A few days ago jli blogged about a movie that claims to prove the efficacy of Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski’s “antineoplastons” as a cancer cure.
After writing a post on Dr Stanislaw Burzynski, Andy Lewis of the Quackometer received legal threats from someone by the name of Marc Stephens, who claims to represent Burzynski.
This is not the first time this person threatens bloggers in this way. Peter Bowditch of Ratbags.com is another recent example.
The style of his emails does sound a bit lawyerish, but then again – not really.
What we do know is that Marc Stephens is a marketing representative for a Burzynski supporter group – and the Burzynski Clinic does have a link on their website to this group.
But like everyone else, Marc Stephens has a past.
Marc Stephens was heard of as early as March 2011 on Yahoo Answers, a question and answer forum where people can ask and answer questions on a large variety of topics. One of those sections revolves around cancer. There is also one that revolves around alternative medicine. In both of these sections questions on Burzynski appear from time to time and in one of them the poster “lo_mcg” gave a perfectly reasonable answer. Just below the answer there is a “comments button”. If you press that button you will see how the “Burzynski representative to be” behaved. The first thing he did was to reveal an email address which he thought belonged to lo_mcg. We do not know if he actually wrote an email to this unfortunate person. The insults he put forward in public were bad enough, but it didn’t stop there.
He also sent emails to lo_mcg, expecting that she would be the only one to see them. This email exchange took place between March 28 March and April 11. All the emails came through YA’s messaging system , and he was unable to continue his harassment because Yahoo deleted his account. Lo_mcg has offered those emails to the public, and we feel that people should know about Marc Stephens’s recent past. So here is the full email exchange, including the two replies lo_mcg wrote.
From: MAS
Subject: Dr. Burzynski
Message: You see I actually do research : ) Your in SCHOOL? You do absolutely NO RESEARCH before answering questions?
[Name removed for privacy reasons] <— “Lo”_mcg..??
Email: [Removed for privacy reasons]@mail.mcg.edu <—-Lo_”mcg”?
Medical College of Georgia
706-721-0272
Is it you? : ) We are real people and you should be ashamed of yourself trying to defame a group of people that you know absolutely nothing about. How about visiting the website at http://www.burzynskipatientgroup.org and do some research.
View the MEDICAL RECORDS of the patients on the website. I am not politically correct..so you will not receive a sugar coated response from me. You are disrespectful and ignorant. DO THE RESEARCH. How about talking to the little kids that had brain cancer. How about looking at the news that followed them from initial diagnosis to being CANCER FREE.
I demand an apology from you on this matter. As well as reposting your answer after you do your research. The people you claim are DEAD are ALIVE and that is called DEFAMATION OF CHARACTER. The patients of Dr. Burzynski are in the public eye as well as your comment about them, and you could be held liable for your “MEDICAL ADVISE”, and defamation of character. I recorded the screen with your comment as well as conducted research to, if necessary, file a legal suit if your comment is not corrected immediately. These people have families and you are causing great emotional distress to them by your uneducated comments and medical advise. Thank you. Marc Stephens
Reply from lo_mcg:
Your ‘research’ is rather fanciful; no that’s not me. Have you been harassing that unfortunate person with emails and threats?
I left school 42 years ago; never been to med school; never been to Georgia – in fact never been to the US. I’m someone who was desperate to avoid harsh treatments when diagnosed with advanced cancer, and researched all possible options.
I have given no ‘medical advise (sic)’, nor would I ever.I have not ‘defamed’ anybody; in fact the only person I refer to by name is Dr Burzynski.
I have made no comments about any patients of Dr Burzynski. Please reread my answer carefully. The only reference I make to any patients of Dr B is contained within a quote, clearly credited and clearly enclosed in quotation marks.
The only ‘advise’ (sic) I gave was to ‘Be wary of unsubstantiated testimonials about miracle cancer cures. You have no way of knowing whether the person ever had cancer in the first place, much less has been cured’, advice I frequently give in replies on YA and will continue to give to people seeking internet advice on cancer treatment – ANY cancer treatment.
If you want clues for further ‘research’, my YA username is in fact a mixture of letters from my own name and that of my paternal grandmother. And I live in a country that is not the US
From: MAS
Subject: Re: Dr. Burzynski
Message: “His ”antineoplastons” -the substances he has isolated from human urine which he claims cure cancer – have never been shown to have any effect on cancer”.. It doesn’t matter what country your in unless your on Mars..you can be sued for Defamation of Character, dissemination of false information, and negligence if you give medical advice. Dr. Burzynski has a patent in multiple countries for Antineoplastons and that is your quote above.
