|
A recent case in the news highlights how difficult it is becoming to obtain and provide alternative care in the United States. Dr. James Michael Shortt (an M.D.) practicing longevity medicine in Greenville, South Carolina, has been sued by the relatives of a patient who died under his care, and may be indicted for murder. This situation was published by the Associated Press on January 1, 2005 in an article researched and written by Mr. Allen G. Breed, published by the LA Times on Sunday, January 9th, 2005.
(PRWEB) January 11, 2005 -- The information in the media concerning this case is very instructive if read with a discerning eye. First of all, Dr. Shortt is being sued because he administered a therapy that is outside “the standards of care of the medical profession.” This phrase is key. Another cause of action in the lawsuit was that Dr. Shortt had told the patient that her multiple sclerosis was caused by a bacteria or virus and that the organism(s) could be killed by hydrogen peroxide infusions.
Finally, the coroner and pathologist who examined the patient attributed her death to “complications caused by the hydrogen peroxide infusion, which the pathologist said ‘had no legitimate use... in the medical literature.’” (www.quackwatch.com)
Dr. Shortt consulted with the International Oxidative Medicine Association, which developed the regimens he used. The group found that Dr. Shortt had followed its “well-established” protocols. These protocols are clinically established in thousands of patients. (www.boston.com)
An important point in this case was that the patient was also taking two pharmaceuticals (prescribed by her mainstream physician) which are commonly prescribed for the treatment of MS: Tegretol and Copaxone.
The patient died from hemorrhage and multiple organ failure as a result of internal bleeding. (www.thestate.com)
Let’s look for a moment at what hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) therapy might do and also at the side effects (from the Physicians’ Desk Reference) of Tegretol and Copaxane.
The concern with infusing H2O2 is that it may cause convulsions, acute anemia and deadly gas emboli – essentially bubbles in the blood stream that stop the heart. Anemia is a loss of red blood cells that causes a lack of oxygen – not bleeding. The symptoms of anemia include: chills, fever, pain in the back and abdomen, prostration and shock. Also, if the cause is destruction of red blood cells (i.e., by the H2O2), jaundice is evident – yellowing of the skin from accumulation of the breakdown products of hemoglobin in the tissues. (The Merck Manual) None of this is reported in this case.
On the other hand, the Physicians Desk Reference (PDR) concerning Copaxone is quite interesting with regard to this case. Adverse reactions include “ecchymosis” – a fancy word for bruising, which is caused by bleeding into the tissues. During clinical trials, the drug was demonstrated to cause “pancytopenia” – which means suppression of all blood elements, including platelets – and “hematemesis” – which means throwing up blood because of bleeding in the stomach! The manufacturer’s postmarketing experience indicates that the following problems have been reported: “thrombosis” – i.e., blood clotting; and “thrombocytopenia” – which is suppression of platelet production leading to bleeding. Yet, the PDR makes the following two—to me, unbelievable – statements:
1.) These reactions “may have or not have causal relationship to the drug”
2.) ”Data collected during premarketing development do not suggest the need for routine laboratory monitoring.”
Well, I suppose if you don’t monitor, you can’t be blamed for adverse reactions! (By the way, that’s the exact charge made against Dr. Shortt; he didn’t perform lab tests after the patient complained!)
Now, Tegretol, which is even more interesting. In the PDR, a large box, all in caps, immediately beneath the name of the drug and before any prescribing information is given, is the title ‘Warning.” It goes on to state that the risk of developing both aplastic anemia (an inability of the body to produce red blood cells) and agranulocytosis (a decrease in the white blood cells that fight bacterial infections) is 5 – 8 times greater in patients receiving Tegretol than in the general population. The last sentence is as follows: “If a Patient in the Course of Treatment Exhibits Low or Decreased White Blood Cell or Platelet Counts, the Patient Should be Monitered Closely. Discontinuation of the Drug should be considered if any Evidence of Significant Bone Marrow Depression Developes.” And, as if this were not enough, the next entry in the PDR – in bold face type, no less – states, “Before prescribing Tegretol, the physician should be thoroughly familiar with the details of this prescribing information, particularly regarding the use with other drugs, especially those which accentuate toxicity potential.” (PDR) Copaxane, anyone?
