Many years ago I woke from fitful sleep. My mind churned. I could not get the image of my gentle, trusting client and her sweet golden retriever being abused by the New York, snake-oil salesman who called himself a veterinarian. The image occupied my mind at all hours of the day and night. "It was absolutely unconscionable that anyone in the veterinary profession could be so abusive," I thought. Finally, I simply had to do something and I decided to fly to New York and get the offending veterinarian's license revoked. As my readers and clients know, the rest of the story is how I got involved in the integrative veterinary health movement, and it illustrates vividly how human behavior and science work in the advance of knowledge and technology. But there is now emerging information that makes this story even more interesting.
One of the "snake oils" used to treat that dog for cancer was a mixture called Poly-MVA. This agent was created by Dr. Merril Garnett. He applied the theories of Nobel laureate, Dr. Otto Warburg (1931), who discovered that cancer cells function with less oxygen and are inefficient in their use of energy. They are also susceptible to certain compounds that target this weakness. After 30 years of testing over 20,000 products, Dr Garnett discovered Poly-MVA. His discovery created an entirely new field called electrogenetics, which is the study of electrical activity on the DNA. Poly-MVA appears to shuttle electrons in such a way that the susceptible cancer cells die while normal cells continue to survive.
At the time of my visit to New York, there were no veterinary papers in existence about Poly-MVA. No reputable veterinary oncologists knew anything about it and it was an expensive vitamin mixture. Those three facts lead me to decide -- incorrectly -- that it was a dishonest scam. From that point of incorrect evaluation, my actions aligned to protect and preserve the integrity of our veterinary profession and my own patient, so I left the comfort of my Los Angeles office to expose the "fraud."
I almost did a very harmful thing, but because my parents had emphasized scientific method I was forced to put my own ego, negative emotions and false conclusions away -- and actually investigate the area objectively. It was hard because no veterinary schools were working on this product and no one was interested. Veterinary oncology was a young science and simply was not pursuing complementary and alternative therapies in the '80s. But this pioneering, holistic, veterinarian named Martin Goldstein, DVM, had extensive experience and felt he saw positive results. What I discovered as I looked objectively was that it appeared that Poly-MVA was relatively safe as patients could consume large doses with no apparent difficulty. It was hard to determine efficacy, though. Interviewing several other human doctors indicated that Poly-MVA might be effective in improving patient's quality of life and that it was not a magic bullet for cancer. It seemed to help brain tumors more than others. It was not an inexpensive therapy, and I had difficulty recommending it for many clients whose finances were challenged.
I wanted more evidence.
Gradually, scientific investigators began looking at Poly-MVA. Studies involving mice in the '90s supported conclusions that the product was very safe and relatively nontoxic to normal cells. Poly-MVA may protect DNA. These studies also showed that cancer cells in the laboratory died readily on exposure to the substance. Poly-MVA also seems to protect cells against ischemia, and may be cardioprotective and radioprotective. It may also reduce high blood sugar in some circumstances.
In a recent discussion with a knowledgeable researcher it was discovered that the original work involved use of a much higher dosage than was being clinically applied. When that was discovered, the use of higher doses brought about improved results. The first major clinical veterinary study of its kind looked at 800 animals treated for various cancers and showed a clear improvement in quality of life. This study's findings and its prestigious oncologist author (Greg Ogalivie, DVM, DACVIM) now creates energy to further investigate and understand the uses for Poly-MVA in integrative veterinary oncology. More trials are currently being designed and implemented, and hopefully this will build evidence which we can all use to select better therapies for our patients.
As I considered all this, I laughed out-loud upon realizing the rest of the story. I began my quest into integrative medicine so many years ago to prove that this substance was quackery because I "knew" that there was no such solution. Through my scientific training and through common sense investigation, we found that it was useful and began treating patients with Poly-MVA over 15 years before further study demonstrated its usefulness. And now through proper scientific method, we are understanding that the dose needs to be further evaluated. We also know that certain vitamins like Vitamin C can interfere with its actions. We still have much work to do and many unanswered questions.
That is what integrative veterinary medicine really is - Susan Wynn, DVM, CVA, CVCH, AHG, past president of the AHVMA and author of several major textbooks on integrative veterinary medicine states, "Integrative medicine is simply knowing your tools. It's knowing how to use things. "
That process involves loving patients, clients and professionals enough to do the work of developing our knowledge and technology so that we can safely and effectively use these techniques. And it does involve being able to value truth sufficiently to be able to use our scientific tools to complete the work, which takes time -- often long periods of time. As we look at this present story we see precisely this effort coming to fruition as veterinary oncology advances sufficiently to begin investigation and support of integrative medicine; as consumers become educated enough to seek such therapies; as insurance companies and governments realize the wisdom of paying for integrative medicine; as methods of funding such research emerge; and as private parties unite with universities to create more complete research through the creation of integrative veterinary medical departments.