If you claim to be educated you should know you can not patent a drug that does not work, or is illegal. If you actually did do research you would know the FDA and the US Government are trying to steal the patent to antineoplaston. In addition, Antineoplaston is being introduced to PHASE III clinical trials? Maybe you should do more research on the matter because you are giving FALSE information. You should also speak with the patients and the kids that were treated successfully visit http://www.burzynskipatientgroup.org. Also, you can watch the NEWS stories on the website. Be responsible and do the research or I will pursue.
Feel free to contact me anytime 562-843-9398 or mastephens1@gmail.com. Many people are unaware that Dr. Burzynski patients are treated and are doing great. Don’t fall pray to propaganda. There is also a movie out (documentary) about Dr. Burzynski which has won numerous awards..I suggest you watch it. Thursday March 31 I am very serious. Thank you Marc Stephens. fyi..Dont think your IP is not tracked. Good night.
***
From: MAS
Subject: Burzynski
Message: You are afraid of facing the truth. If you are as smart as you think watch the documentary.
The type of person you are…you would think all the lawyers, police, and patients were lying in court when they testified in favor of Burzynski.
Then Burzynski won ALL multiple cases against him filed by the Government. But I thought his treatment does not work. The JURY even started testifying and supporting Burzynski. You need to do more research.
Why are you afraid to watch the documentary??? COMMENT on the documentary. I would think that a person that gives advise on cancer would look into current and relevant information. You claim you had cancer. POST your medical records like Burzynski Patients are doing on their website. You are CLEARLY a fraud..as well as the rest of the people on your page.. which is probably you with multiple accounts. I dont believe you… so can you prove that Burzynski is a fraud. I thought you were here to help innocent people like me who want the truth about cancer cures.
THE BURZYNSKI DOCUMENTARY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S81PXHwjMAQ&feature=channel_video_title
***
From: MAS
Subject: Burzynski
Message: For someone that is 58 yrs old who supposedly had breast cancer, and suffer from Diabetes type 2 and Lymphoedema you sure are hard headed and have NO RESPECT for cancer patients. Is that how they raise people in London-UK? Are you afraid to watch these videos:
1. Jessica Ressel Interview Brain Cancer Cured by Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski with NO Chemo or Radiation Therapy.
Jessica followed by media at 11 yrs old http://www.burzynskipatientgroup.org/news/jessica-ressel-brain-cancer
Jessica at 24 yrs old http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwTonGa0kCg&feature=player_embedded
2. Kelsey Hill Interview Lung & Liver Cancer Cured by Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski with NO Chemo or Radiation Therapy..6 month old baby.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0tTt1GO9RU&feature=player_embedded
3. Jodie Gold Fenton Interview Brain Cancer Cured by Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski with NO Chemo or Radiation Therapy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNW5afr6vmM&feature=player_embedded
4. Lt. Col. James Treadwell Brain Cancer Cured by Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski with NO Chemo or Radiation Therapy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tai7oMXw-nY&feature=player_embedded
***
Reply from lo_mcg:
Becoming something of an obsession with you, aren’t I?
All the information you believe you have artfully gleaned is freely available from my YA answers – except that I was either raised in or live in London, which I wasn’t and don’t.
Please know that I am a person of principle and can’t be frightened or bullied into saying something I do not believe to be true.
If you wish to change my mind about something on which I have formed an opinion, harassment and personal insults are not the way to do it. Rational argument is.
If you read my posts about Burzynski carefully, and are honest, you will see that nowhere have I called anyone a liar or a fraud.
But replication is the proof that something is effective; and Dr B’s results have not been successfully replicated, and so my position remains the same. And yes, I have watched some of the videos you link to.
In your search though my YA contributions, you can’t fail to have noticed that I am actually unfailingly respectful of cancer patients in my answers. If you don’t feel you have seen enough, I will happily add you as a ‘contact’, which means my Q&A will be visible to you. That way you won’t have to waste any more time googling.
Please note that even if I wanted to (which I don’t), I could not now remove my answer
And be aware that I simply don’t care whether you believe what I say or not. I’m adult and secure enough not to spend time fretting about other people’s opinions of me.
I suggest you move on now
From: MAS
Subject: Re: Burzynski
Message: “If you read my posts about Burzynski carefully, and are honest, you will see that nowhere have I called anyone a liar or a fraud.”
Your context insinuates that Burzynski is a fraud and a Liar in the following statements of yours..which is defamation of character.
