell you a few lawyer jokes. One of my favorites is, “How do you tell the difference between a lawyer and a sperm? The answer is: the sperm has a one in 10 million chance of becoming a human being”. In spite of the jokes, and since the FDA can't protect us, lawyers and drug litigation may be our last protection from bad drugs. Drug litigation by lawyers gives us an early warning sign about a bad drug. Drug litigation can uncover secret information about adverse drug side effects which drug companies hide from the public (13).

Computer Search Engine Listing of Drugs in Litigation. Click Here for Unsafe drugs in litigation (380,000 listings) (14)

The following is my short list of drugs currently in litigation.

Avandia and Rezulin, Diabetes Drugs

Avandia (rosiglitazone) by GlaxoSmithKline, is used for adult onset Type 2 diabetes. (thiazolidinedione class of drugs). Avandia causes a 43% higher risk of heart attacks. This is ironic because diabetes causes accelerated heart disease, and controlling diabetes with drugs is supposed to reduce incidence of heart attacks, not increase it. (15) (16)

Rezulin was used for blood sugar control in patients with adult onset type 2 diabetes. Rezulin has been recalled due to liver toxicity.

Zelnorm

Zelnorm (tegaserod) was FDA approved for irritable bowel syndrome and constipation in women. Novartis agreed to voluntarily suspend sales of Zelnorm March 2007, following reports of adverse side effects such as heart attack and stroke. They then withdrew Zelnorm from the market.

Permax and Dostinex

Permax (pergolide) and Dostinex (cabergoline) are used for Parkinson's, restless leg syndrome, and migraine headaches. Other similar drugs have been banned such as the diet drug Fen-phen. Thy are all associated with heart valve problems and leaky valves. Permax currently has a black box warning about this increased risk of heart valve problems. The sale of Permax has been suspended by Valeant. (17)

Osteoporosis Drugs Fosamax (Alendronate), Zometa (Zoledronate), Actonel (Risedronate), Boniva (Ibandronate), the Bisphosphonate Osteoporosis Drugs (18).

Fosamax (alendronate)

As of May 13, 2007, hundreds of lawsuits had been filed against Merck alleging Fosamax-induced Necrosis of the Jaw, (ONJ)The first case is set to be tried in late 2008 in New York. (19)

Fosamax is Merck's bisphosphonate osteoporosis drug which causes osteonecrosis ONJ of the jaw, an irreversible breakdown of the jawbone, associated with ulcerations in the mouth, non-healing wounds, and osteomyelitis of the jaw. (19A) (20) (21) (22) (23)

Warnings have been sent out to all dentists and endodontists: This is the (Endodontists) AAE Position Statement: "Endodontic Implications of Bisphosphonate-Associated Osteonecrosis of the Jaws American Endodontists Association" (24).

The osteoporosis drugs are supposed to make the bones stronger. Again, it is ironic that these drugs cause the jaw bone to literally fall apart, meaning they make the bones weaker, not stronger.

Synthetic Hormones

Prempro manufactured by Wyeth (25) is a hormone replacement pill containing Premarin and Provera, synthetic female hormones. Premarin is horse estrogen from a pregnant horse. Provera is a synthetic progesterone which is chemically altered and is not normally present in the human body or anywhere else in nature.

The large, NIH funded, (WHI) Women’s Health Initiative Study was terminated early when its data showed that Prempro increased risk of Heart Disease and Breast Cancer (26) (27). Bio-Idential Human Hormones, on the other hand, are NOT associated with increased risk of cancer or heart disease, this increased risk applies ony to the synthetic hormones not found in the human body such as Prempro.

Ortho Evra

Ortho Evra (birth control / contraceptive skin patch) by Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceuticals contains synthetic hormones, norelgestromin and ethinyl estradiol, delivered in a transdermal birth control patch. In November 2005, the FDA warned that the product contains higher levels of estrogen than most others and increases risk of blood clots, strokes, and heart attacks.

Depo-Provera

Depo-Provera is a a synthetic hormone used for birth control, injected every 3 months. Long term use causes osteoporosis, fractures, spine injuries and hip injuries. A $700 million class action lawsuit was filed against Pfizer in Toronto on behalf of Canadian women aged 38 to 32 who used Depo-Provera and developed osteoporosis. Several lawsuits making the same allegations against Pfizer have been filed in the United States.

Vioxx, Celebrex, Bextra, Cox-2 inhibitor Pain Pills,

Vioxx (rofecoxib) by Merck is a pain medication causing adverse reactions such as heart attack, stroke, and sudden cardiac death. In September 2004, Merck voluntarily withdrew Vioxx from the market. Dr. David Graham, Director of Drug Safety at the FDA, said that Vioxx caused up to 160,000 heart attacks and strokes.

