[blueash]

I attended the POA meeting and listened to Dr. Norman Anderson speak on medications. He is an entertaining speaker and spoke with great confidence on the topic. He is a radiation oncologist and his office is in competition for patients with the Moffitt facility that has recently opened here. I was most interested in his clear statements about the importance of everyone taking Coenzyme Q10 and that he had cured patients with Parkinson's disease. He claimed that not only could Q10 stop the progress of the disease but it would heal the damage to the areas of the brain involved. He left no doubt and took questions from the audience where he repeated his information.

However a simple Google search reveals that the medical evidence is contrary to his claim

National Parkinson Foundation - NINDS Stops Coenzyme Q10 Trial
The investigators of the trial determined that there was neither a neuroprotective nor a symptomatic benefit of Coenzyme Q10 for people with early Parkinson's disease.
The NINDS has stopped the QE3 Phase III study of Coenzyme Q10 for treatment of early Parkinson’s disease acting on the recommendation of the study’s Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB). At the time of the most recent DSMB review, the results of a preplanned interim analysis showed that it would be futile to complete the study because it would be very unlikely to demonstrate a statistically significant benefit of active treatment over placebo. To date, the investigators have not found any safety concerns related to Coenzyme Q10 at dosages of 1200mg/day and 2400mg/day for up to 16 months of treatment.

The other supplement he encouraged everyone to take is alpha Lipoic acid (ALA) which he claimed does everything from cure liver failure to stop breast cancer and remove wrinkles. He said he had cured patients with liver failure and reversed congestive heart failure with supplements. The American Cancer Society says:
There is no reliable scientific evidence at this time that lipoic acid prevents the development or spread of cancer.

I could find no references to support his claims of benefit from ALA for either cardiac or liver disease in the medical literature on PubMed or Google scholar. He presented his material as if it were well established medical information rather than speculation. The danger of such presentations is it makes patients question the skill and knowledge of their personal physicians who "don't know" about the huge benefits because, as Dr. Anderson alleged, no drug company is pushing the product. Or perhaps those huge benefits don't really exist.

I have no problem with speakers presenting information, but that information should be clearly balanced with statements clarifying that the information is not representative of the majority of doctors or specialty organizations nor is it supported by the preponderance of the medical literature. Just say it is his personal speculation, certainly shared by some others and I'd be ok. I did miss the first few minutes and perhaps he did say that disclaimer. If so I will take down the comments.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by blueash

I attended the POA meeting and listened to Dr. Norman Anderson speak on medications. He is an entertaining speaker and spoke with great confidence on the topic. He is a radiation oncologist and his office is in competition for patients with the Moffitt facility that has recently opened here. I was most interested in his clear statements about the importance of everyone taking Coenzyme Q10 and that he had cured patients with Parkinson's disease. He claimed that not only would Q10 stop the progress of the disease but it would heal the damage to the areas of the brain involved. He left no doubt and took questions from the audience where he repeated his information.

However a simple Google search reveals that the medical evidence is contrary to his claim

National Parkinson Foundation - NINDS Stops Coenzyme Q10 Trial
The investigators of the trial determined that there was neither a neuroprotective nor a symptomatic benefit of Coenzyme Q10 for people with early Parkinson's disease.
The NINDS has stopped the QE3 Phase III study of Coenzyme Q10 for treatment of early Parkinson’s disease acting on the recommendation of the study’s Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB). At the time of the most recent DSMB review, the results of a preplanned interim analysis showed that it would be futile to complete the study because it would be very unlikely to demonstrate a statistically significant benefit of active treatment over placebo. To date, the investigators have not found any safety concerns related to Coenzyme Q10 at dosages of 1200mg/day and 2400mg/day for up to 16 months of treatment.

The other supplement he encouraged everyone to take is alpha Lipoic acid (ALA) which he claimed does everything from cure liver failure to stop breast cancer and remove wrinkles. He said he had cured patients with liver failure and reversed congestive heart failure with supplements. The American Cancer Society says:
There is no reliable scientific evidence at this time that lipoic acid prevents the development or spread of cancer.

I could find no references to support his claims of benefit from ALA for either cardiac or liver disease in the medical literature on PubMed or Google scholar. He presented his material as if it were well established medical information rather than speculation. The danger of such presentations is it makes patients question the skill and knowledge of their personal physicians who "don't know" about the huge benefits because, as Dr. Anderson alleged, no drug company is pushing the product. Or perhaps those huge benefits don't really exist.