We do live in interesting times.
Gandhi said: "First they ignore you. Then they insult you. Then they fight you. Then you win." Of course that only works if you are forwarding the truth and if you have the stomach, persistence and blessings to reach the end of the path. Some of these paths take more years than one person lives. Some others see lives of brave and intelligent people interrupted or destroyed by those who professionally assassinate or degrade in their false efforts to "protect or preserve." But in the end it is those brave, intelligent pioneers in medicine who lovingly seek truth and move us towards better healing. We owe them much.
How has integrative medicine assisted you or your family? Did you know that you can send your stories and a letter from your doctor verifying the facts to the AHVMA Foundation and they may be published on the "stories" section of the Web site? Integrative medicine is about loving enough to act. Share your stories today and help spread the good news and support veterinary research of these important tools.
Follow Dr. Richard Palmquist on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DrRPalmquist
Chemo is not scienfically based.....it is not medicine....it was not clinically thought out.....it is poison as noted at the following weblink.
Chemotherapy: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
http://www.whale.to/cancer/barron.html
POLY-MVA?
Poly-MVA was clinically researched for over 30 years. During this 30 year period, over 20,000 compounds were tested before this dedicated Scientist engineered the key component(palladium lipoic complex) that makes Poly-MVA a novel compound.
Dr. Garnett wanted to create a compound that would not harm the cancer patient.......like Chemo does. By targeting the metabolic difference between a CANCER CELL and a HEALTHY CELL, Dr. Garnett created a compound that is toxic to ANAEROBIC CELLS(cancer cells) while at the same time, being beneficial to AEROBIC CELLS(Normal oxygen respirating cells)?
But it sounds too good to be true.....right?
I understand this too well.....I watched and supported the administration of Chemo to my Grandfather, my Aunt and finally my mother before I finally said, "Something is killing them......before the Cancer. There has to be a better way!" I have been warning cancer patients ever since!
http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/chemotherapy-doesnt-work/
Peer Reviewed Studies is what you demanded for Poly-MVA.....or else it was snake oil.
CHEMO HAS PEER REVIEWED STUDIES......but you want to ignore them?
So, since you stated that this is the ONLY WAY TO KNOW IF SOMETHING IS ANY GOOD, I posted these PEER REVIEWED STUDIES detailing the results of every randomized, controlled clinical trial performed with CHEMOTHERAPY in the U.S. between 1990 and 2004.
WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE?
You choose to ignore The Journal of Clinical Oncology and its 14 year PEER REVIEWED STUDY (that you said Poly-MVA must have) that clearly shows how ineffective Chemotherapy has been.....and now what do you expect us to do? You provide us a link to THE OPINION of a JOURNALIST named David Gorski.
YOU HAVE NOW BECOME WHAT YOU LOATHE!
You are now asking the readers to believe SOME JOURNALISTS opinion over PEER REVIEWED CLINICAL STUDIES.
Make up your mind please.....or at least admit your only objective in making your posts is to keep PET OWNERS from trying a Product that might minimize the suffering of their dog or cat.
"David H. Gorski, MD, PhD, FACS is a surgical oncologist at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute specializing in breast cancer surgery, where he also serves as the American College of Surgeons Committee on Cancer Liaison Physician as well as an Associate Professor of Surgery and member of the faculty of the Graduate Program in Cancer Biology at Wayne State University. "
If Chemo was effective, who in their right mind would look for an alternative? If Conventional Treatments were not so TOXIC, who in their right mind would look for an alternative?
IF YOU WANT PEER REVIEWED STUDIES: Here are some facts every cancer patient should know!
Chemotherapy provides a pathetic 2.1% 5 YEAR SURVIVAL RATE FOR CANCER PATIENTS. Researchers looked at the results of every randomized, controlled clinical trial performed in the U.S. between 1990 and 2004. These facts were published in 2004 in a PEER REVIEWED JOURNAL called The Journal of Clinical Oncology. In Australia, the results were nearly as bad with a 2.3% 5 YEAR SURVIVAL RATE. This means that 98 out of 100 people are dead in 5 years. The 2 people out of 100 that do survive will most likely suffer from deficits from Chemo and Radiation for the rest of their lives.