45,000 people have sued Merck, and Merk has spent 1 billion on legal fees. Merck’s strategy is to fight every case by bringing it to trial and drag out the proceedings. Very few people have received any money in settlement, so far. Even the few cases who have won settlements have yet to be paid a penny.

Celebrex: A Cox-2 inhibitor approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, and later approved for familial polyposis (colon polyps) . Celebrex may increase the risk of heart attack or stroke.

Bextra (valdecoxib) by Pfizer is similar to Vioxx. Studies have shown adverse reactions with Bextra such as heart attack, stroke, sudden cardiac death, Erythema Multiforme (EM), Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS), and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN). Bextra has been banned from Canada. (28)

Anti-Cholestrol Statin Drugs, Baychol, Lipitor, Crestor

Baycol

Baychol is a statin anti-cholesterol drug which was recalled because muscle damage releases muscle debris into the bloodstream which then clogs up the kidneys and causes renal failure.

Lipitor

Lawsuits were filed in New York claiming that Lipitor (atorvastatin) causes memory loss, peripheral neuropathy, fatigue and muscle damage. Lipitor's labelling warns patients to tell their doctor if they suffer any symptoms of muscle pain or weakness.

More Lipitor litigation against Pfizer was filed on September 28, 2005 in Boston by Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro claiming Pfizer deceived consumers about the benefits of Lipitor through deceptive marketing and advertising activities. Billions of Lipitor profits come from patients who do not benefit from the drug.

According to the complaint, Pfizer launched a massive campaign to convince the public that Lipitor is a beneficial treatment for nearly everyone with elevated cholesterol, even though no studies have shown it to be effective for women and those over 65 years of age who do not already have heart disease or diabetes.

Crestor

Crestor (rosuvastatin) is a statin anti-cholesterol drug similar to the recalled drug Baycol. Compared to other statins, Crestor has the greatest kidney toxicity, causing muscle breakdown products to clog the kidneys. During clinical trials, patients taking the 80 mg dose of Crestor began to show clogging of the kidneys with the muscle debris. Because of this finding, the 80 mg dosage was discontinued.

Psychiatric Drugs Atypical Antipsychotics, SSRI’s etc

Adderall

Adderall, an amphetamine by Shire markets used for ADHD.(29) On February 9, 2005, Health Canada suspended the sale of ADDERALL used for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children because of 20 reports of sudden death. Fourteen of which occurred in children, and six in adults. There were 12 reports of stroke, two of which occurred in children.

Ritalin

Numerous Ritalin lawsuits against Novartis were filed through the 1990s. Simultaneously, there was a campaign against ADHD medications for children by various interest groups.

Starting in 2000, lawsuits were filed against Novartis for fraud in the marketing and over promotion of Ritalin and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The suits alleged that Novartis was conspiring with the APA (American Psychiatric Association) to increase sales of these lucrative drugs by illegally promoting off label use.

Zyprexa and Seroquel

Zyprexa (Olanzapine) and Seroquel are used for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, dementia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), gambling addictions, and postpartum depression.

Zyprexa and Seroquel cause Tardive Dyskinesia, diabetes, hyperglycemia, pancreatitis, and ketoacidosis. Eli Lilly has already agreed to pay $1.2 billion to settle 28,500 lawsuits. Secret Zyprexa documents have been disclosed to the public by medical heroes at great personal risk (30) (31)

Dr. Timothy Scott, author of, "America Fooled: The Truth about Antidepressants, Antipsychotics and How We've Been Deceived, reports a 2005 study that found there are approximately 30,000 children under 5 on these atypicval anti-psychotic drugs.

Dr. Fred Baughman, author of "The ADHD Fraud: How Psychiatry Makes "Patients" of Normal Children," reports that 10 million of the 50-million school children in the nation are on one or more psychiatric drugs and states: "This is death by psychiatry." (32) (33) (34) (35).

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia recently found that 19% of children who were newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes were being treated with these new atypical anti-psychotic drugs which cause obesity and diabetes (36) (37) (37A) .

Risperdal (Risperidone) is an anti-psychotic medication by Janssen Pharmaceutical, Johnson & Johnson used for bipolar disorder. Serious side effects: Diabetes, Diabetic Coma, Hyperglycemia, Ketoacidosis, Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome, Pancreatitis, Stroke, Tardive Diskinesia, Weight Gain, Death (38).

SSRI Antidepressants, Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil Antidepressant Users v. Eli Lilly, Pfizer, and GlaxoSmithKline (39)

Some 200 legal actions have been filed against Eli Lilly, Pfizer, and GlaxoSmithKline, the manufacturers of Prozac (fluoxetine), Zoloft (sertraline), and Paxil (paroxetine) to recover for suicides or homicides by patients. The lawsuits claim that the companies knew about, but hid the documents which showed increased risk of akathisia, a form of agitation causing suicide and violence.