“Burzynski claims to cure cancer with extracts from human urine. THERE SHOULDN’T REALLY BE ANY NEED TO SAY MORE, but here goes.”
“His ”antineoplastons” -the substances he has isolated from human urine which he claims cure cancer – have NEVER been shown to have any effect on cancer…” Are you sure “NEVER”..?
This is called Defamation – LIBAL which means defamation by written or printed words, pictures, or in any form other than by spoken words or gestures. UK law allows actions for libel to be brought in the High Court for any published statements alleged to defame a “named or identifiable individual” or individuals in a manner that causes them loss in their trade or profession, or “causes a reasonable person to think worse of them”.
You are on Yahoo giving medical advice to THIRD PARTIES which people take your answers as TRUTH. Your statements are 100% incorrect which medical records can prove in court that patients are being cured with Antineoplastons. Its also FDA approved for clinical trials and considered NON TOXIC. So your “NEVER” statement qualifies as defamation. Opinions also fall under defamation..your being NEGLIGENT. yahoo is a PUBLIC forum and BURZYNSKI is a PUBLIC FIGURE. Be smart.
***
From: MAS
Subject: Re: Burzynski
Message: I am just giving you FACTS about your statements. These are not threats nor do I have to bully someone to change their mind or OPINION. I am just letting you know that OPINIONS and false information whether on purpose or being negligent can land you in court. Because you are on Yahoo answering medical questions since 2007 you are looked at as an expert to the average person. There are also other Members telling people to listen to you because you know what your talking about. I have that as well.
I am trying to show you the TRUTH about Burzynski but you seem to be running away. Its unreal being that you claim to have suffered the side effects of chemo, radiation, and surgery. I do respect you, but you have to understand that what you put on PUBLIC forums you are liable for. Dr. Burzynski is a public figure and I can give you numerous cases he filed in regards to this type of action. In addition, he won numerous cases against the government. You really need to stop with your opinion when it comes to medical advice on public forums..you also have no disclaimers.
Call the Burzynski clinic and ask for current statistics of their patients..its avail. Dont you think they would be out of business and in jail providing FAKE statistics for over 30 years?
Wouldn’t you be upset if I told the world you NEVER had breast cancer and you are a fake? All the pain you went through and for someone to make you look like a fool in public..you would be hurt. Feel better.
***
From: MAS
Subject: Burzynski
Message: I see you just dont quit. I was going to take it easy on you. I do investigations for a living. How about you do some more current reading and not from old *** government propaganda newspapers and BLOGS.
You are stubborn which is why god gave you so much pain in your life. God hate ugly as they say. This is also why your comments are filled with ignorance, hate, and lies. you work for the devil now.. Wake up miss cancer patient of the decade. You probably LIED about cancer as well..you need attention.
In the end I will be laughing at all of you psychos. Go drink a glass of chemo..on the rocks. You are psycho but at least you have an excuse. Radiation and chemo turned you out..you no longer think with logic.
I already know your name and address. So good luck if a suit is at your front door. You talk too much thats how I found you. Lol. Be a good girl..hope you dont have pain in your thighs anytime soon..your already a pain in the ***… Lol.
Soon I will contact the patients and the clinic and provide them with your silly statement of “antineoplastons NEVER being effective”..when his drug is CLEARED for FDA phase 3 clinical trials. This trial will test the effectiveness between Radiation therapy and antineoplaston therapy on brain cancer. So you may want to retract your statement. : ) When you stop being childish and ignorant I will do the same. Follow your own medical advice and stop eating junk and exercise to help with your type 2 diabetes. Take care
***
From: MAS
Subject: Burzynski
Message: Hey Lo_mein… Im starting to think Bruce LI, Dave and busted, Gary No, Rhianna does herself, and Tink who cant Think are ALL of your split personalities with its own Yahoo account..Lol! How can so many people be so ignorant..?
Can you all answer this question. Is Antineoplastons approved for Phase 3 clinical trials by the FDA? Yes or No….
***
From: MAS
Subject: Burzynski
Message: Lo_Mein. Can you please answer this since you are the expert on cancer here on Yahoo Answers. Is Antineoplastons approved by the FDA to commence Phase 3 clinical trials?
Phase 1 is it Toxic to humans? NO.
Phase 2 shows positive results? YES.
Phase 3 Effective and ready for Marketability?
***
From: MAS
Subject: Burzynski
Message: Just in case you didn’t read Yahoos Terms of Service.
