Medline, one of the main sources of medical information, may have been restricting access to information on nutritional medicine for years. Doctors and scientists have not been given Medline access to
February 14, 2006 (Press Release) --
Breakthroughs in nutritional medicine have been hidden from doctors for several decades. Doctors and medical researchers rely on Medline, an international resource for medicine, for essential information. This dependence means that Medline must make sure that data about medical advances and basic scientific information are made available. For decades, a philosophy of selective reporting by Medline has artificially limited the information presented to doctors.
While researching for a new book, “Cancer: Nutrition and Survival”, with Dr Hilary Roberts, Dr Steve Hickey found that vital information on cancer was not easily obtainable through standard medical resources. Essential clinical reports and research papers covering basic science were not included in Medline. Dr Hickey found it necessary to dig out essential cancer data from background sources. It was as if principal studies in nutritional medicine were being deliberately hidden from the view of practicing doctors.
Reviewing Dr Hickey’s book before publication, a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, with years of experience in the treatment of cancer, reported:
“This information just doesn’t appear in the medical literature. Doctors are not aware of these results.”
There are numerous treatments for cancer, which potentially provide a more effective alternative to chemotherapy without the side effects. The classic case is with vitamin C. In the 1970s, Linus Pauling and others suggested that massive doses of vitamin C could kill cancer while helping normal tissues. Early clinical reports indicated that intravenous vitamin C helped cancer patients live up to six times longer. These clinical observations were debunked in studies by the Mayo Clinic which seemed to show that vitamin C was ineffective. However, the Mayo Clinic research was flawed and the treatment might not only work but also be highly effective. Despite the scientific defects in the Mayo Clinic studies, doctors were told that vitamin C was ineffective against cancer.
Studies showing that vitamin C might be a highly effective anticancer agent continue unabated. Recently, the US National Institutes of Health have confirmed that vitamin C kills cancer without harming normal cells. This report was considered newsworthy the world over. However, this potential breakthrough for cancer patients was old news. It had been established since 1969 and confirmed many times over, but the research was hidden from view.
One of the worlds leading independent doctors, Abram Hoffer, has reported positive clinical results of high doses of vitamin C in cancer. It was made clear to Dr Hoffer that his results might not be openly reported in the medical journals. Dr Hoffer was told in the 1970s that research on orthomolecular and nutritional medicine would never be properly represented in the medical literature. Orthomolecular medicine is the use of vitamins and other nutrients to prevent and treat disease. Dr Hoffer and double Nobel Prize winner Dr Linus Pauling developed this branch of medicine. Nutrition and medicine has since become a popular and integral part of western society. However, Medline has consistently refused to include the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine.
If Dr Hoffer’s was the only nutritional medicine journal to be excluded it would be a problem. But the journal of the British Society of Ecological Medicine has also been kept out of Medline. Independently, Dr Gary Goldman and the journal Medical Veritas have a new initiative to highlight the bias in medical reporting, www.pubmednci.com, which stands for Pubmed with no conflict of interest. Pubmed is an internet website for free access to Medline journals.
Dr Hickey has made an independent application for the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine to be included in Medline. After several months of communication with Mr Sheldon Kotzin of the US National Library of Medicine, Dr Hickey’s main questions about potential Medline bias remain unanswered. Dr Hickey says:
“Medline appears to believe they have an absolute right to filter a doctor’s access to basic medical science.”
“The mechanisms used by Medline are wide open to abuse. They have no objective criteria by which journals are judged.”
“Medline appears to choose their journal selection panel from medical professionals who hold a particular restrictive view of medicine.”
The result is that Medline includes Time magazine, Newsweek, the Indian Journal of American Studies, and the Kansas Historical Quarterly. According to Medline, these publications have greater medical and scientific content than papers on nutritional medicine by Dr Linus Pauling and other leading scientists. Furthermore, the public and medical professionals increasing interest in nutritional medicine is being ignored. Future generations may look back with dismay at this time when possible medical breakthroughs are hidden by institutional bias. Medline’s delay in providing access to critical medical information may one day be measured in lives lost.