Prozac

Payouts by Lilly estimated to be over $50 million to quietly settle more than 30 of those Prozac lawsuits. (40) (41)

Paxil

Paxil causes serious side effects, agitation, violent or suicidal behavior, painful withdrawal and addiction problems. It may cause birth defects in pregnant women. Paxil has been recklessly prescribed to children when it was proven no more effective than a placebo. Both children and adults taking Paxil have demonstrated suicidal tendencies during treatment, while trying to quit and during withdrawal.

Strattera

Strattera is used for ADHD in children, teens, and adults, and causes serious liver side effects and jaundice. Strattera may also cause suicidal thoughts in children and teens.

Serzone

Serzone is an anti-depressant which increases the risk of liver failure by 3-4 times.

Acne Drug, Accutane

Accutane (isotretinoin) is Hoffman La Roche’s acne drug, an oral drug for severe nodular acne (the bad type of acne that can lead to scarring). Accutane is a synthetic form of vitamin A designed to dry up oil that clog the pores and cause acne. Accutane can cause depression, psychotic symptoms, and rarely suicide attempts. There have been over 142 suicides involving Accutane since 1982. In October 2001, Congressman Bart Stupak’s son committed suicide while taking Accutane

Accutane also causes severe birth defects and fetal death. Accutane side effects are, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Birth Defects, Suicide, Psychiatric disorders.

Erectile Dysfunction ED Drugs, Viagra, Levitra, Cialis

Viagra

On MAY 27, 2005, the FDA reported that Viagra, (by Pfizer) may cause temporary or permanent vision loss, and reported 50 cases of "Viagra blindness". This blindness is due to occlusion of the artery to the eye, causing optic nerve stroke and damage. This severe adverse event affects people with blood vessel problems, like diabetes or hypertension.

Remicade for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Remicade (Inflixmab) is an immune-suppressing drug by Centocor (Johnson & Johnson) approved for Crohn's disease and Rheumatoid Arthritis. Remicade side effects include; tuberculosis, histoplasmosis, listeria sepsis, invasive fungal infections, lymphoma, pneumocystosis, seizures, multiple sclerosis, lupus, serious infections, heart failure and death.

In August 15, 2001 , Remicade was given a Black Box Warning of increased risk of tuberculosis, invasive fungal infections, and other opportunistic infections.

On October 18, 2001 a second warning about increased mortality in patients with congestive heart failure.

Antibiotics

Ketek (telithromycin) by Aventis Pharmaceuticals is a ketolide antibiotic. liver damage, liver disease, liver failure, and hepatitis. Worsening myasthenia gravis

Tequin (gatifloxacin),

an antibiotic by Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. which causes hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), which can lead to coma or seizure and potentially fatal. Tequin was withdrawn from market in 2006 .

Lariam (mefloquine)

causes psychiatric symptoms, anxiety, paranoia, depression, hallucinations and psychotic behavior, even long after Mefloquine has been stopped. Suicidal ideation and suicide have been reported

TROVAN , trovafloxacin

On June 9, 1999, FDA issued a public health advisory about risks of liver toxicity from Trovan (trovafloxacin)

Diet Pills Fen-Phen

Fen-phen is a combination of fenfluromine and phentermine. Fen-Phen had been approved for many years as an appetite suppressant in the management of obesity. The trouble with this drug combo is that it has been found to cause heart valve disease. American Home Products Corp. offered $3.75 billion last year to settle lawsuits over its fen-phen diet pills, which it yanked from the market in 1997 over health concerns.

Meridia diet pills cause PPH (primary pulmonary hypertension) as well as cardiac valve dysfunction.

Propulsid, Heartburn

Propulsid is a drug approved for patients with severe heartburn or gastro esophageal reflux. Propulsid can cause irregular or abnormal heart rhythms.

Neurontin A 2004 lawsuit alleges that Parke Davis created an illegal promotional campaign to get more patients to use Neurontin which is approved for epilepsy. Disguised as medical education for the doctors or consulting for the company, the promotional campaign included illegal cash kickbacks to physicians and other sales ploys to pump up sales of Neurontin for non-FDA approved uses.

Thimerosal

Thimerosal is used in vaccines as a preservative. Thimerosal degrades into ethyl mercury, a highly toxic form of mercury which causes neurological disorders, autism, attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity disorder. (ADHD) (42)

Procrit

Procrit increases the blood count, and is used to treat the anemia of chronic kidney failure, HIV, or cancer. Procrit reduces need for blood transfusions. Procrit has caused deaths, non-fatal heart attacks, strokes, heart failure and blood clots in patients with chronic kidney failure receiving higher than recommended doses. Procrit causes accelerated cancer tumor growth and increased risk of death, and may cause blood clots following surgery. An FDA-mandated black box warning has been added to Procrit labeling

Topical Creams for Eczema

Elidel (pimecrolimus) and Protopic (tacrolimus) are topical creams for eczema, both linked to skin cancer and lymphoma. A black box warning was given 2006.

