Killing Us Softly (27 page)

P
ROLOGUE:
T
AKING A
L
OOK AT
A
LTERNATIVE
M
EDICINE

1
Widespread use of alternative therapies: M. Conley, “Vitamins and Vitamin Supplements: Use Increases in America,” ABC News, April 13, 2011; A. Abdel-Rahman, N. Anyangwe, L. Carlacci, et al., “The Safety and Regulation of Natural Products Used as Foods and Food Ingredients,”
Toxicological Sciences
123 (2011): 333–48.

1
Popularity of alternative medicine in the EU: C. Pearson, “When It Comes to Integrative Medicine, Does the UK lag,”
Huffington Post
, July 4, 2012.

1
Hospital survey of alternative therapies: S. Ananth, “2010 Complementary and Alternative Medicine Survey of Hospitals,” Samueli Institute, Alexandria, Va.

2
Homeopathy in the UK: D. Ullman, “Homeopathic Medicine: Europe's #1 Alternative for Doctors,”
Huffington Post
, July 4, 2012.

2
Pfizer acquires Alacer: “Pfizer Acquires Alacer Corp., a Leading Vitamin Supplement Company,” press release, Business Wire, February 27, 2012.

I
NTRODUCTION:
S
AVING
J
OEY
H
OFBAUER

7
Joey Hofbauer: L. J. Lefkowitz, Attorney General, State of New York, by D. K. McGivney, Esq., Appendix on Appeal,
In the Matter of Joseph Hofbauer,
State of New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Third Judicial Department, index no. N-46-1164-77, May 17, 1978.

8
Treatment of Hodgkin's disease: E. C. Easson and M. H. Russell, “Cure of Hodgkin's Disease,”
British Medical Journal
1 (1963): 1704–7; V. T. Devita,
A. R. Secpick, and P. P. Carbone, “Combination Chemotherapy in the Treatment of Advanced Hodgkin's Disease,”
Annals of Internal Medicine
73 (1970): 881–95; P. P. Carbone, H. S. Kaplan, K. Musshoff, et al., “Report of the Committee on Hodgkin's Disease Staging Classification,”
Cancer Research
31 (1971): 1860–61; S. A. Rosenberg, “Development of the Concept of Hodgkin's Disease as a Curable Illness: The American Experience,” in P. M. Mauch, J. O. Armitage, V. Diehl, R. T. Hoppe, and L. M. Weiss, eds.,
Hodgkin's Disease
(Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 1999): 47–57; J. O. Armitage, “Current Concepts: Early Stage Hodgkin's Lymphoma,”
New England Journal of Medicine
363 (2010): 653–62.

8
Hofbauers reject Cohn's advice: Lefkowitz, “Hofbauer,” A49–A74; 411 N.Y.S.2d 416; 47 N.Y.2d 648.

9
Chagnon's letter to the Hofbauers: Lefkowitz, “Hofbauer,” A1546–A1547.

9
States' rights in protection of a minor: 411 N.Y.S.2d 416.

10
Sheridan regarding visit to the Hofbauers: Lefkowitz, “Hofbauer,” A1180–A1181.

10
Joey Hofbauer at St. Peter's: Ibid., A1031.

10
John Hofbauer regarding laetrile at St. Peter's: Ibid., A1043.

11
John Hofbauer searches for doctor: Ibid., A1028.

11
Schachter consent form: Ibid., A1271–A1273.

11
Judge Brown offers six-month extension: 411 N.Y.S.2d 416; 393 N.E.2d 1009.

12
Schachter's therapies: V. Herbert, “Laetrile: The Cult of Cyanide: Promoting Poison for Profit,”
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
32 (1979): 1149–51; Lefkowitz,
Hofbauer
, A164.

12
Deaths from coffee enemas: J. W. Eisele and D. T. Reay, “Deaths Related to Coffee Enemas,”
Journal of the American Medical Association
244 (1980): 1608–9.

12
New York State laws on human experimentation: Public Health Law, State of New York, Article 24-A, effective September 1, 1975: Protection of Human Subjects, Sections 2440–46.

12
“Witch doctor's diet”: Ibid., A149.

12
Horton testimony: Ibid., A811–A872.

13
Tartaglia testimony: Ibid., A782–A900.

13
Schachter's indiscretions: Herbert, “Laetrile,” 1149–51.

13
Schachter regarding Joey's progress: Lefkowitz, “Hofbauer,” A925–A972.

13
Laetrile promoters testifying at Hofbauer trial: Herbert, “Laetrile,” 1149–51; L. J. Lefkowitz, Attorney General, State of New York, by D. K.
McGivney, Esq., Appendix on Appeal,
In the Matter of Joseph Hofbauer,
State of New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Third Judicial Department, index no. N-46-1164-77, May 17, 1978.

