Guest guest Posted August 17, 2006 Report Share Posted August 17, 2006 Here's an update on the Abraham, the child who refused chemo and his parents were charged with child neglect. The judge has just ruled that they may choose their own doctor and their own treatment plan. They have found an oncologist who approves of his sugar-free diet. Kathleen Scheps _____ NVIC [kathi] Thursday, August 17, 2006 10:12 AM k.scheps [NVIC] Abraham Set Free, With Conditions <http://rs6.net/on.jsp?t=1101378787710.0.1101335505966.5160 & ts=S0202 & o=http: //ui.constantcontact.com/images/p1x1.gif> National Vaccine Information Center Newsletter e-NEWS August 17, 2006 <http://img.constantcontact.com/letters/images/spacer.gif> <http://wm-c-gowacki.com/chemo_12-6.jpg> " The court agreement does not mandate a particular course of treatment, although Smith is required to send Abraham's medical charts to the judge and social services every three months. Asked if he would continue with the herbal treatment, which is known as the Hoxsey Method and is banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Abraham replied, " Absolutely. " He said he was open to radiation treatment if the alternative method " doesn't work down the road, " but would continue to refuse chemotherapy. " No, no chemo. It's not in the treatment plan whatsoever, " he said. The effects of chemotherapy were so debilitating that he could not walk and worried he would not survive additional treatments, he has said. " - Court TV, August 16, 2006 " Chemotherapy drugs may cause more serious side effects for breast cancer patients under age 64 than once thought, a U.S. study released on Tuesday said. Researchers mined insurance claims for 3,526 women who had intravenous chemotherapy for breast cancer and tallied problems serious enough to require emergency care or a hospital stay....Overall, 16 percent of women in the new study had at least one of eight side effects that required emergency care or hospitalization. Side effects also included blood clots, dehydration, nausea and diarrhea. All of the women were 63 or younger. " - Science News, August 16, 2006 Barbara Loe Fisher Comment: Although a Virginia U.S. District Court judge appropriately dropped child neglect charges against 16 year old Abraham Cherrix's parents after they supported his decision to stop toxic chemotherapy in favor of a less toxic alternative health care therapy, the judge only did so after turning Abraham over to a U.S. oncologist who said he will work with the family on Abraham's treatment plan. Abraham and his parents consider it a victory for their right to voluntarily choose which risks they are willing to take with medical treatment. Abraham's lawyer said " " We won the battle to choose a doctor and choose a treatment. " Whenever respect for individual autonomy prevails in decision-making involving matters of life and death, it is a victory for freedom in a nation which was founded by men and women with a profound respect for freedom and self determination. Under intense pressure to find a politically correct solution to a battle between an intelligent 16 year old youth with parental support for his cancer treatment decision and medical doctors determined to use the heel of the boot of the state to force toxic chemotherapy on him, the judge found another medical doctor who agreed to respect Abraham's right to informed consent to medical risk taking. The judge should have had the courage to uphold, without caveat, the right of Abraham and his parents to freely choose the cancer therapy they want for Abraham without any interference from U.S. oncologists or the courts. On Aug. 15, results of a study on the toxic effects of chemotherapy in breast cancer treatment was released. The study is a timely confirmation of the fact that medical doctors are not infallible, the " cures " they recommend are not without significant risks, and the right of individuals to freely choose which medical " cure " they want is a human right when it involves a risk of injury or death. <http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=5lgvuxbab.0.xqpxuxbab.oblmlwbab.5160 & ts=S0202 & p=htt p%3A%2F%2Fwww.courttv.com%2Ftrials%2Fcherrix%2F081606_ctv.html> Teen who refused chemo makes deal with authorities for alternative treatment Court TV August 16, 2006 By Harriet Ryan ACCOMAC, Va. - Social services authorities dropped neglect charges against the parents of a 16-year-old cancer patient who refused chemotherapy after the boy and his family agreed to treatment by an oncologist supportive of their embrace of alternative medicine. The settlement avoided a trial, set to begin Wednesday, in which the Accomack County Department of Social Services sought to force the teenager, Starchild Abraham Cherrix, into a hospital to undergo chemotherapy and radiation treatment for Hodgkin's disease. Under an agreement reached late Tuesday and announced in