Disclaimer

Please do not stop a drug because it is on one of the above ligation, recall or black box lists. Any decision to start or stop a drug should be made in consultation with your own doctor, who should help you weigh the comparative risks and benefits to arrive at an informed decision. Some of the drugs given black box warnings are in common use because the benefits are felt to outweigh the risks.

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Regards,

Jeffrey Dach, M.D. BLOG TrueMedMD
4700 Sheridan, Suite T.
Hollywood Florida, 33021
954 983 1443

Jeffrey Dach, M.D.
Web Site: http://www.drdach.com/
BLOG http://jeffreydach.com/
TrueMedMD http://jeffreydach.com/

Office:

4700 Sheridan, Suite T.
Hollywood Florida, 33021
954 983 1443

Full list of References available at:

http://jeffreydach.com/2007/08/26/protect-your-family-from-bad-drugs-...

References:

(1) Timing of New Black Box Warnings and Withdrawals for Prescription
Medications Karen E. Lasser, MD,MPH; Paul D. Allen, MD,MPH; Steffie J.
Woolhandler, MD,MPH; David U. Himmelstein, MD; Sidney M. Wolfe, MD;
David H. Bor, MD JAMA. 2002;287:2215-2220.

http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/287/17/2215

(2) Article in JAMA: Timing of new black box warnings and withdrawals
for prescription medications (HRG Publication #1618)

http://www.citizen.org/publications/release.cfm?ID=7171

(3) Why the FDA Approves Bad Drugs, Thats Fit.
http://www.thatsfit.com/2006/10/04/why-the-fda-approves-bad-drugs/

(4) The Corruption of Medicine, Several top medical journals recently
admitted that studies they published on new medications have been
tainted by undisclosed financial ties between researchers and drug
companies. Does Big Pharma have too much influence over drug research?
9/22/2006

http://www.theweekmagazine.com/news/articles/news.aspx?ArticleID=1653

(5) FDA Called 'Defenseless' Against Bad Drugs, November 18, 2004

http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC267/333/21291/404591?d=dmtI...

(6)David Graham, Forbes, Face of the Year, To hear Graham tell it,
this is part of a systemic failure to address drug safety on the part
of the FDA, a story that reaches back over the entirety of his 20-year
career at the agency.

http://www.forbes.com/home/sciencesandmedicine/2004/12/13/cx_mh_1213f...

(7) David Graham Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Graham_(whistleblower)

(8) David Graham at Drug-Injury.com

http://www.drug-injury.com/druginjurycom/2005/12/fdas_david_grah.html

(9) Listing of Black Box Warnings

http://www.formularyproductions.com/master/showpage.php?dir=blackbox&...

(10) Listing of Recalled Drugs

http://www.resource4thepeople.com/recalleddrugs/index.html

(11) Consumer Reports Overview of Risky Drugs

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/health-fitness/drugs-supplements/c...

(12) Consumer Reports risky Drugs

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/health-fitness/drugs-supplements/c...

(13) The Role of Litigation in Defining Drug Risks Aaron S.
Kesselheim, MD, JD; Jerry Avorn, MD JAMA. 2007;297:308-311.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView...

(14) Yahoo Search of Unsafe Drug Litigation 380,000 hits

http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0geu.hlv9BGyF4AVTJXNyoA?p=unsafe...

(15) Uncertain Effects of Rosiglitazone on the Risk for Myocardial
Infarction and Cardiovascular Death George A. Diamond, MD; Leon Bax,
MSc; and Sanjay Kaul, MD 16 October 2007 | Volume 147 Issue 8

http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/full/0000605-200710160-00182v1?&sea...

(16) The Rosiglitazone Story - Lessons from an FDA Advisory Committee
Meeting Clifford J. Rosen, M.D. www.nejm.org August 8, 2007 (10.1056/
NEJMp078167)

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/NEJMp078167

(17) FDA Public Health Advisory Pergolide (marketed as Permax)

http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/advisory/pergolide.htm

(18) Fosamax Litigation

http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0geu66F981G_FgA2c1XNyoA?p=fosama...

(19) Fosamax on Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fosamax

(19A) Osteonecrosis of Jaw ONJ, ADA

http://www.ada.org/prof/resources/topics/osteonecrosis.asp

(20) American Dental Association on ONJ and fosamax

http://www.ada.org/prof/resources/pubs/jada/reports/report_bisphospho...

(21) Obtaining Informed Consent Relating to Risks Associated with Oral
Bisphosphonate Use
http://www.ada.org/prof/resources/topics/topics_osteonecrosis_consent...