THE RESULTS OF THIS STUDY CAN BE VIEWED HERE http://www.nationalhealthfreedom.org/Alerts/AlertMinnesotaFamilyDownloads051209/FailureofConventionalTreatments.pdf
It's true most supplements don't have any high-quality research evidence to support their use. This isn't an argument in their favor! It's just a result of inadequate regulation and the lobbying power of the multi-billion dollar supplement industry.
As for cancer survival statistics, you neglect to mention that there's absolutely no reason to believe the "alternatives" would do even as well as conventional therapy, much less better.
I don't know of any supplements that have had double blind studies, but I also don't know of any that cure diseases. If a supplement really showed promise of curing cancer, then it should be clinically tested and sold as a cancer treatment. It goes against FDA rules (and basic human decency) to claim your expensive vitamin formula cures cancer when so far there isn't even a small amount of evidence to support it. Even if chemotherapy success rates were as low as you stated, they would still be higher than poly-MVA survival rates.
Not everyone opts for chemotherapy, and that is their right. But if they pay more than 5.99 a bottle for poly-MVA then they've been ripped off, and if it was sold to them as a cancer treatment then they've been scammed.
Here are some more scientists, Nobel Prize Winners and Professors that you seem to think you know more than..... http://polymvasurvivors.com/what_you_know.html#CHEMO
Poly-MVA was used with Low Dose Chemo by a Board Certified Oncologist in a Stage IV Study with over 200 Cancer Patients. 6 years later, 32% of these Terminal Patients are still alive..... The FDA attacked this Oncologist.....then, dropped the charges when they found out his statistics were verifiable.......see video and results here - http://polymva4patients.com/video.html
FDA aproval for Poly-MVA would cost about 800 Million Dollars..
Published research shows that Poly-MVA protects healthy cells from Radiation which allows the Radiation to become more effective - http://www.polymva4patients.com/radiation_protection.html#a
Poly-MVA's best results are as an adjunct to Low Dose Chemo.......not by itself. Poly-MVA dramatically diminishes side effects from Chemo.......isn't that a good thing.....isn't that worth something ......these cancer patients sure seem to thing it is worth it.....or they would not keep buying it.
"I have seen no scientific evidence demonstrating that Poly-MVA either prevents or effectively treats cancer. Indeed, I have found no reports of any well-controlled scientific studies. Most of the "success stories" cited by promoters are simple testimonials or come from studies that have not been published in scientific journals. Poly-MVA may not be dangerous in and of itself, but when you're dealing with a life-threatening illness such as cancer, it is always ill advised to substitute an unproven treatment for one that has been scientifically demonstrated to help. At best, Poly-MVA would do no harm. At worst, by using it as an alternative cancer treatment you could lose valuable time that might be better spent fighting the disease with therapy that has some medical merit."
Poly-MVA may or may not have benefits in cancer patients. At this point, no one really knows since there are no controlled research studies on the question. There are plenty of anecdotes, testimonials, and people who believe they have seen it work, but the same is true for absolutely every medical therapy ever tried. If poly-mva played a role in converting you from a skeptic to a believer in the promise of alternative medicine, it is not because the scientific evidence proved your skepticism unfounded.
2. "Safer method" is another unproven assumption for most CAM therapies. In this case, poly-MVA appears safe, but without clinical trials and apropriate surveillance, this cannot simply be assumed. And the notion that we can safely use whatever therapy we like regardless of the lack of evidence so long as it hasn't been "disproven" is quite dangerously mistaken.
3. Freedom and democracy do not require anyone be allowed to sell whatever fairytales or lies they like to sick people. Freedom is not enhanced by being taken advantage of by marketers of ineffective therapies, nor is it impaired by people providing information that challenges unproven claims, or by government regulation that requires some scientific evidence for claims about healthcare products.
"Available scientific evidence does not support claims that Poly-MVA is effective in preventing or treating cancer....¬reports of Poly-MVA's effectiven¬ess are anecdotal or small studies that have not been confirmed or published in scientific journals.
No studies of Poly-MVA in humans have been published in peer-revie¬wed medical journals..¬.
The potential risks and side effects of Poly-MVA are not known, as no results from human studies have been reported. Palladium compounds have the potential to cause allergic reactions in some people. Because lipoic acid is a powerful antioxidan¬t, Poly-MVA may make radiation therapy or chemothera¬py less effective. While this concern is based largely on theories of how cancer treatments work, it is supported by some recent studies."