Circuit Court Wednesday morning by the judge who was to hear the case, Abraham, as he is known, and his parents consented to treatment by Dr. Arnold Smith, the medical director of the North Central Mississippi Regional Cancer Center in Greenwood. Smith is known for incorporating alternative approaches into conventional cancer treatment, according to the facility's Web site. Judge Glen Tyler took pains to emphasize Smith's mainstream qualifications, including board- certification in oncology, training at the Mayo Clinic and a medical degree from the University of Tennessee. The settlement was hailed by all sides as the best possible outcome for a case that has attracted nationwide attention, much of it sympathetic to the Cherrix family. " We each did our own independent verification [of Smith], and this is in Abraham's best interest. The outcome [of a trial] was far from certain and the spotlight itself can have a negative influence on his health, " said William McKee, a lawyer for the state social services, after court. Standing with his parents, Jay and Rose, in front of the courthouse, Abraham Cherrix called the agreement a victory for his family and for alternative medicine. After his first course of chemotherapy was ineffective, he rejected his oncologist's recommendation for a second, more intense round in favor of a sugar-free diet and regimen of herbal supplements prescribed by a controversial Mexican clinic. His oncologist reported his parents to social services for medical neglect. " I'm very happy about today. I'm very happy about this outcome. We won. We got our freedom back, " the lanky teenager told reporters. He and his father met with Smith in Mississippi Friday and discussed several treatment plans. The court agreement does not mandate a particular course of treatment, although Smith is required to send Abraham's medical charts to the judge and social services every three months. Asked if he would continue with the herbal treatment, which is known as the Hoxsey Method and is banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Abraham replied, " Absolutely. " He said he was open to radiation treatment if the alternative method " doesn't work down the road, " but would continue to refuse chemotherapy. " No, no chemo. It's not in the treatment plan whatsoever, " he said. The effects of chemotherapy were so debilitating that he could not walk and worried he would not survive additional treatments, he has said. His father said Smith had assured him that he would not pursue treatments to which the family objected. " His credo is that the patient runs the place, not the doctor, " Jay Cherrix said. Smith did not immediately return a call seeking comment. Abraham's lawyer, Barry Taylor, who along with co-counsel John Stepanovich handled the case pro bono, said the agreement should reassure parents in Virginia that their right to decide what is best for their children remains protected. " We won the battle to choose a doctor and choose a treatment, " he said. The Cherrixes said the end of the court case means a return to full-time focus on their son's health. " Now they can take their battle to the hospitals and treatment rooms where it needs to be fought, " Stepanovich said. Tumors in Abraham's neck and chest are continuing to grow, and Rose Cherrix broke into tears as she described her son's bravery in the face of his illness. " He inspires me as well as I think he inspires a lot of people in this country, " she said. The outpouring of concern for Abraham extended to the bench Wednesday. As Judge Tyler prepared to exit the court, he turned toward the teenager and said, " God bless you, Mr. Cherrix. " <http://img.constantcontact.com/letters/images/spacer.gif> <http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=5lgvuxbab.0.7qpxuxbab.oblmlwbab.5160 & ts=S0202 & p=htt p%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciam.com%2Farticle.cfm%3FchanID%3Dsa003%26articleID%3D6DE4BFE 9504589A457D6E92FAE4F9613> Breast cancer chemo side effects elevated Scientific American August 16, 2006 By Lisa Richwine WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Chemotherapy drugs may cause more serious side effects for breast cancer patients under age 64 than once thought, a U.S. study released on Tuesday said. Researchers mined insurance claims for 3,526 women who had intravenous chemotherapy for breast cancer and tallied problems serious enough to require emergency care or a hospital stay. Their review found more than 8 percent of women underwent treatment for a fever or infection compared with less than 2 percent reported in an earlier review of clinical trials. Other problems also occurred more frequently than previously estimated, said the study by researchers at Harvard Medical School and the Dana- Farber Cancer Institute. For example, 5.5 percent of women were reported to have low blood counts that could raise the risk of