(22) American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons Position
Paper on Bisphosphonate-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaws Approved by
the Board of Trustees September 25, 2006 "it would appear prudent to
consider all patients taking bisphosphonates to be at some risk for
ONJ,"

http://www.aaoms.org/docs/position_papers/osteonecrosis.pdf

(23) Position Statement by AAE on Fosamax

http://www.aae.org/ManagedFiles/pub/0/Pulp/bisphosonatesstatement.pdf

(24) Bisphosphonates May Put Patients At Risk For Deterioration Of The
Jaw, American Association Of Endodontists
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/40774.php

(25) Official Prempro web site

http://www.prempro.com/index.aspx

(26) NIH Press Release Halting WHI PremPro study because of increase
cancer and heart disease

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/new/press/02-07-09.htm

(27) Prempro litigation

http://classaction.findlaw.com/cases/prempro/

(28) Health Canada prohibits sale of Bextra in Canada

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/advisories-avis/2005/2005_134_e....

(29) Health Canada suspends the market authorization of ADDERALL XR® ,
a drug prescribed for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
in children

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/advisories-avis/2005/2005_01_e.html

(30) Zyprexa Documents Revealed

http://www.furiousseasons.com/zyprexadocs.html

(31) Zyprexa Off Label Use Illegally Promoted

http://reliableanswers.com/med/zyprexa_off_label.asp

(32) Zyprexa Litigation Clock Ticking

http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/articles/00586/zyprexa-injury.html

(33) Zyprexa Litigation Settlements

http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/611198/zyprexa_users_eagerly_awai...

(34) U.S. drug agency investigating accuracy of Lilly's Zyprexa data,
International Herald Tribune

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/04/25/business/drug.php

(35) Public Has Right To Know Zyprexa Secrets Monday, 15 January 2007,
Evelyn Pringle

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0701/S00142.htm

(36) zyprexa Info at AHRP, Zyprexa Cat out bag: Lilly Problems Getting
Liability Insurance and the Chabasinki brief

http://ahrp.blogspot.com/2007/02/zyprexa-cat-out-bag-lilly-problems.html

(37) Zyprexa Information Web Site

http://zyprexa.pbwiki.com/

(37A) Zyprexa Lilly Fact Sheet

http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/lilly/12241/docs/zFactSheet.pdf

(38) Litigation Information by State

http://www.psychsearch.net/lawsuits.html

(39) Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft Class Action Litigation

http://psychrights.org/Litigation/ProzacZoloftPaxilClassActions.htm

(40) Prozac Litigation

http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0geu5S6.M1GfXEA0gFXNyoA?p=prozac...

(41) Lilly Tactics with Prozac Litigation

http://www.antidepressantsfacts.com/2000-04-22-StarNews-Lilly-tactics...

(42) Role of Drug Litigation, JAMA article full pdf of article

http://psychrights.org/Articles/JAMA_role_of_litign_297_3.pdf

(43) Role of Drug Litigation AHRP

http://ahrp.blogspot.com/2007/01/role-of-litigation-in-defining-drug....

(44) What have we learnt from Vioxx? BMJ 2007;334;120-123 Harlan M
Krumholz, Joseph S Ross, Amos H Presler and David S Egilman

http://www.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/334/7585/120.pdf

(45) BMJ article BMJ 2007;334:120-123 (20 January), What have we
learnt from Vioxx?

http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/334/7585/120?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&h...

(46) Pharmed Out Blog by Physicians

http://www.pharmedout.org/aboutus.htm

(47) Medical Accountability Network Blog

http://www.medicalaccountability.net/index.html

(48) Humorous look at the drug industry

http://pharmapseudocals.homestead.com/index.html

(49) Fiddaman Blog SEROXAT SUFFERERS - STAND UP AND BE COUNTED

http://fiddaman.blogspot.com/

(50) Drug Awareness http://www.drugawareness.org/home.html

(51) Timing of New Black Box Warnings and Withdrawals for Prescription
Medications Karen E. Lasser, MD,MPH; Paul D. Allen, MD,MPH; Steffie J.
Woolhandler, MD,MPH; David U. Himmelstein, MD; Sidney M. Wolfe, MD;
David H. Bor, MD JAMA. 2002;287:2215-2220.

http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/287/17/2215

(52) Public Citizen, Article in JAMA: Timing of new black box warnings
and withdrawals for prescription medications

http://www.citizen.org/publications/release.cfm?ID=7171

(c) 2007 Jeffrey Dach MD All Rights Reserved 4700 Sheridan Suite T
Hollywood Fl 33021 954-983-1443

link to disclaimer: http://www.drdach.com/wst_page20.html

Larry J Frieders RPh, MMgt, MA

Larry is a knowledgable and experienced compounding pharmacist in the Chicago area whose opinion I value greatly.

I recommend his fascinating and informative newsletter which gives you the straight information on a gamut of health topics.

