Nexus - 0224 - New Times Magazine-pages

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Max Gerson — Gerson Therapy Government (the National Cancer pathologists, radiologists, physicians, sur- German-born physician Max Gerson, _ Institute) took sides and sought in every geons and scores of witnesses, a great M.D., in the 1930s pioneered the general _ way to hinder, suppress and restrict this number of whom had never been treated dietary and detoxification approaches to _ institution in their treatment of cancer." by any physician or surgeon except the cancer in his native country and in the In 1953, Fitzgerald, retained as general treatment received at the Hoxsey Cancer United States. counsel by the US Senate to investigate Clinic, concluded that Dr Fishbein was As early as 1946, patients responding to _ cancer clinics, reported of the by-thenrun- wrong, that his published statements were the Gerson dietary, detoxification and nat- _ ning battle between the American Medical _ false, and that the Hoxsey method of treat- ural substances program appeared before a _ Association and Hoxsey this way: ing cancer did have therapeutic value.” US congressional committee. The "A running fight has been going on Despite these findings, and Hoxsey's tri- American Cancer Society argued that food between officials, especially Dr Morris umph over the AMA's Fishbein in a libel had no effect on cancer, and the American Fishbein of the American Medical _ suit, the Hoxsey method was ground out of Medical Association-controlled New York Association through the Journal of that existence in the USA and also vigorously County Medical Society suspended Dr organisation, and the Hoxsey Cancer opposed by the American Cancer Society. Gerson. Clinic. Dr Fishbein contended that the Patients now seeking this form of therapy The Gerson therapy continued ‘under- medicines employed by the Hoxsey are forced to go to Mexico to procure it. ground’ in the USA as well as in Mexico, Cancer Clinic had no therapeutic value; = with many of Dr Gerson’s original dietary _ that it was run by a quack and a charlatan. 6. Steven Durovic — Krebiozen recommendations now loosely accepted by (This clinic is manned by a staff of over ~ In 1949, Yugoslav physician Steven US medical orthodoxy even while = _ Durovic interested Dr Andrew C. Ivy, the therapy itself continues to be a * Vice-President of the University of suppressed as quackery. The American Cancer Society Illinois and Professor of Physiology, in the experimental use of an animal 5. John Hoxsey, Harry argued that food had no effect on blood serum-derived substance called Hoxsey — Hoxsey Method cancer, and the American Medical § Krebiozen. Dr Ivy found the sub- From the 1920s through the * 34% stance of use in terminal cancer 1940s, thousands of Americans Association-controlled New Yor k patients and went on to develop and were successfully treated for County Medical Society suspended use it as a major anti-cancer medi- many forms of cancer with the cine, one which reportedly was herbal preparations originally Dr Gerson. " sought by two major drug companies developed in the 19th century by The Gerson therapy continued whose takeover offers were spurned. John Hoxsey, and promoted in . Despite some 20,000 cases attest- the USA by are Hoxsey, a ‘underground! In the USA as well as ing to Krebiozen's usefulness, includ- naturopath. in Mexico... ing the 530 assessed by special inves- Because of early support by tigator Fitzgerald, the US several doctors of the Hoxsey Government, equipped with a newly method, and also because Hoxsey p amended Food, Drug and Cosmetic refused to tum over the herbal formula- thirty employees, including nurses and _ Act, took Dr Ivy to court in 1964. While tions to another doctor, American medical _ physicians.) Reprints and circulation of | Dr Ivy was cleared of all the counts against officials began a lengthy persecution of several million copies so prepared resulted him in an expensive, 289-day showcase Hoxscy in Illinois, Pennsylvania and in litigation. The Government thereafter trial, the negative publicity accorded Texas, all of which at one time or another _ intervened and sought an injunction to pre- | Krebiozen virtually ended its research in had Hoxsey clinics to which thousands of _ vent the transmission in interstate com- the USA. Americans tumed for at least partial reme- merce of certain medicines. It is interest- It did, however, help bring to federal tes- dies. ing to note that in the trial court, before timony recorded assessments of the con- A federal investigation of the Hoxsey Judge Atwell who had an opportunity to _spiracy against cancer therapies developed method Jed to the determination by a US __ hear the witnesses in two different trials, it outside the pale of US orthodoxy. Senate investigation committee attomey, _ was held that the so-called