You agree to not use the Yahoo! Services to:
upload, post, email, transmit or otherwise make available any Content that is unlawful, harmful, tortious, AND DEFAMATORY;
intentionally or unintentionally violate any applicable local, state, national or international law;
You acknowledge, consent and agree that Yahoo! may access, preserve and disclose your account information and Content if required to do so by law or in a good faith belief that such access preservation or disclosure is reasonably necessary to: (i) comply with legal process;
You agree to indemnify and hold Yahoo! and its subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, agents, employees, partners and licensors harmless from any claim or demand, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, made by any third party due to or arising out of Content you submit, post, transmit, modify or otherwise make available through the Yahoo! Services;
SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN WARRANTIES OR THE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES. ACCORDINGLY, SOME OF THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS OF SECTIONS 19 AND 20 MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.
I knew you would be searching for me so I answered the Spurs to let you know your acting like a COWBOY..slang for a Reckless person who ignores potential risks. Pretty smart huh?
You can offer to amend your statement..before I submit to yahoo. NEVER is a bad word when Phase 3 is FDA approved to commence.
***
Threats like this: “Thursday March 31 I am very serious.” can be frighthening, but as lo_mcg mentions:” March 31st came and went 8 months ago”
We would like to express our support to Andy Lewis, lo_mcg, Peter Bowditch and everyone else who has refused to yield to this sort of behaviour.
Update:
UPDATED 27.11.11:
The connection between Marc Stephens and The Burzynski Clinic appears to have been confirmed: 17 year old blogger Rhys Morgan received a legal threat similar to that of others, and in the process he contacted the Burzynsci Clinic for confirmation of this connection. The reply came from Marc Stephens:
… I represent Dr. Burzynski, the Burzynski Clinic, and the Burzynski Research Institute. I’ve attached Azad Rastegar, and Renee Trimble from the Burzynski Clinic for your confirmation.
This means that all the ridiculous legal threats and all the contempt for people with cancer expressed by Marc Stepehens were expressed on behalf of Burzynski.
UPDATED 30.11.11:
The Burzynski Clinic issued a press release regarding the recent internet activity.
See also:
Summary of information on Burzynski by Josephine Jones.
UPDATED 7.12.11
A blogging lawyer is looking into the legal aspects of Marc Stephens’s threats. And he has been in contact with him.
UPDATED 21.12.11
There has been further contact between MAS and Popehat.
UPDATED 1.3.12
If you thought Marc Stephens would silently slip into oblivion you thought wrong.
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With supporters like Marc Stephens – or MAS – who needs enemies. LOL!
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Indeed. If PalMD does not receive a refutation by The Burzynski Clinic of being represented by him, they stand to loose a lot of the credibility they struggle to cling on to.
Thanks for this post. I was happy to make the emails public as they may help those who consider taking this buffoon’s threats seriously to see him for the fraud he is.
Before his account was deleted by Y!A, he removed some of his contributions to the ‘Comments’ section, including the intelligent observations that JLI and I must both be ugly and single, and that at almost 60 I was clearly senile, which accounted for my ignorance
@lo_mcg
Thank you!
He comes across as a truly nasty piece of work, a genuine creep. I must say he scares me, not because of this threats, but because of the mentality that shines through his words. And he’s not the only one; we regularly get the likes of him on this blog.
I note that Mr Stephens has had trouble even spelling the word ‘libel’.
I think you have done a great thing by sharing this. The joint efforts of bloggers is working. Genomic Repairman’s post was taken down, but is now back on.
This idiot has probably done more damage to Burzynski’s reputation than a dozen skeptical bloggers could have done. I’m glad this is getting such wide publicity. Isn’t Burzynski’s medical license up for review soon? That could prove interesting.
You couldn’t make it up; a reputable clinical physician, resolutely carrying out ground breaking work in a field of one, bravely shrugging off the slings and arrows of his peers and the scientific community at large then employs a bullying huckster as his PR man on the internet? No, get out of here, it’d never happen!
Indeed you couldn’t make it up. Reminds me of my grandmother, who used to say that life is often weirder than the most crazy fantasy anyone could make up. And right she was. 🙂
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Making cancer cures out of human urine raises a big red flag with me, quite apart from everything else…
This is insane. Marc Stephens sounds like your classic troll. Too weird.
Gee, being a “lawyer” and all, Marc ought to know when to use “your” and when to use “you’re.” How does one get into law school without passing the third grade?