The following email discussion of Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy took place between Larry Frieders, and myself. The topic deals with bio-identical hormones replacement for pre-menopause, peri-menopasue and post-menopause.
_________________________________________________________________________________

Good morning Dr. Dach;

I've been approached by some local doctors about getting involved with the
WILEY PROTOCOL for hormone replacement. I received a call yesterday from someone who works for Wiley and they've sent their contract materials. I am not completely familiar with the ins and outs, but I am aware that there is some controversy about her approach. There are fees involved, but they don't concern me as much as the protocol. My current information is mostly hearsay - and somewhat tainted.

However, upon review of the materials they sent I get an impression that perhaps Wiley is onto something - particularly as it relates to a method for standardizing hormone replacement. I've been involved with this type of therapy since 1998 and I become more and more dismayed at the wide range of methods and dosing I see. Some prescribers order large doses and others get along with what seems to be miniscule amounts. Some dose EVERY day and others tell me that the only legitimate way is to cycle the dosing - allowing time for receptors to clear.

Then, there's the variety of dosage forms, capsules, suppositories, troches, sublingual drops, transdermal creams, etc. Even when there seems to be some consistency in using a topical, the different bases used are enough to cause me to doubt the integrity of the whole idea of balancing hormones.

About 3 years ago a doctor I know very well threw up his hands in exasperation and stopped prescribing hormone replacement. He said that he was finished until "the" could give him better guidelines for evaluating and prescribing. I scurried to relocate his patients with other doctors. Perhaps Wiley is on the path to helping doctors like that.

You're a specialist in hormone replacement. What are your thoughts about Wiley's approach?

FYI...my next presentation on the HRT topic
http://carolinesutherland.com/images/FCKUploads/File/AntiAging-flyerSEP07B.pdf

Larry J Frieders, RPh, MMgt, MA
http://www.thecompounder.com/
340 Marshall Ave Unit 100 | Aurora, IL 60506
630 859 0333
_______________________________________________________________

----- Original Message -----
From: jeffrey dach
To: 'Larry Frieders, R.Ph.'
Cc: 'jeffrey dach'
Sent: Thursday, August 23, 2007 3:14 PM
Subject: FW: from jeffrey dach md

Dear Larry,

I agree, the B HRT field is all over the place. I heard Wiley present at one of the ACAM meetings about 2 years ago, and the major criticism was that her dosing was too high and causes irregular bleeding. Besides, most patients prefer to avoid the inconvenience of cycling. We don’t use it.

Our (My ) approach to Bio Identical HRT is fairly simple. We start at a low dose and gradually increase until symptoms of Hot flashes and night sweats are relieved. Maintenance dose is the lowest with relief of symptoms and good quality of life. Starting dosage for the average 50 year old is 1.25 mg/gram topical Bi-Est once a day, and for the average 70 year old is 0.625 Bi-Est once a day. Dosage is increased gradually if needed for symptom relief.

Of course, we use an extensive baseline lab panel from Quest and recheck labs at 6 month intervals. Although some authors like Vliet have given target areas for the labs published in her books, we don’t dogmatically use those, since after trying that we found so much individual patient variation that Dr. Vliet’s hormone target ranges are only rough approximations, and in many cases too high.

There are the saliva testers (Eldred Taylor) and the blood testers (Reiss, Vliet, Cenegenics etc.). We have tried both ways and have settled on blood testing.

We also tried using Dr. Uzi Reiss’s dosages he lists in his book, and found them to be much too high for our population.

A common mistake is to omit giving thyroid which most B HRT patients need in spite of normal labs. We use the thyroflex (Konrad Kail Western Research) to measure reflex time which is a more accurate indicator of thyroid function than is the TSH. We use natural thyroid (western research naturethroid). If thyroid is omitted, the patients gain weight and become discouraged with the program.

Another common mistake is to omit or ignore Iodine supplementation. We use Iodoral from Optimox (Guy Abraham, MD).

We also check serum vitamin B12 and Vitamin D levels. Can’t get a good result unless these are optimized. And you know b12 and D are cheap. So is Iodine. We have uncovered quite a few severe B12 deficient patients missed by conventional docs. This is rewarding because patients immediately improve with nontoxic and inexpensive b12 shots or SL tabs.

Another pitfall is to ignore adrenal fatigue which is ignored by conventional medicine. We give adrenal supplements in selected cases.

Another stumbling block is progesterone excess from topical creams which can manifest in bizarre symptoms and can be difficult to recognize until the cream is stopped and symptoms go away. This is bad because it usually discourages the patient who goes off the program and dumps the doctor. Progesterone capsules or lozenges seem to avoid the excess problem. On the other hand some women do better with the topical progesterone cream (Dr. Lee is a big advocate of the topical progesterone cream at dosage of about 20 mg per day.) . If we use the topical progesterone, we dose 27 on and 3 days off to prevent excess build up in the Sub Q fat depo.

