CCRG doctor finally busted

Those of you who have followed the saga of foul-mouthed, vitamin-peddling quack extraordinaire "Dr Hope" who runs the "Canadian Cancer Research Group" which despite the name has yet to show any proof that their expensive miracle alternative treatment has any benefit to cancer patients, will find solace in the recent news that the only doctor working at that "clinic" will most likely have his license suspended:

"According to the document released Wednesday, O'Shea is also accused of failing to properly gain consent from patients, failing to examine patients before prescribing treatment or medication and failing to communicate with patients' primary health care providers.

O'Shea is scheduled to appear at the College of Physicians and Surgeons' Toronto headquarters Jan. 26. If he is found to have violated professional standards, O'Shea could lose his license to practise medicine and face a fine of up to $35,000."

Now only Bill remains to be taken down, and we know the competition bureau is on the case, but it is much harder since he is not a physician. Too bad he is quick to threaten everyone with lawsuits yet wont defend himself by returning calls from the Ottawa Citizen...

At it again...

He-who-shall-not-be-named (or he'll threaten to sue you) is up to his old tricks again. Boy, does he know how to pick 'em. This time, instead of going after poor graduate students, he's picking on a small not-for-profit in Atlantic Canada.

Last week I received an email from Breast Cancer Action Nova Scotia, an on-line support group and information resource for breast cancer survivors. They had published a letter critical of ol' Bill and his shady cancer treatment outfit and, unsurprisingly, received the same standard letter threatening them with legal action for libel and defamation.

Here at the Bayblab, we've had some experience with Bill's all-bark-no-bite legal incompetence. At least twice he's notified our employers for blogging critical of his outfit, and one of those times he had the wrong person. (Hey Bill, having an actual case is a good first step, but threatening the right person is a close second)

We've already covered what we think of the brand of "medicine" he practices, but somehow I can still be surprised by his behaviour. If you're out there supposedly trying to help cancer patients, why would you threaten and bully an organization with the same goals of helping and supporting cancer patients? Why not do what a normal person would do, and explain your position and politely ask them to reconsider theirs? Why go straight to legal threats? (Hint: They probably don't have the same goals)

Anyhow, that's the latest bit of threats, bullying and harrassment from our favourite local quack. This seems as good a place as any to remind people of Project False Hope, the Canadian government's effort to combat health fraud.

Quack hunting season is open - update

We've talked about how the US authorities have finally started cracking down on bogus cancer cures, including abroad. The FTC has also built a new website to try and warn potential customers about misleading claims and potential hazards of alternative therapies by giving helpful advice:

"# Natural doesn't always mean effective. Scammers take advantage of the feelings that can accompany a diagnosis of cancer. They promote unproven – and potentially dangerous – remedies like black salve, essiac tea, or laetrile with claims that the products are both “natural” and effective. But “natural” doesn’t mean either safe or effective when it comes to using these treatments for cancer. In fact, a product labeled “natural,” can be ineffective and even downright harmful.
# Bogus marketers often use trickery and vague language to take advantage of people. Testimonials on websites with ads for products that claim to cure or treat cancer can seem honest and heart-felt, but they can be completely fake: in fact, they may not disclose that actors or models have been paid to endorse the product. Even when testimonials come from people who have taken the product, personal stories aren’t reliable as evidence of effectiveness."

You can also report bogus cures straight to the FDA, and I know just the one who has been asking for it... Well the list has finally been made public and it includes such gems:

"Alexander Heckman d/b/a Omega Supply – Among the products this company marketed are laetrile, which can cause cyanide poisoning when taken orally at high doses; hydrazine sulphate, which is classified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as a potential carcinogen; and cloracesium, which contains celsium chloride. According to the complaint, in addition to making deceptive and false claims that these products are safe and that they effectively prevent, treat, and cure cancer, the respondents also made false claims that the products are scientifically proven to work.

