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true, with a mere handful of trials since that time and only one All practitioners are essentially competing against each other that followed the same model as carried out in Brisbane. This for clients, which has led to some of them marketing their courses trial was conducted in Gisborne, New Zealand, in 2000, in spite of with a lot of hype and/or denigration of other practitioners. This a refusal of funding by the New Zealand Asthma and Respiratory aggressive marketing approach is not usually a part of the health Foundation. To find out if the asthmatics in the Brisbane group system and does not inspire confidence from the community in were indeed talked out of their asthma by the Buteyko regard to Buteyko. practitioner, each participant in this trial was matched with a control-group participant and any contact with the teacher from — ¢ Lack of credibility with medical fraternity either group was reciprocated with the matched person. The Even though symptoms and medication were slashed in the results of the six-month trial rebutted the psychological impact of Buteyko trials that have already been done, a familiar comment is the Buteyko method and mirrored the Brisbane results.” that doctors are unsure that there is any real benefit from using the If the clinical trial results were replicated in Buteyko classes Buteyko method because lung function tests remained throughout the Western world, this would mean an unprecedented unchanged.’ Russell Stark argues that because preventive med- saving of monies currently allocated to health. For example, there ication was halved with no deterioration in lung function, then would be at least a 70 per cent reduction in the A$700 million that | Buteyko must have been of benefit. Lung function tests have the Australian Government spends every year in asthma medical been shown to cause airway narrowing and asthma symptoms,” costs." Governments that incorporated Buteyko into their health and he says that this casts doubt on their accuracy in measuring system could have the techniques taught by underlying inflammation. asthma educators who are already employed by the government or organisations dedicated = Professional jealousy? to improving the lot of asthmatics. If Adults with asthma are never really expect- Buteyko were taught first of all to school- Buteyko practitioners ed to improve. In fact, asthma is supposed to children, within five years the incidence of 5 0 worsen with age, as most deaths from asthma asthma would be declining instead of increas- and journalists have occur in the elderly age group. In the is and health systems would be feeling less carried forward his Bureyko tals, however, peopre reduce theit of a squeeze. . a symptoms by an average o per cent an message into the media. substantially improve their quality of life. Why Has No Further Research Been i Results like these are perhaps frustrating or Done Into This Apparently Harmless In Hor of these stories, unbelievable to doctors whose patients are Method? the medical profession getting worse—especially when most of the Since the safety of asthma medications is people teaching Buteyko do not have a med- in serious doubt, should we be surprised has appeared to ical background, according to some doc- that there is not more research on drug- be abnormally tors who are supportive of Buteyko. self-righteous and free options of asthma control— Buteyko in particular, since it has . IY . demonstrated spectacular results? disbelieving, with Buteyko appearing to be like a miracle cure. - Antagonism caused by the media In his latter years, Dr Buteyko seemed fond of saying two things: 1. Conventional medicine is stupid and is looking at asthma in an upside- down fashion.” 2. The only people who should teach the method are those who use it in their own life, to avoid tainting it with upside- down medical knowledge.” - Lack of interest by researchers You cannot patent breathing, and it is difficult to give someone a lasting "dose" of carbon dioxide, which means that there is little room for interest from other players in the asthma industry. It also appears that research is more about investigating a personal theory or prov- ing that a drug is safe, rather than improving the real quality of Some Buteyko practitioners and journalists have carried for- life of asthmatics. ward his message into the media. In many of these stories, the medical profession has appeared to be abnormally self-righteous - Lack of funding for trials and disbelieving, with Buteyko appearing to be like a miracle Most funding of trials comes from drug companies that are aim- cure. When the doctor's own patient says that he is a lot better, ing to prove that their products are effective and will not cause the doctor is made to look foolish, and while this might sell news- major health problems. It is unlikely that any drug company that —_ papers it does not endear those who are mocked by the media. xt All practitioners are essentially competing against each other for clients, which has led to some of them marketing their courses with a lot of hype and/or denigration of other practitioners. This aggressive marketing approach is not usually a part of the health system and does not inspire confidence from the community in regard to Buteyko. Buteyko practitioners and journalists have carried forward his _ - Lack of funding for trials Most funding of trials comes from drug companies that are aim- ing to prove that their products are effective and will not cause major health problems. It is unlikely that any drug company that answers to its shareholders is going to trial something that has already been shown to vastly reduce the need for its products and consequently its profitability. The private individuals teaching Buteyko lack the funding to conduct trials of the method in a major way, and consequently more trials have not been initiated. All of the above mean two things: 1. For more than 10 years, the public organisations that are dedicated to helping asthmatics have been able to hide behind the same statement that the Buteyko method appears to be safe, but due to the lack of trials it cannot be supported.’***” 2. Asthmatics still do not have easy access to a safe and effective method of reducing their symptoms and consequently their medication. - Lack of cohesion among Buteyko practitioners Buteyko practitioners tend to work independently and there is no standardisation of teaching or training of new practitioners, therefore the general knowledge of Buteyko and teaching tech- niques can vary enormously from practitioner to practitioner. 38 * NEXUS Continued on page 76 www.nexusmagazine.com DECEMBER 2005 — JANUARY 2006