The hepatitis C study America never heard about - The Berkson Clinical Study

Thursday, July 25, 2013 by: Tony Isaacs
Tags: Berkson Clinical Study, hepatitis C, liver health

(NaturalNews) If someone were to take a look at the impressive credentials of Dr. Burton Berkson they would likely think that any study he conducted would easily find its way to publication - especially one which demonstrated remarkable success against chronic hepatitis C.

Such was not the case with the Berkson Clinical Study in the U.S., despite Dr. Berkson's credentials. Instead, the U.S. study ended up being published in the German medical journal Medizinishche Klinik.

A sample of Dr. Berkson's credentials:

• Assist. Professor, Rutgers University
• Assoc. Professor, Chicago State University
• Visiting Professor, Max Planck Institute
• Consultant Mushroom Poisoning, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  
• Toxicology Consultant, New Mexico Poison Control Center
• Principal Investigator, FDA, IV Thiocatic Acid (Alpha-Lipoic Acid)
• Member, New Mexico Medical/Legal Panel
• Attending Physician, White Sands Missile Range
• Member, El Paso Fund Alternative Medicine Committee
• President of the Integrative Medical Center of New Mexico

Why the study wasn't published in the U.S.

The last two items in the credentials may give a hint of why Berkson's study was never published in America. The real publication killer; however, was likely the fact that the study used a non-patentable, inexpensive therapy of common dietary supplements and healthy dietary and lifestyle changes which had an estimated cost of less than $2,000 per year. Such a low cost would be quite a threat to the profits mainstream medicine rakes in on hepatitis C.

An estimated 3.2 million people in the U.S. have chronic hepatitis C, a contagious liver disease that results from infection with the hepatitis C virus. 17,000 people are newly infected with the hepatitis C virus each year and 85 percent go on to develop chronic hepatitis. Mainstream medicine essentially offers two treatment options: antiviral treatments (such as interferon) or liver transplants.

Antiviral treatment costs range well upwards of tens of thousands of dollars annually. The treatments are successful no more than 30 percent of the time and side effects can be horrific, especially so with interferon.

Liver transplant surgery costs $300,000 or more during the first three months alone - plus the continued costs of thousands of dollars for anti-rejection drugs and healthcare facility visits. It too can be painful and debilitating. The 15 year survival rate is about 58 percent.

The Berkson Clinical Study

In the Berkson Clinical Study, three patients were selected at random from a group of about 50 chronic hepatitis C charts at the Integrative Medical Center of New Mexico in Las Cruces. Each patient was given daily doses of the antioxidants alpha lipoic acid, milk thistle (silymarin) and selenium (selenomethiomine).

The patients also took vitamins B, C, and E and a mineral supplement each day. They were requested to eat a diet that included at least six servings of fresh vegetables and fruits, four ounces or fewer of meat per meal, and eight glasses of water. It was also suggested that they reduce stress and exercise, including at least a one-mile walk three times a week.

The patients

One of the patients had been treated with steroids and interferon without success. A mass in her liver was diagnosed as probable cancer and she was told there was no hope. Another patient had similarly been treated with interferon without success. She had been told a liver transplant was her only option. The third patient was on the verge of transplant surgery when she decided to investigate a more conservative approach.

The results

From the study's conclusion:

"All three women recovered quickly and their laboratory values remarkably improved. Furthermore, liver transplantation was avoided and the patients are back at work, carrying out their normal activities, and feeling healthy."

Sources:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10554539
http://www.tbyil.com/berkson.htm
http://hepatitis.about.com/od/overview/a/numbers.htm
http://www.viralhepatitisaction.org/hepatitis-c

About the author:
"See more articles by Tony Isaacs"



Tony Isaacs, is a natural health author, advocate and researcher who hosts The Best Years in Life website for those who wish to avoid prescription drugs and mainstream managed illness and live longer, healthier and happier lives naturally. Mr. Isaacs is the author of books and articles about natural health, longevity and beating cancer including "Cancer's Natural Enemy" and is working on a major book project due to be published later this year.

Mr. Isaacs also hosts the Yahoo Oleandersoup group of over 3000 members and the The Best Years in Life Radio Show" on BlogTalk Radio.