[LITTLE DID WE KNOW HOW MANY OF HIS "TRIALS" WERE STILL IN THE FUTURE--ED]
In October, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) is scheduled to conduct clinical
trials with Dr. S. R. Burzynski's antineoplastons. Antineoplastons are peptides
which Burzynski claims constitute a biochemical defense system in the body.
NCI has announced that several medical institutions will take part in the
trial. Impetus came from an NCI trip last fall, in which site visitors concluded
that Burzynski's treatment had indeed successfully shrunk 7 cases of brain
tumor.
"We are trying to ascertain in a scientific way," NCI said, "the real value
of antineoplastons. Are they of benefit to cancer patients?" There will be
4 independent trials, each involving 25–30 people with different types
of brain tumors.
AETNA FIZZLES: In late March, Aetna's five year suit against Burzynski was
thrown out of court. This fierce struggle with the insurance giant began
in 1986 when the husband of a Burzynski patient sued Aetna for payment of
treatment. When Burzynski joined the suit, he was promptly countersued by
Aetna for...racketeering!
The fight was bitter and very expensive. When "Dr. B." as he is called got
permission in 1989 to test his compounds in people, Aetna asked FDA to revoke
this hard-won IND. Aetna also allegedly sent a mass mailing to fellow insurance
companies, asking them to no longer reimburse Burzynski's patients.
On March 31, US District Court Judge Kenneth Hoyt threw out Aetna's suit,
and simultaneously the patient's original claim.
EMPRISE SURPRISE: When this newsletter began publishing, the most ominous
cloud on the horizon was Emprise, Inc., an organization headed by Grace Powers
Monaco, Esq., a Washington attorney, who not only aided Aetna in its Burzynski
suit but won an NCI grant to compile a data base on `questionable' therapies.
After running into a wall of opposition from health activists, and the imminent
failure of the Aetna suit, Emprise folded. This spring Monaco announced that
Emprise had dissolved last December. Monaco says she has "semi-retired from
the practice of law" and is merely consulting on cancer prevention. She remains
affiliated with the Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation.
THE JAMA GAME: On June 3, 1992, the Journal of the American Medical
Association launched a full-scale attack with an article on Burzynski
by Saul Green, PhD, entitled "Antineoplastons—An Unproved Cancer
Therapy." JAMA didn't mention that Green was scientific director of Emprise,
involved in the Aetna suit. Burzynski has submitted a rebuttal to JAMA
with 137 references. [THEY NEVER PUBLISHED IT, ED.]