Native Essence Herb Company – The products marketed by this company include herbal concoctions (Rene Caisse essiac tea blend and cat’s claw), the herb chaparral, and maitake mushrooms extracts. In 1992, the FDA classified chaparral as unsafe because of its “association with acute toxic hepatitis.” According to the complaint, the respondents made deceptive and false claims that these products are effective for treating and curing a variety of cancers, eliminating or shrinking tumors, and for preventing breast cancer."

Now come and tell me this industry doesn't need regulation...

Quack hunting season is open

Apparently the FDA is going after quacks who are selling cancer "cures" over the internet. They sent letters to 25 of these outfits and may follow-up with seizures and criminal prosecutions. from the article:

"The letters criticized unproven claims made about these products including the ability to "destroy the enzyme on DNA responsible for cancer cells," and the power to "neutralize" carcinogens. One product's Web site had a testimonial claiming it had cured a patient's skin cancer in three days, according to one of the letters.

The ingredients of these unproven treatments include bloodroot, shark cartilage, coral calcium, cesium, ellagic acid, and a variety of mushrooms among other products."

How cancer quacks profit from science

Here at the bayblab, we routinely cure cancer, so when we hear of a miracle cure in the media we tend to be skeptical. More often than not, it tends to be an exaggeration of some in-vitro findings that are blown out of proportion by some over-eager journalist with a poor understanding of medical science. Unfortunately, often the scientist is misquoted, and the conspiracy theory of big pharmas not wanting to deliver a cure resurfaces. Of course this is bad for the scientist, it's bad for the general population who constantly ears about cancer being cured without any concrete drugs being offered, and it is bad for the patient, because cancer quacks will prey on their hopes. DCA, which was studied at the University of Alberta, is a simple chemical that can be used to combat the warburg effect (which we'll explain in the upcoming episode 9 of the podcast). It was even featured on "the current" on CBC last week. The findings published in Cancer Cell were promising, but need to be further investigated. However that doesn't stop cancer quacks to turn in a profit while pushing DCA to desperately ill cancer patients, a chemical that is highly toxic, a carcinogen, and teratogenic. This article explains how this remarkable discovery was perverted by unscrupulous people.

Good news everyone!

If you're a regular on the bayblab, or have listened to our last podcast, you know we have a beef with a certain cancer quack here in ottawa. Well an informant tells me there was a little raid conducted there last week under the guise of the royal college of physicians and surgeons. It seems our friend may have had the visit of some law enforcement officers. Perhaps the royal college reads the bayblab... Now this made my Monday morning.... Suck it Bill.
From the Ottawa citizen: "Ottawa police helped investigators from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario execute a search warrant in the Glebe Thursday morning. Two uniformed officers and a detective helped college investigators execute a warrant at a Fifth Avenue business at 10 a.m. No arrests were made and no charges were laid. Police said their only role was to help with the warrant's execution, and referred questions about the investigation to the college. Kathryn Clarke, spokeswoman for the regulating body, said the Regulated Health Professions Act did not allow her to discuss details of a potential investigation. "It's only if the college refers a doctor to discipline that information comes into the public arena," she said."

Update: I'm noticing a lot of traffic coming to this site thanks to Healthwatcher now linking to us about the CCRG and our scoop of its investigation by the college of surgeon and physicians. I'm also seeing a lot of journalists and counsellors from the city of Ottawa coming to this site. Feel free to contact us at labbenches@hotmail.com if you want an account of our multiple encounters with Bill O'Neil, how he's been long known to the cancer research community here in Ottawa or have access to all our recorded information about his dealings with us.

Bayblab podcast Episode8

Episode 8 is now available (rss on the right)! It's a special podcast live from space with Stephen Hawking, as we discuss how you can make sperm cells from bone marrow, how plasma gasification may be useful for waste disposal, we expose a cancer quack and much more...Special thanks to Jaime Corinaldi for his most excellent music. MC Hawking better beware of this new scientist on the block. And a guest star appearance by Leigh Miller!

This may be the best one so far, lets see what the critics have to say: "The bayblab is so much better [than Science Friday]. It even has Stephen Hawking. All Ira Flatow can claim is that he’s interrupted people who are talking about Stephen Hawking." Ben Ferguson