Background resources
Hoffer A., Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine, History.
This article includes Dr Hoffer’s brief account of the development and bias against this journal.
http://www.orthomed.org/jom/jomhist.htm
Hickey S., Selective reporting of medical science, BMJ, Rapid response, 27 December 2005.
This is a recent report on current state of Medline indexing published in the British Medical Journal.
http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/eletters/331/7531/1487#124851
Cameron E. Pauling L. Cancer and Vitamin C: A Discussion of the Nature, Causes, Prevention, and Treatment of Cancer With Special Reference to the Value of Vitamin C, Camino Books, 1993.
This book describes the work by Linus Pauling and Ewan Cameron on vitamin C and cancer.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/094015921X/sr=8-1/qid=1139946333/ref=sr_1_1/002-0206199-6653618?%5Fencoding=UTF8
Hoffer A. and Pauling L. Vitamin C & Cancer: Discovery, Recovery, Controversy, SCB Distributors, 2001.
This book illustrates research and clinical results for vitamin C used as a treatment in cancer.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1550820788/qid=1139946578/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/002-0206199-6653618?s=books&v=glance&n=283155
Hickey S. Roberts H., Cancer: Nutrition and Survival, Lulu Press.
This recent book on nutrition and cancer illustrates the importance of the information excluded by Medline.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/141166339X/sr=8-1/qid=1139945903/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-0206199-6653618?%5Fencoding=UTF8
Chen Q, Espey MG, Krishna MC, Mitchell JB, Corpe CP, Buettner GR, Shacter E, Levine M. Pharmacologic ascorbic acid concentrations selectively kill cancer cells: action as a pro-drug to deliver hydrogen peroxide to tissues. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 Sep 20;102(38):13604-9.
A recent report from the US NIH confirms the effectiveness of vitamin C in killing cancer cells while leaving normal cells unharmed.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16157892&query_hl=2&itool=pubmed_docsum
Benade L, Howard T, Burk D. Synergistic killing of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells by ascorbate and 3-amino-1, 2, 4, -triazole, Oncology, 1969, 23, 33–43.
This early research paper reports the action of vitamin C in killing cancer cells without harming normal tissues.
While researching for a new book, “Cancer: Nutrition and Survival”, with Dr Hilary Roberts, Dr Steve Hickey found that vital information on cancer was not easily obtainable through standard medical resources. Essential clinical reports and research papers covering basic science were not included in Medline. Dr Hickey found it necessary to dig out essential cancer data from background sources. It was as if principal studies in nutritional medicine were being deliberately hidden from the view of practicing doctors.
Reviewing Dr Hickey’s book before publication, a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, with years of experience in the treatment of cancer, reported:
“This information just doesn’t appear in the medical literature. Doctors are not aware of these results.”
There are numerous treatments for cancer, which potentially provide a more effective alternative to chemotherapy without the side effects. The classic case is with vitamin C. In the 1970s, Linus Pauling and others suggested that massive doses of vitamin C could kill cancer while helping normal tissues. Early clinical reports indicated that intravenous vitamin C helped cancer patients live up to six times longer. These clinical observations were debunked in studies by the Mayo Clinic which seemed to show that vitamin C was ineffective. However, the Mayo Clinic research was flawed and the treatment might not only work but also be highly effective. Despite the scientific defects in the Mayo Clinic studies, doctors were told that vitamin C was ineffective against cancer.
Studies showing that vitamin C might be a highly effective anticancer agent continue unabated. Recently, the US National Institutes of Health have confirmed that vitamin C kills cancer without harming normal cells. This report was considered newsworthy the world over. However, this potential breakthrough for cancer patients was old news. It had been established since 1969 and confirmed many times over, but the research was hidden from view.