13
Judge Brown's verdict: 411 N.Y.S.2d 416; 393 N.E.2d 1009.

14
Influence of John Birch Society: J. H. Young,
American Health Quackery
(Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1992), 218–28; Robert Johnston,
The Politics of Healing: Histories of Alternative Medicine in Twentieth-Century North America
(New York: Routledge, 2004), 237.

14
States legalize laetrile: I. J. Lerner, “Laetrile: A Lesson in Cancer Quackery,”
CA: Cancer Journal for Clinicians
31 (1981): 91–95.

14
Laetrile a billion-dollar business: V. Herbert, “Laetrile,”
New England Journal of Medicine
307 (1982): 119.

14
McQueen's illness: B. Lerner,
When Illness Goes Public: Celebrity Patients and How We Look at Medicine
(Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006), 141.

15
McQueen given no hope: Ibid., 143.

15
Kelley early career: S. Watson and K. MacKay, “McQueen's Holistic Medicine Man: Claims He Cured His Own Cancer with His Holistic Treatments,”
People
, October 20, 1980.

15
McQueen's treatment: Lerner,
When Illness Goes Public
, 147; “McQueen Treatment: Laetrile, Megavitamins, Animal Cells,” Associated Press, October 10, 1980; C. Sandford,
McQueen: The Biography
(New York: Taylor Trade Publishing, 2001), 427.

15
Kelley on
Tomorrow
: Sandford,
McQueen
.

16
McQueen on Mexican television: Ibid., 435.

16
First Hofbauer appeal: 411 N.Y.S.2d 416.

16
Ingelfinger regarding laetrile: F. J. Ingelfinger, “Laetrilomania,”
New England Journal of Medicine
296 (1977): 1167–68.

17
FDA approves laetrile study: “FDA OK's Testing Laetrile on Humans,”
Boston Globe
, January 4, 1980; “U. S. Test of Laetrile on Humans Backed,”
New York Times
, January 4, 1980.

17
Edward Kennedy hearing: Young,
American Health Quackery
, 220; J. H. Young,
The Medical Messiahs: A Social History of Health Quackery in Twentieth-Century America
(Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1967), 454–57; Herbert, “Laetrile,” 1137; Anonymous: “Lopsided 161–58 Vote Defeats Legalizing Laetrile,”
Boston Herald American
, May 19, 1978.

17
Jasen decision: 393 N.E.2d 1009.

18
Schachter regarding Hofbauer's death: W. Waggoner, “Boy, 10, in Laetrile Case Dies,”
New York Times
, July 18, 1980.

18
Coleman visits McQueen: Sandford,
McQueen,
438.

18
McQueen dies following surgery: Ibid., 442–43.

18
Moertel study: C. G. Moertel, T. R. Fleming, J. Rubin, et al., “A Clinical Trial of Amygdalin (Laetrile) in the Treatment of Human Cancer,”
New England Journal of Medicine
306 (1982): 201–06.

19
FDA ban on laetrile: Young,
American Health Quackery
, 226.

20
Judge Brown's Finding of Facts: Lefkowitz, “Hofbauer,” A0.17.

21
Kirkpatrick Dilling and the NHF: Ibid., A184.

21
Schachter brochure: Schachter Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Two Executive Boulevard, Suite 202, Suffern, NY, obtained October 2009.

C
HAPTER 1:
R
EDISCOVERING THE
P
AST

25
Oprah Winfrey impact: W. Kosova, “Live Your Best Life Ever!”
Newsweek
, May 30, 2009; D. Gorski, “The Oprah-fication of Medicine,”
Science-Based Medicine
blog, www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=497.

26
Whitworth and Oz: H. Dreher, “Medicine Goes Mental,”
New York
, May 11, 1998, http://nymag.com/nymetro/health/features/2664/#ixzz0fds1lbrm.

29
Bloodletting: R. Shapiro,
Suckers: How Alternative Medicine Makes Fools of Us All
(London: Harvill Secker, 2008), 10–11; C. Wanjek,
Bad Medicine: Misconceptions and Misuses Revealed, from Distance Healing to Vitamin O
(Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons, 2003), 7–10; Bob McCoy,
Quack! Tales of Medical Fraud from the Museum of Questionable Medical Devices
(Santa Monica, Calif.: Santa Monica Press, 2000), 25–27; S. Singh and E. Ernst,
Trick or Treatment: The Undeniable Facts About Alternative Medicine
(New York: W. W. Norton, 2008), 7–14; D. Morens, “Death of a President,”
New England Journal of Medicine
341 (1999): 1845–49.