There are some such as Dr. Rami, the hormone specialist at Diagnos-Techs (the saliva lab) who have totally given up on using topical progesterone (Caps or SL troches ar OK) because they have run into progesterone excess too many times in their patients (mood disturbance such as depression seems to be the major symptom) I spoke to Rami about this and he said he had a consultation with Dr. Lee (before he passed away) who came to their facility and worked with them on this issue. In spite of the Lee visit, Rami still doesn’t advise using topical progesterone. He prefers the caps or lozenges. Rami is very knowledgable and a great intellectual asset, and I am glad he is available for consultation and advice on difficult cases.

For the first few months, we may change the route of administration and tweak dosages, so we usually call the patient every 2 week for the first few months just to check in on them. This can be time consuming and labor intensive, but needs to be done. Not only do we follow serial labs, we also do a baseline pelvic sonogram and follow endometrial thickness, and keep track of the usual routine annual exams and send out reminders if that stuff needs to get done.

I think after two years and three hundred patients, I am ahead of most docs when it comes to B HRT, but I realize there is still much to learn. I didn’t feel comfortable with radiology interpretation until after 10 years in practice. B HRT may take as long.

The major points are (1) start low and gradually increase over time to relieve symptoms.( 2) Hormones are just part of an overall evaluation and other issues such as B12, vit D, thyroid, iodine, adrenal are all part of the picture and need to be addressed to get good results.

Please let me know your thoughts on the above and what changes or additions you would make, as I value your opinion.

BTW, Channell 7 Fox news was at the office yesterday doing a news segment on us. Will come out on Sept 15 on TV at 5 PM and I will send you the internet video link when available since you don’t get Florida in Chicago. The media is starting to pick up the rising tide of bioidentical hormone usage by the consumer population.

Your newsletter is the greatest, and thanks for thinking of me.

Warmest Regards from,

Jeffrey Dach, M.D.
4700 Sheridan, Suite T
Hollywood, Florida 33021
_____________________________________________________________

From: Larry Frieders, R.Ph.
Sent: Monday, August 27, 2007 4:13 PM
To: jeffrey dach

Dear Dr. Dach;

We first got involved with the HRT stuff about 10 years ago and we've been doing our best to let people know about the advantages of using human (bioidentical) hormones instead of the commercial types (the alien substances).

We have devoted most of our attention to saliva testing and helping women who are predominantly plagued by estrogen dominance. This is clearly a widespread problem that is made worse by the chemicals in our environment. The majority of the people we consult with are clearly deficient in progesterone. They benefit dramatically from a small non-prescription dose of progesterone cream. We always recommend using it according to a schedule. Younger women apply 20mg daily from days 13 through 26. Those with more symptoms or nearer to menopause are instructed to apply 20mg once daily from day 1 to 12, then twice daily from 13 to 26, then stopping until day one. If they are not having periods the days are marked with a calendar.
For the first few years we suggested retesting (saliva) in 9 to 12 months. But, as many have seen, saliva testing after using a supplement returns some wild numbers. We concluded that follow-up testing by saliva is a waste of resources.

As I said, most women do well with progesterone - and lifestyle adjustments. Women who have a history of birth control pill use, or who have had a hysterectomy usually need something more than just progesterone. These are a problem for us because we cannot prescribe estrogens or testosterone. Problems? There aren't many doctors around our office who are comfortable prescribing B HRT. I also think that these patients require more time and attention than most "employed" doctors are able to devote.

Back to testing. I think that an initial saliva test is useful. Yet, I am seeing more people going to blood/serum, especially for testosterone levels. I also think that blood/serum tests have a long history and they add a solid degree of comfort for the prescribers.

Almost all of our estrogen doses are les than 1mg. People who have had prescriptions for larger doses don't seem to have them refilled as regularly as those who are using the lower amounts.

Your observations about thyroid are vital. Too many doctors, though, seem to shy away from those systems. We regularly talk to people who have every hypothyroid symptom in the book, but they have a "normal" TSH. I'd say that most prescribers are uncomfortable ordering thyroid supplements for someone who has a "normal" TSH.

We've been dispensing a thyroid challenge test hat consists of 5 strengths of T3 (slow release) and a chart to report temperatures and symptoms. Patients take the doses every 12 hours - increasing and then decreasing strengths according to a schedule. There is usually a place in the doses where the person reports feeling better (or has a higher temp). The doctors use that dose as a starting place for further supplementing.

We have stocked Iodoral since it first became available and it is fairly popular. I remember when almost all table salt was "iodized". Recently I've noticed that it doesn't seem to be the case these days.

FYI... some of my compounding colleagues are starting to use hormones mixed in oil (almond, grape seed, etc) and the doses are in the drop range. They use a calibrated dropper and apply the dose to the wrist - and then rub the wrists together. The claim is that patients appreciate the convenience. Also, some people are reporting that they can adjust their doses by their need. Women seem to be particularly good at knowing when they need a little boost of testosterone or estrogen. I'm hoping that one or two of our local doctors might be interested in trying this approach. Do you have any experience with hormones in topical oils?

