Drug Medical Information

CHELATION THERAPY: BOOKS ARE NOT WINE -THEY DO NOT IMPROVE WITH AGE

Medical books have a limited shelf life. Rightly so. Some, like a tasty fruit, develop 'black' spots as the science matures. This is particularly true when writing about chelation, which has 'grown up' a lot in the the last ten years. We live in fast-moving times. Compare current headlines with yesteryear's and you'll realize how much has changed since 1980. With each day that goes by, there are indications of how radically different today's reading public is: more sophisticated, more health savvy, and more aware of the political influence on medical issues than they were a decade ago. One result is an exploding interest in alternative medicine - the subject of a recent Time Magazine front page. Another is the eager reception given to nonconventional voices. Lately, we're asked to speak on more radio programs, at more health seminars, and to more diverse groups than in all previous years. Given those circumstances, an outdated book can be an embarrassment, especially when obliged to discuss or defend it at a public appearance. Let us explain. What was 'new* in 1982 is old hat today. There are an estimated half million or so more chelated patients than a decade ago, and at least two and a half times that number of people bypassed. One consequence is an abundance of new evidence by which to judge the comparative merit of these and other competing therapies. Bypass 'bashing' is out of step with the times. Ten years ago, the dangerous ineffectiveness of bypass surgery had not been exposed or explained. Today, it's no longer big news that this over-prescribed, high-risk procedure is of questionable value and should be avoided more often than not. In the 1980's, it was essential to record how often the 'bypassed' had poor long-range outcomes. In the 1990's, railing against bypass surgery misses the mark. Scads of reputable cardiologists, many from within academia, now voice the same concerns.

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