30
Osler regarding bloodletting: J. H. Young,
The Toadstool Millionaires: A Social History of Patent Medicines in America Before Federal Regulation
(Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1972), 4.

31
James Lind and scurvy: Singh and Ernst,
Trick or Treatment
, 14–24.

32
Longevity data: R. Tallis,
Hippocratic Oaths: Medicine and Its Discontents
(London: Atlantic Books, 2005), 22; National Center for Health Statistics,
Health, United States, 2010: With Special Feature on Death and Dying
(Hyattsville, Md.: CDC, National Center for Health Statistics, 2011); available at www.cdc.gov/nchs.

32
Dr. Nemeh on Oz show: “Is This Man a Faith Healer?”
The Dr. Oz Show,
www.doctoroz.com/videos/man-faith-healer-pt-1.

33
Pamela Miles: P. Miles,
Reiki: A Comprehensive Guide
(New York: Penguin, 2006), 32.

34
Emily Rosa and therapeutic touch: L. Rosa, E. Rosa, L. Sarner, and S. Barrett, “A Closer Look at Therapeutic Touch,”
Journal of the American Medical Association
279 (1998): 1005–10; G. Kolata, “A Child's Paper Poses a Medical Challenge,”
New York Times
, April 1, 1998; M. D. Lemonick, “Emily's Little Experiment,”
Time
, April 13, 1998; D. Krieger,
Accepting Your Power to Heal
(Rochester, Vt.: Bear & Company Publishing, 1993); Emily Rosa, Linda Rosa, and Larry Sarner, interviewed by the author, September 23, 2011.

35
John Edward on Oz show: “Are Psychics the New Therapists?”
The Dr. Oz Show,
www.doctoroz.com/videos/are-psychics-new-therapists-pt-1.

36
Edward's psychic strategies: Orac, “When Faith Healing Isn't Woo Enough for Dr. Oz,”
ScienceBlogs
, http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2011/03/when_faith_healing_isnt_enough_woo_for_d.php.

36
Oz regarding Edward's powers: “Are Psychics the New Therapists?”
The Dr. Oz Show
.

37
Andrew Weil background: D. Hurley,
Natural Causes: Death, Lies, and Politics in America's Vitamin and Herbal Supplement Industry
(New York: Broadway Books, 2006), 236–40; M. Specter,
Denialism: How Irrational Thinking Hinders Scientific Progress, Harms the Planet, and Threatens Our Lives
(New York: Penguin Press, 2009), 149–51.

38
Deepak Chopra: S. Barrett and W. T. Jarvis, eds.,
The Health Robbers: A Close Look at Quackery in America
(Buffalo: Prometheus Books, 1993), 243–45; Singh and Ernst,
Trick or Treatment
, 256.

39
Homeopathy: L. Silver,
Challenging Nature: The Clash Between Biotechnology and Spirituality
(New York: Ecco, 2006), 250–53.

39
Chiropractic: Singh and Ernst,
Trick or Treatment
, 156–66.

40
Efficacy of chiropractic manipulations: Ibid., 166–67.

41
Weil regarding time with patients: “Dr. Andrew Weil: The Future of Medicine,”
The Dr. Oz Show
, www.doctoroz.com/videos/dr-andrew-weil-future-medicine-pt-1.

41
Oz regarding customized therapy: “Controversial Medicine: Alternative
Health,”
The Dr. Oz Show
, www.doctoroz.com/videos/alternative-medicine-controversy-pt-1.

41
Oz regarding Chinese medicine: Ibid.

41
Scientist from
2012
:
2012
, directed by Roland Emmerich (2009; Culver City, Calif.: Sony Pictures Digital, 2010).

42
Tallis regarding ancient wisdom: Tallis,
Hippocratic Oaths
, 29.

42
Health care choices in China, Hong Kong, and Japan: J. Diamond,
Snake Oil and Other Preoccupations
(London: Vintage, 2001), 27.

42
Acupuncture in China: R. Slack, “Acupuncture: A Science-Based Assessment,” position paper, Center for Inquiry, 2010.

42
Diamond regarding medicine in Africa: Diamond,
Snake Oil
, 26–27.

43
Weinberg regarding the universe: R. Park,
Superstition: Belief in the Age of Science
(Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 2008), 5.

43
Oz regarding empowerment of alternative medicine: “Controversial Medicine: Alternative Health,”
The Dr. Oz Show,
www.doctoroz.com/videos/alternative-medicine-controversy-pt-1.

C
HAPTER 2:
T
HE
V
ITAMIN
C
RAZE

48
Gann quote: C. Gann, “Should You Take a Multivitamin?” ABC News, October 12, 2011.