Finally, I'm pretty certain that we are not going to get involved with Wiley - the high doses make me nervous - and I agree that most women are not eager to continue having periods into their 60s and beyond. There is one doctor locally who has asked me to get involved. Wiley asks for about $6,000 to get started - and then requires that the pharmacy purchase devices only from her. There is a statement in her patient guide that specifically tells the users to NOT take any medical advice from the pharmacist. She wants me to play along with her protocol but not offer any advice. I think I'd have a difficult time staying silent when someone asks for my input.

I really appreciate your comments about our newsletter.

Regards,

Larry J Frieders, RPh, MMgt, MA
http://www.thecompounder.com/
340 Marshall Ave Unit 100 | Aurora, IL 60506
630 859 0333
___________________________________________________

From: jeffrey dach md
To: 'Larry Frieders, R.Ph.'
Cc: Jeffrey Dach
Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2007 11:20 AM

Dear Larry,

Regarding the estrogen doses all less than 1 mg, is this Bi-Est cream? Or oral capsules, or SL troches? What form is it?

So far, we haven’t used the Oil based drops for hormone administration. I am willing to try it, though, if it offers a benefit. Keep me updated on it.

Also, so far, we haven’t used a thyroid T3 schedule to determine dosage.

We usually start with ½ grain Naturethroid and gradually increase by ½ grain increments every 2 to three weeks until there is relief of symptoms or symptoms of thyroid excess become apparent at which point we reduce dosage.

We also monitor reflex time on the thyroflex, and thyroid labs every 12 weeks. The free T3 level is useful. TSH usually drops below 1 with adequate treatment.

So far we have been having good results with the NatureThroid from Western Research, so I have no plans to use the compounded T3/ T4 combinations available.

Another issue is safety, I feel that the Naturethroid is safer, since the effects dissipate after 6 hours. Not sure about the extended release T3, though, and I am hesitant to use it for safety reasons.

Also, with your permission, I would like to post our latest email exchange about bio-identical hormones on my blog www.jeffreydach.com, and eventually I plan to write a book which will include a chapter on Bio-Identical Hormones- How I Do IT, and I would like to include the your experience with saliva testing and natural progesterone which you have mentioned. Would you be interested in contributing to that chapter?

Warmest Regards from,
Jeffrey Dach, M.D.
Medical Director of TrueMedMD
4700 Sheridan, Suite T
Hollywood, Florida 33021
_____________________________________________________________________________

Dr. Dach;

Dosage forms - almost exclusively topical/transdermal. There are a few doctors who still order oral estrogens in spite of the slight increased risks. I think the research says one thing about risk, but something else happens in practice. Biest seems to be the leader - Triest is practically off the screen. I don't know many prescribers who are still ordering estrone (E1). The ratios range from 50/50 to 90/10. Probably greater than half of our Biest are the 80/20. The 90/10 ratio is out of fashion and 50/50 is running a distant second.

Progesterone capsules are still popular, particularly for younger women who may be having difficulties with PMS. It seems that the metabolites from oral doses are active - actually calming. Some ladies insist on oral progesterone because it helps them relax and sleep. The oral preparations we make are in a slow release formulation - much different from the commercial capsules that are made with peanut oil (Prometrium).
I've not had much luck with any kid of troche - or sublingual drops for that matter. First, hormones are terrible tasting and it is difficult to find a flavor/sweetener that is satisfactory. Second, I find that a LOT of a sublingual dose is actually swallowed. In effect, then, it's an oral dose - or at least a lot of it is an oral dose.
I'm not particular about the version of thyroid. Naturthroid is an excellent commercial product and probably meets most needs. We're ready when someone wants something a little different. The slow release ingredient is methocel and it somewhat retards the dissolution in the gut. It makes some medicines a little easier on the GI lining - probably not a big issue with T3 and T4.

Our most popular T3 preparation is the challenge kit. It consists of 5 different strengths of T3 (from 7.5mcg to 37.5mcg. The patient starts low and takes 1 capsule every 12 hours, changing doses every 2 days on the way up and every 3 days on the way down. The dose at which there's an improvement or a temperature increase is an indication of a place to start dosing. Some people find this useful when they exhibit hypothyroid symptoms without a definitive lab report.

It's a rare doctor who aggressively treat hypothyroid symptoms in the absence of clear TSH values. We think the challenge helps identify low thyroid and points to a starting supplement dose.
If you'd like to use any of my writings, feel free. I haven't written anything that I wouldn't want to see in print elsewhere. Use whatever you think best suits your needs.

I'd be delighted to contribute to a book. Just let me know when and point me in the right direction. Will your audience be other practitioners or patients?

Larry

Larry J Frieders, RPh, MMgt, MA
http://www.thecompounder.com/
340 Marshall Ave Unit 100 | Aurora, IL 60506
630 859 0333

(c) 2007 Jeffrey Dach MD all rights reserved DISCLAIMER