Hoxsey method Benedict F. Fitzgerald, that, first: of treating cancer was in some respect 8. Stanislaw Burzynski — ”..it appears that as early as 1924 the superior to that of X-ray, radium and Antineoplaston Peptides Hoxsey method of treating cancer was _ surgery, and did have therapeutic value. In the 1970s, immigrant Polish physi- considered so effective by a former presi- "The Circuit Court of Appeals of the Sth cian Stanislaw Burzynski in Houston, dent of a medical association that he per- Circuit decided otherwise. This decision Texas, was denied further research funding sonally presented its sponsor with a written | was handed down during the trial of a libel by the National Cancer Institute and proposal which...provided for the relin- suit in the District Court of Dallas, Texas, opposed for a research grant by the quishment of valuable property rights in by Hoxsey against Morris Fishbein, who American Cancer Society after demon- the Hoxsey method and medicines and for- admitted that he had never practised medi- _strating that his antineoplaston peptides— mulas to this same official. The evidence cine one day in this life, in a verdict for natural substances—produced positive indicates that when the proposition was Hoxsey and against Morris Fishbein. The responses in 86 per cent of advanced can- spurmed, Hoxsey was advised to sign and defense admitted that Hoxsey could cure cer patients, and 19 per cent total remis- accept the proposal or face ruination." external cancer but contended that his sions. And, later, that: medicines for internal cancer had no thera- He also fell under area investigation by "...the record in the Federal Court dis- peutic value. American Medical Association-controlled closes that this agency of the Federal “The jury, after listening to leading medical boards. Government (the National Cancer Institute) took sides and sought in every way to hinder, suppress and restrict this institution in their treatment of cancer." In 1953, Fitzgerald, retained as general counsel by the US Senate to investigate cancer clinics, reported of the by-then run- ning battle between the American Medical Association and Hoxsey this way: "A running fight has been going on between officials, especially Dr Morris Fishbein of the American Medical Association through the Journal of that organisation, and the Hoxsey Cancer Clinic. Dr Fishbein contended that the medicines employed by the Hoxsey Cancer Clinic had no therapeutic value; that it was run by a quack and a charlatan. (This clinic is manned by a staff of over pathologists, radiologists, physicians, sur- geons and scores of witnesses, a great number of whom had never been treated by any physician or surgeon except the treatment received at the Hoxsey Cancer Clinic, concluded that Dr Fishbein was wrong, that his published statements were false, and that the Hoxsey method of treat- ing cancer did have therapeutic value." Despite these findings, and Hoxsey's tri- umph over the AMA's Fishbein in a libel suit, the Hoxsey method was ground out of existence in the USA and also vigorously opposed by the American Cancer Society. Patients now seeking this form of therapy are forced to go to Mexico to procure it. oa thirty employees, including nurses and physicians.) Reprints and circulation of several million copies so prepared resulted in litigation. The Government thereafter intervened and sought an injunction to pre- vent the transmission in interstate com- merce of certain medicines. It is interest- ing to note that in the trial court, before Judge Atwell who had an opportunity to hear the witnesses in two different trials, it was held that the so-called Hoxsey method of treating cancer was in some respect superior to that of X-ray, radium and surgery, and did have therapeutic value. "The Circuit Court of Appeals of the Sth Circuit decided otherwise. This decision was handed down during the trial of a libel suit in the District Court of Dallas, Texas, by Hoxsey against Morris Fishbein, who admitted that he had never practised medi- cine one day in this life, in a verdict for Hoxsey and against Morris Fishbein. The defense admitted that Hoxsey could cure external cancer but contended that his medicines for internal cancer had no thera- peutic value. “The jury, after listening to leading 8. Stanislaw Burzynski — Antineoplaston Peptides In the 1970s, immigrant Polish physi- cian Stanislaw Burzynski in Houston, Texas, was denied further research funding by the National Cancer Institute and opposed for a research grant by the American Cancer Society after demon- Strating that his antineoplaston peptides— natural substances—produced positive responses in 86 per cent of advanced can- cer patients, and 19 per cent total remis- sions. He also fell under area investigation by American Medical Association-controlled medical boards. 24 e NEXUS FEBRUARY - MARCH 1995