> Holistic Healing > Chelation Therapy (EDTA)

In the middle 1980s, a clinical trial on therapy, funded by patients was set up by Dr A.R. Matthews at the Roland Watson Clinic in Victoria. It had the approval of the British Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons with the condition that the study was to be carried out with the cooperation of the University of Victoria.

The study started with 300 patients and 7,236 chelation treatments were given. It was proved unequivocally that ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA) chelation therapy was safe–even for patients with some kidney problems. This safety study was to be followed by an ''effectiveness" study.

It began with only 40 patients. That number was reduced, to 17 when it was found some of the doctors making referrals had deliberately changed the patients' medication thereby compromising the study results!

Very few patients were referred to the second study by their doctors. Even then, there were such remarkable results that, in the words of the clinicians, it "encouraged us to proceed with this trial."

In the meantime, a Victoria cardiologist persuaded the Victoria University Senate to cancel the University's support of the study. He stated it was "unethical" for the patients to be funding their own clinical trial–no matter that there were no monies forthcoming from government, the pharmaceutical industry or charitable organizations such as the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Without the University's support the study could not be completed.

Chelation Cover-Up

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC (CPSBC) claims the study was ended by Dr Matthews. Other correspondence suggests the opposite.

The university records concerning the study were shredded and the CPSBC, when accessed through Freedom of Information, refused to release 44 pages containing research information of employees of the University of Victoria from their files. This is with the full knowledge that the university claims the records have been destroyed.

A clinical trial on chelation therapy at Calgary Foothills Hospital, jointly funded by the Alberta and Saskatchewan governments, is scheduled for completion sometime late in 1999 or early 2000. If the outcome is positive, no doubt it will be criticized as being too small to have any statistical meaning.

Elsewhere, clinical trials on chelation therapy have gone nowhere. A trial at John Hopkins military hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, was discontinued when the doctors were called to the Gulf War. After the war the doctors were re-assigned elsewhere. A study to be funded by the pharmaceutical American Home Products (Wyeth) was canceled after the company's clinical director was changed in 1992. A clinical trial at the University of Washington, Seattle never started because of "political pressure."

Health bureaucrats misinform citizens about chelation therapy. The following example is a quote from Susan Fitzpatrick, Acting Director. Ontario Health Insurance and Related Programs, Kingston Office.

All new medical treatments are carefully scrutinized for safety, long term side effects and success rates. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario [CPSO] has assured the ministry that there is no substantial scientific evidence that this therapy has any value in treating vascular disease. However, evidence of associated risks, including allergic reactions, kidney failure, heart failure aggravation of diabetes and skin disorders have been found. Furthermore, a report from the Canadian Coordinating Office for Health Technology Assessment stated there is no scientifically accepted evidence that chelation therapy is effective in treating coronary atherosclerosis, preventing repeat myocardial infarction, or preventing death."

The Rest of the Story

In making this statement the CPSO is totally dishonest. They did not contact the American College for Advancement in Medicine (ACAM), nor did they send representatives to their workshops and seminars and seek their input. The CPSO chose only to listen to a three-week expert on chelation therapy from London, Ontario. Furthermore, the Ontario Ministry of Health made no effort to seek information beyond those who were clearly biased against chelation. Subsequently the government of David Petersen violated the human rights of chelation patients by outlawing the therapy for treating vascular disease.

Croft Woodruff is president (since !991) of the EDTA Chelation Association of British Columbia.

Source: alive #208, February 2000