One of the worlds leading independent doctors, Abram Hoffer, has reported positive clinical results of high doses of vitamin C in cancer. It was made clear to Dr Hoffer that his results might not be openly reported in the medical journals. Dr Hoffer was told in the 1970s that research on orthomolecular and nutritional medicine would never be properly represented in the medical literature. Orthomolecular medicine is the use of vitamins and other nutrients to prevent and treat disease. Dr Hoffer and double Nobel Prize winner Dr Linus Pauling developed this branch of medicine. Nutrition and medicine has since become a popular and integral part of western society. However, Medline has consistently refused to include the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine.
If Dr Hoffer’s was the only nutritional medicine journal to be excluded it would be a problem. But the journal of the British Society of Ecological Medicine has also been kept out of Medline. Independently, Dr Gary Goldman and the journal Medical Veritas have a new initiative to highlight the bias in medical reporting, www.pubmednci.com, which stands for Pubmed with no conflict of interest. Pubmed is an internet website for free access to Medline journals.
Dr Hickey has made an independent application for the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine to be included in Medline. After several months of communication with Mr Sheldon Kotzin of the US National Library of Medicine, Dr Hickey’s main questions about potential Medline bias remain unanswered. Dr Hickey says:
“Medline appears to believe they have an absolute right to filter a doctor’s access to basic medical science.”
“The mechanisms used by Medline are wide open to abuse. They have no objective criteria by which journals are judged.”
“Medline appears to choose their journal selection panel from medical professionals who hold a particular restrictive view of medicine.”
The result is that Medline includes Time magazine, Newsweek, the Indian Journal of American Studies, and the Kansas Historical Quarterly. According to Medline, these publications have greater medical and scientific content than papers on nutritional medicine by Dr Linus Pauling and other leading scientists. Furthermore, the public and medical professionals increasing interest in nutritional medicine is being ignored. Future generations may look back with dismay at this time when possible medical breakthroughs are hidden by institutional bias. Medline’s delay in providing access to critical medical information may one day be measured in lives lost.
Background resources
Hoffer A., Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine, History.
This article includes Dr Hoffer’s brief account of the development and bias against this journal.
http://www.orthomed.org/jom/jomhist.htm
Hickey S., Selective reporting of medical science, BMJ, Rapid response, 27 December 2005.
This is a recent report on current state of Medline indexing published in the British Medical Journal.
http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/eletters/331/7531/1487#124851
Cameron E. Pauling L. Cancer and Vitamin C: A Discussion of the Nature, Causes, Prevention, and Treatment of Cancer With Special Reference to the Value of Vitamin C, Camino Books, 1993.
This book describes the work by Linus Pauling and Ewan Cameron on vitamin C and cancer.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/094015921X/sr=8-1/qid=1139946333/ref=sr_1_1/002-0206199-6653618?%5Fencoding=UTF8
Hoffer A. and Pauling L. Vitamin C & Cancer: Discovery, Recovery, Controversy, SCB Distributors, 2001.
This book illustrates research and clinical results for vitamin C used as a treatment in cancer.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1550820788/qid=1139946578/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/002-0206199-6653618?s=books&v=glance&n=283155
Hickey S. Roberts H., Cancer: Nutrition and Survival, Lulu Press.
This recent book on nutrition and cancer illustrates the importance of the information excluded by Medline.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/141166339X/sr=8-1/qid=1139945903/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-0206199-6653618?%5Fencoding=UTF8
Chen Q, Espey MG, Krishna MC, Mitchell JB, Corpe CP, Buettner GR, Shacter E, Levine M. Pharmacologic ascorbic acid concentrations selectively kill cancer cells: action as a pro-drug to deliver hydrogen peroxide to tissues. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 Sep 20;102(38):13604-9.
A recent report from the US NIH confirms the effectiveness of vitamin C in killing cancer cells while leaving normal cells unharmed.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16157892&query_hl=2&itool=pubmed_docsum
Benade L, Howard T, Burk D. Synergistic killing of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells by ascorbate and 3-amino-1, 2, 4, -triazole, Oncology, 1969, 23, 33–43.
This early research paper reports the action of vitamin C in killing cancer cells without harming normal tissues.
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