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LOL
They’ve killed Rhys Morgan!
http://crispian-jago.blogspot.com/2011/11/skeptic-park-4-featuring-rhys-morgan.html
MAS has been sacked: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0BzijOpjuex1bMjE4N2JjOGItZGFlOS00NDE0LTk2YzktMThkYjFiOTU2YjNl&hl=en_US
But the clinic still claims (as expected) that they are right
Oh dear, I fear this was not a wise move by the clinic.
No – Equating poster presentations with peer reviewed research papers is a bad move. Let’s make some popcorn and watch what happens. 😈
Here’s the first one already: Orac of Respectful Insolence.
Must immediately rush over there and post a comment 🙂
Orac, in his latest post at Respectful Insolence, on Burzynski’s “targeted therapies” (my bold):
There is a problem with the press release.
This part indicates that they didn’t know about it until now:
But in the E-mail from MAS to Rhys (the reply to Rhys’s mail to the Burzynski Clinic) containing the Google image it said:
Depending on what “attached” meant there are two possibilities:
1) The E-mail was cc’ed to the Burzynski people mentioned (one of which issued the press release)
2) These two emloyees had issued a document confirming that MAS was representing them.
Either way, it shows that at least Renee Trimble can’t have been unaware of MAS’s activities.
I agree it’s very odd.
That creep is still harassing cancer patients: http://josephinejones.wordpress.com/2011/11/29/burzynski-blogs-my-master-list/#comment-850
God, this makes me want to cry, what a lowlife that man is.
Yes – if the patient group want to appear empathetic towards cancer patients, they really should consider getting rid of him as their spokes person. The clinic already did – as we all know,
I can’t for the life of me understand why they should want to tolerate such a moron; they should publicly distance themselves from him imo.
Until they do, we have to assume, that the contempt he has towards cancer patients is on their behalf.
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I realize this thread is a year old now, and I’ve been following the Burzynski saga since then,,,,,hopefully you’re still checking/submitting comments because I have a question that I’ve not seen bantered about on other blogs..
The harrassing emails from “Marc Stephens” AKA “MAS” – not only to the aforementioned bloggers, and everyone else noted on other blogs, but the specific threats to the yahoo contributor lo_mcg: they seem so familiar.
I recall the interview between a news reporter and Burzynski some time ago when he was snide with the reporter, insinuating that he was being suppressed by the FDA et al, and made snide comments like “look you little shit brain” or something to that effect and other callous remarks (to an innocent reporter no less) – the demeaning threats that “Marc Stephens” used particularly with lo_mcg sounds suspiciously like Burzynski’s comments during that interview.
My question is, has anyone actually validated that “Marc Stephens” is an actual person with an actual physical address, verification of any sort? Has anyone a recording, video, screen capture, photo of said “Marc Stephens”? We all know how easy it is for anyone to fabricate/conjure up a false identity on the net, and all correspondence with Stephens seemed only to be via emails. The Burzynski clinic’s retraction via press statement regarding Stephens could have just been an included ruse (and no, lest you think, I am not given to conspiracy theories, I’m just posing a question).
The Stephens character, if exists, may still be posting to date, I see the same post over an over in various comments, most notably with a rant about “Burzynski’s patents being stolen by the FDA” and so on, so similar to the rants he emailed to lo_mcg, If what Burzynki’s press statement about Marc Stephens was true, that is, he was a web developer, and hired to harrass bloggers to do defamation-damage-control, what real and implied interest would a person with no prior knowledge of Burzynski or his clinic (and web developer or designer at that) and what could such a person actually gain from doing so? The Marc Stephens persona posts with such vitriol, conviction, and acts as if he/she is personally invested in Burzynski or the clinic. Inside job perhaps or am I just far reaching here?
P.S. Patients repeatedly report they rarely are seen by Burzynski himself, perhaps Burzynski is off to his office doing damage control on the internets! 🙂
I doubt that Burzynski and Marc Stephens are one and the same.
There are many believers in nonsense out there, and they do have a habit of rude behaviour. Here is a blog post on the subject by Edzard Ernst, who has been on the receiving end for years of such insults: http://edzardernst.com/2012/12/ad-hominem-attacks-are-signs-of-victories-of-reason-over-unreason/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ad-hominem-attacks-are-signs-of-victories-of-reason-over-unreason
Skepticat coined them “Quacolades”. You can see some of them if you scroll down the left-hand side column on her blog: http://www.skepticat.org/
And from time to time we (Beatis in particular) receive hateful comments.