infection or bleeding, the new study showed. The rates were less than 1 percent or 2 percent in clinical trials. Overall, 16 percent of women in the new study had at least one of eight side effects that required emergency care or hospitalization. Side effects also included blood clots, dehydration, nausea and diarrhea. All of the women were 63 or younger. Researchers did not see any evidence that the side effects shortened lifespan, lead author Dr. Michael Hassett said. But the findings could help women individually weigh the risks versus their chances of benefit. Not all women are helped by adding chemotherapy to surgery and other measures. " Our results don't change the benefits of chemotherapy. ... We still think chemo can improve survival " for many women, said Hassett, a researcher at Dana-Farber's Center for Outcomes and Policy Research. The women in the new study were treated with various intravenous drugs in families known as alkylating agents, anthracyclines, taxanes and anti- metabolites. The information came from claims filed between 1998 and 2002, before some newer drugs were available. Chemotherapy's side effects can be minimized through steps such as prescribing blood-cell-boosting drugs or nutritional supplements, said Dr. Edgar Staren, chief medical officer at Cancer Treatment Centers of America. " It's important we make sure (patients) know the various options available, " said Staren, immediate past president of the American Society of Breast Surgeons. The study was funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, and published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. <http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=5lgvuxbab.0.6qpxuxbab.oblmlwbab.5160 & ts=S0202 & p=htt p%3A%2F%2Fjncicancerspectrum.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fabstract%2 Fjnci%3B98%2F16%2F1108> Frequency and Cost of Chemotherapy-Related Serious Adverse Effects in a Population Sample of Women With Breast Cancer Journal of the National Cancer Institute Vol. 98, No. 16, 1108-1117 August 16, 2006 Michael J. Hassett, A. James O'Malley, Juliana R. Pakes, Joseph P. Newhouse, Craig C. Earle Background: The number, nature, and costs of serious adverse effects experienced by younger women receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer outside of clinical trials are unknown. Methods: From a database of medical claims made by individuals with employer-provided health insurance between January 1998 and December 2002, we identified 12 239 women 63 years of age or younger with newly diagnosed breast cancer, of whom 4075 received chemotherapy during the 12 months after the initial breast cancer diagnosis and 8164 did not. Diagnostic codes for eight chemotherapy-related adverse effects were identified. Total hospitalizations for all causes, hospitalizations or emergency room visits for adverse effects that are typically related to chemotherapy, and health care expenditures were compared between the two groups of women. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results: Women who received chemotherapy were more likely than those who did not to be hospitalized or to visit the emergency room for all causes (61% versus 42%; mean difference = 19%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 16.7% to 21.3%, P <.001) and for chemotherapy-related serious adverse effects (16% versus 5%, mean difference = 11%, 95% CI = 9.6% to 12.4%, P><.001). The percentages of chemotherapy recipients who were hospitalized or visited the emergency room during the year after their breast cancer diagnosis were 8.4% for fever or infection; 5.5% for neutropenia or thrombocytopenia; 2.5% for dehydration or electrolyte disorders; 2.4% for nausea, emesis, or diarrhea; 2.2% for anemia; 2% for constitutional symptoms; 1.2% for deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolus; and 0.9% for malnutrition. Chemotherapy recipients incurred large incremental expenditures for chemotherapy-related serious adverse effects ($1271 per person per year) and ambulatory encounters ($17 617 per person per year).> Conclusions: Chemotherapy- related serious adverse effects among younger, commercially insured women with breast cancer may be more common than reported by large clinical trials and lead to more patient suffering and health care expenditures than previously estimated. <http://img.constantcontact.com/letters/images/spacer.gif> NVIC E-News is a free service of the National Vaccine Information Center and is supported through membership <http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=5lgvuxbab.0.8elt9wbab.oblmlwbab.5160 & ts=S0202 & p=htt ps%3A%2F%2Fwww.nvic.org%2Fmakingcashdonations.htm> donations. NVIC is funded through the financial support of its members and does not receive any government subsidies. Barbara Loe Fisher, President and Co- founder. 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