| The whole field of alternative cancer cures is one of | | | | many sincere people believe that the concern for |
| the most controversial in the healthcare field because | | | | saving lives would outweigh any commercial motives, |
| of the high stakes on both sides. | | | | and that it is only a matter of more time, and raising |
| Imagine for a moment that a simple, common | | | | more research money, before an approved "cure for |
| substance, available for home purchase without a | | | | cancer" is found. These people are likely to remain |
| prescription, and costing only pennies per day for a | | | | suspicious of all alternative cancer cures, and will only |
| therapeutic dosage, has been demonstrated to cure | | | | put their faith in trusted medical authorities. |
| cancer. Furthermore, it has no dangerous side | | | | Some independent researchers, however, are not as |
| effects, is completely safe when taken as advised, | | | | convinced that the motives of these billion dollar |
| and doesn't harm the body in any way. | | | | industries are entirely altruistic. They point to a |
| Those who have suffered the ravages of any form | | | | number of existing treatments , some having |
| of cancer, or have sat helplessly watching as a loved | | | | received US patents, that have already been |
| one slowly succumbs to the disease, would welcome | | | | demonstrated to cure cancer, but are rejected by |
| this announcement as the answer to their prayers. | | | | the mainstream medical industry because they have |
| Such prayers, coupled with the determination to end | | | | not been put through the rigorous FDA approval |
| the suffering caused by cancer, have lead to the | | | | process. |
| establishment of a multitude of fundraising | | | | This argument is usually presented as "There is no |
| organizations that raise billions of dollars each year to | | | | clinical evidence to support the claims surrounding the |
| fund the "war on cancer", which President Nixon | | | | effectiveness of such-and-such a treatment." Of |
| declared in 1971. | | | | course, clinical proof is necessary to protect the |
| However, if you believe that such a cure for cancer | | | | public from dangerous and ineffective treatments. No |
| would also be the answer to the prayers of cancer | | | | thinking person would advocate doing away with |
| researchers, I'm afraid you'll have to think again. | | | | such a requirement. |
| As wars go, the war on cancer has been a dismal | | | | However, the claim that there is no clinical evidence |
| failure. Philip Binzel, M.D., explains in his book Alive and | | | | to support a treatment can give the impression that |
| Well, "...the survival time of the cancer patient today | | | | the treatment has been tested and proven to be |
| is no greater than it was fifty years ago." Even more | | | | ineffective. This is both misleading, and potentially |
| disturbing is that, according to Dr. Samuel Epstein, | | | | detrimental to the public interest because there will |
| Chair of the Cancer Prevention Coalition, "Over | | | | never be sufficient "clinical evidence" to support |
| recent decades, the incidence of cancer has | | | | alternative treatments, for one simple reason. The |
| escalated to epidemic proportions, now striking nearly | | | | cost of compiling the clinical evidence required for |
| one in every two men, and over one in every three | | | | FDA approval runs into many millions of dollars. This |
| women in their lifetimes." | | | | investment can only be recovered by treatments |
| How is this possible, considering the billions of dollars | | | | that can be patented and marketed at high prices. |
| spent on research annually? To answer this question, | | | | This is the "inconvenient truth" which explains why |
| you need to consider much more than the simple | | | | alternative cancer cures will never be approved by |
| medical challenge of finding a cure for cancer. You | | | | the medical profession, and will likely be discredited, |
| need to look at the economics and the politics of | | | | even when they are effective. The history of this |
| medicine. | | | | controversy goes back over a hundred years, and |
| A revealing article in The Washington Post, by Devra | | | | contains tales of heroic research pioneers making |
| Davis, (Nov. 4, 2007) explains that "the war on | | | | medical breakthroughs, powerful political and financial |
| cancer remains focused on commercially fueled | | | | forces, mysterious deaths and research-destroying |
| efforts to develop drugs and technologies that can | | | | fires that, for some, are evidence of conspiracies and |
| find and treat the disease -- to the tune of more | | | | cover-ups. There are passionate advocates on both |
| than $100 billion a year in the United States alone." | | | | sides of this debate, and it will never be resolved to |
| There are two points here that must be considered | | | | everyone's satisfaction. As an area of research it is |
| in any discussion of alternative cancer cures. The first | | | | rich with new paradigms of medical research and |
| is that the cancer research industry is a multi-billion | | | | treatment, as well as human drama and intrigue. |
| dollar industry, and if it ever did succeed in finding a | | | | Most people become interested in alternative cancer |
| cure for cancer, it would put itself out of business. | | | | cures, however, when they are diagnosed with |
| Not only is this very unlikely to ever happen, but any | | | | cancer, or when someone close to them is. If you're |
| such threat to its survival from the field of | | | | in this situation I encourage you to get as much |
| alternative medicine is very likely to be met with | | | | information as you can from both perspectives, to |
| intense resistance. | | | | help you make the choices that will best support |
| The second point is that all this research is focused | | | | your healing. There is an abundance of information |
| on finding "drugs and technologies", in other words, | | | | about alternative cancer cures and alternative health |
| patentable and profitable methods of treatment. It | | | | professionals, available today on the Internet. If |
| has succeeded brilliantly in this endeavor. According to | | | | you're willing to become your own authority you |
| the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Vol. 22, No 17, | | | | have all the resources available to you. |
| treatment of cancer patients diagnosed with one of | | | | While you will never settle this heated debate to |
| seven common forms of cancer, in the US, in 2002, | | | | everyone's satisfaction, you will be much better |
| generated revenues of $60.9 billion in direct medical | | | | informed to decide upon the treatments that are |
| costs. This number is substantially higher today. | | | | best for you and yours. When all points of view have |
| What is very apparent from these numbers is that | | | | been considered, it's your life that is on the line, and |
| cancer research and cancer treatment have become | | | | your right to choose. |
| enormous, and very profitable industries. I realize that | | | | |