A further warning is given in the Adverse Reaction section pertaining to Tegretol in the PDR: “Multi-organ hypersensitivity reactions occurring days to weeks or months after initiating treatment have been reported in rare cases. Signs or symptoms may include, but are not limited to fever, skin rashes, vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels), . . leukopenia. . . hepato-splenomegaly and abnormal liver function tests . . . Various organs, including but not limited to, liver, skin, immune system, lungs, kidneys, pancreas, myocardium and colon may be affected. . . “ (PDR) Multiple organ failure anyone? This statement also invalidates the Richland County forensic pathologist Clay Nichols’ remark that the patient had been on both drugs for more than a year ‘with no adverse effects.’” (www.boston.com, Associated Press)
Even more interesting (appalling?) is the fact that Tegretol is not proven in the treatment of MS!! The controlled clinical studies have been done with seizures and trigeminal neuralgia. MS isn’t even mentioned, so this is an off-label use.
Yet, the Coroner Gary Watts attributed her death to the hydrogen peroxide administered by Dr. Shortt and labeled her death a homicide. (www.thestate.com) This is an egregious case of persecuting alternative care practitioners. There are several factors involved:
1) The legal establishment makes the assumption that the medical profession has proven treatments and, more importantly, the only legal treatments for conditions of human health. If you’ve been following the news, you know how fallacious this is. Vioxx is only the latest example of a substance, approved for use, that has proven to be life-threatening. I predict that we will soon have another scandal in the news – statins and the way in which they cause heart failure.
2) The medical profession uses its peer review process to decide what information and research enters the public realm. Any information that is outside the medical paradigm (read alternative therapies) is systematically shut out by peer review and never gets published in medically accepted journals. I can give you hundreds of references documenting the link between Lyme disease and over 350 chronic health conditions. But, the medical profession chooses to selectively ignore them.
3) Most of the research in the United States is funded by the pharmaceutical industry. Natural remedies, which cannot be patented, provide no profit incentive to the pharmaceutical houses and are, therefore, ignored – even though they are safer in many cases than the approved drugs.
4) There are a wide variety of conditions for which the medical profession has no etiology. MS is one. There is research showing that many of these conditions are linked to the Lyme disease parasite; however, the medical profession is busy pretending that wide spread Lyme disease doesn’t exist, despite massive amounts of evidence to the contrary. MS has been specifically linked to the Lyme organism (for example, Fallon BA, Kochevar JM, Gaito A., Nields JA, “The Underdiagnosis of neuropsychiatric Lyme disease in children and adults,” Psych Clin North Am., 1998, Sep;21(3):693-703. From the Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York. The abstract specifically references the connection between Lyme Disease and multiple sclerosis.)
I personally believe that the medical profession is fighting for its credibility, because there are so many conditions for which they have no effective treatment. Whenever possible, the full weight of the medical board and the legal system is brought to bear on any medical practitioner who dares to buck the system. Dr. Shortt is only the latest in a long line of distinguished predecessors.
The only solution that I can see to this dilemma is that the public become informed about what is going on and start a grass roots movement to oppose this entrenched power grab. Make sure that your medical/pharmaceutical questions be answered. Do your own research through reliable sources. Talk to people who have a similar medical problem. Ask if there are “alternatives” to prescribed regimens. You may have to do some digging, but it is worth it.
Your health and your health care freedom depend upon it.
—Dr. N. Rowan Richards, D.C., D.A.B.C.I., F.I.A.C.A.
Dr. Richards is a Diplomate of the American Board of Chiropractic Internists, a certified herbalist, and a Fellow of the International Academy of Clinical Acupuncture. She has been in practice for over eighteen years, teaches professionals, lectures, and is currently working on several books.
Dr. Richards was recently awarded the distinction of being invited to become a Fellow in the International College of Chiropractors. An invitation to Fellowship is issued only after a vigorous investigation of a doctor who has been nominated for the honor, and only one such invitation is offered. Last year, Dr. Richards was elected to The Distinguished Chiropractor's of America. Only 100 doctors per year, from each state are offered this honor. She is one of the one hundred chiropractors from the state of California to be awarded this national recognition.
Dr. Richard’s website is www.richardsfamilyhealth.com
Contact Lyn Adelstein 626. 797.7990 or Dr. Richards at Richards Family Health Center, 626.963.1678
Dr. Richards is available for comment or interview usually on short notice.
# # #
| 