Perhaps this is intentional: http://www.thetwentyfirstfloor.com/?p=6854
Silently,
You are referring to a classic interview in the Houston Press from 2008, which gives us a rare glimpse into the deranged, paranoid, lunatic mind of Burzynski. I often post this interview as one of the first things to read when someone is researching the Houston clinic, as it’s one of the few interviews from the horse’s ass directly. Most people, when being interviewed and know they are “on the record” try to remain civil, diplomatic and articulate. Stan, on the other hand, calls the reporter a shit with a little brain. He also predicted he’d win the Nobel Prize “in three years” (2011) so he’s two years overdue with that.
http://www.houstonpress.com/2009-01-01/news/cancer-doctor-stanislaw-burzynski-sees-himself-as-a-crusading-researcher-not-a-quack/
There are too many classic bits to excerpt here. The story starts off seemingly as a puff piece but the tone changes very quickly, and drastically. The reporter who wrote the story is nobody’s fool.
He also says he submitted a paper to a reputable journal but it was rejected, so “to hell with them.”
And he states he can’t pay proper staff because he “came to this country with $15 in his pocket” and could barely speak English. Simply brilliant.
There’s another must-read, this one going back as far as 1996 with the New York Times. Way back then, a spokesman for Stan said he was simply “too busy” to do clinical trials. Absolutely nothing has changed in almost 17 years since that interview. I can’t find the link right now but if you Google Burzynski, New York Times and 1996 you’ll find it.
Here’s the 1996 New York Times story where Burzynski says “to hell with them”:
http://www.nytimes.com/1996/07/24/us/to-the-hopeless-a-cancer-cure-beckons.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm
“Dean Mouscher, who is directing the clinical trials for Dr. Burzynski, said Dr. Burzynski was too busy treating patients, running an antineoplastons manufacturing plant, and conducting his own research to enroll patients in clinical trials to satisfy the F.D.A. Mr. Mouscher said he himself had a bachelor’s degree in French and “no medical background.”
Pressed by the courts, Dr. Burzynski has put about 400 patients in clinical trials approved by the agency, Mr. Mouscher said.
“We saw the handwriting on the wall and started putting everyone in clinical trials,” Mr. Mouscher said. The details of clinical trials of new drugs are considered proprietary, the F.D.A. said, but Mr. Mouscher said the agency was allowing Dr. Burzynski to give his drug only to patients for whom all other therapies had failed.
Dr. Burzynski said he already had evidence from his patients’ experience. Some see their tumors shrink and others are cured, he said. And, he said, he can provide doctors who will back him up.
One doctor he suggested, Dr. Bruce Cohen, a neurooncologist at the Cleveland Clinic, said that at the request of an insurance company he had a single session with a boy who had gone to Dr. Burzynski in lieu of receiving chemotherapy for a brain tumor. “His tumor did shrink on the therapy he received from Dr. Burzynski,” he said. That was four years ago, Dr. Cohen said. And, he added, “that was the first and last time I saw that child.”
Mr. Mouscher also suggested Dr. W. Byron Smith, an oncologist in Walnut Creek, Calif. But Dr. Smith said, “I’m a doubter about this drug, and I’m not convinced it works.”…
…Most researchers who find a promising treatment publish their results in a prestigious medical journal. Dr. Burzynski said he had submitted a paper to The New England Journal of Medicine, but that it had been rejected. “So to hell with them,” he said.
Dr. Burzynski said that as with Einstein and Pasteur, history will prove him right. Cures like his, he said, “have never happened before in medical history, so if The New England Journal of Medicine refuses to publish my paper, why should I waste my time with these fools?”
jli, oh yes, the receiving end of a quacolade (been there, done that), and it is true that when a believer is challenged, they tend to go nearly postal.
Btw, I have since seen a few other Burzynski patient blogs and perhaps I was wrong, seems to be enough who’ve stated they saw/spoke with and (the children) were being directly treated by Burzynski. Almost all of them of course state “just how wonderful, soft-spoken and truly caring he is” – typical of the anti-conventional crowd. I wonder if they are treated with the same compassion by Burzynski when their children die.
Marc Stephens Is Insane, yep, that’s the one, thanks for the reminder, I remember feeling quite ill when I first saw that – my first impression was that here we have a self-proclaimed medical professional throwing a two-year-old’s temper tantrum because he didn’t like the questions being asked of him (or I suspect, he took the opportunity to play the maverick-govt-is-out-to-get-me B.S.)
Thanks for the responses, and my thanks to you for staying on top of the Burzynski scam, it’s blogs like this so desperately needed to get the message out there to those unsuspecting folks.
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