I have no problem with speakers presenting information, but that information should be clearly balanced with statements clarifying that the information is not representative of the majority of doctors or specialty organizations nor is it supported by the preponderance of the medical literature. Just say it is his personal speculation, certainly shared by some others and I'd be ok. I did miss the first few minutes and perhaps he did say that disclaimer. If so I will take down the comments.

Could he have been a speaker because his practice advertises in the POA bulletin?

[blueash]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Could he have been a speaker because his practice advertises in the POA bulletin?

He does advertise in the bulletin and he even said he would answer one of the questions in his next ad. I have a naïve hope that his dollars would not affect his access as a speaker but rather he was chosen both because he is willing to give his time to speak to the group (patient recruitment is a benefit of that access) and because of positive feedback to his previous presentations and his engaging personality.

[ilovetv]

If a person has or gets Parkinson's disease, a radiation oncologist (cancer radiation therapy dr.) like Dr. Anderson is not the specialist to consult.

Parkinson's requires a doctor who specializes in nervous system disorders (neurologist).

[blueash]

Originally Posted by ilovetv

If a person has or gets Parkinson's disease, a radiation oncologist (cancer radiation therapy dr.) like Dr. Anderson is not the specialist to consult.

Parkinson's requires a doctor who specializes in nervous system disorders (neurologist).

So you find it puzzling that a radiation oncologist would be speaking as an expert on the use of alternative medicine to treat Parkinson's, or congestive heart failure, or liver failure? And that he would suggest you take his advise over that of a doctor who actually might practice in the area. I did wonder how he would feel about a podiatrist giving a talk about how the radiation oncologists in the area are treating cancer wrong and patients should just take some vitamins he could suggest.

[Advogado]

Originally Posted by blueash

I attended the POA meeting and listened to Dr. Norman Anderson speak on medications. He is an entertaining speaker and spoke with great confidence on the topic. He is a radiation oncologist and his office is in competition for patients with the Moffitt facility that has recently opened here. I was most interested in his clear statements about the importance of everyone taking Coenzyme Q10 and that he had cured patients with Parkinson's disease. He claimed that not only could Q10 stop the progress of the disease but it would heal the damage to the areas of the brain involved. He left no doubt and took questions from the audience where he repeated his information.

However a simple Google search reveals that the medical evidence is contrary to his claim

National Parkinson Foundation - NINDS Stops Coenzyme Q10 Trial
The investigators of the trial determined that there was neither a neuroprotective nor a symptomatic benefit of Coenzyme Q10 for people with early Parkinson's disease.
The NINDS has stopped the QE3 Phase III study of Coenzyme Q10 for treatment of early Parkinson’s disease acting on the recommendation of the study’s Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB). At the time of the most recent DSMB review, the results of a preplanned interim analysis showed that it would be futile to complete the study because it would be very unlikely to demonstrate a statistically significant benefit of active treatment over placebo. To date, the investigators have not found any safety concerns related to Coenzyme Q10 at dosages of 1200mg/day and 2400mg/day for up to 16 months of treatment.

The other supplement he encouraged everyone to take is alpha Lipoic acid (ALA) which he claimed does everything from cure liver failure to stop breast cancer and remove wrinkles. He said he had cured patients with liver failure and reversed congestive heart failure with supplements. The American Cancer Society says:
There is no reliable scientific evidence at this time that lipoic acid prevents the development or spread of cancer.

I could find no references to support his claims of benefit from ALA for either cardiac or liver disease in the medical literature on PubMed or Google scholar. He presented his material as if it were well established medical information rather than speculation. The danger of such presentations is it makes patients question the skill and knowledge of their personal physicians who "don't know" about the huge benefits because, as Dr. Anderson alleged, no drug company is pushing the product. Or perhaps those huge benefits don't really exist.

I have no problem with speakers presenting information, but that information should be clearly balanced with statements clarifying that the information is not representative of the majority of doctors or specialty organizations nor is it supported by the preponderance of the medical literature. Just say it is his personal speculation, certainly shared by some others and I'd be ok. I did miss the first few minutes and perhaps he did say that disclaimer. If so I will take down the comments.

Interesting. Thanks for the information.

Suggest you send your above post to the POA Bulletin in the form of a letter to the editor. Hopefully they will publish it.

[Parker]

I'm so disappointed that the POA, who I think does a wonderful service for the people of The Villages, would sponsor a speaker who gives obviously bad information. Actually this seems like something they would normally be warning residents about. I hope they can explain it.

[jandbrare]

Originally Posted by blueash

I have no problem with speakers presenting information, but that information should be clearly balanced with statements clarifying that the information is not representative of the majority of doctors or specialty organizations nor is it supported by the preponderance of the medical literature. Just say it is his personal speculation, certainly shared by some others and I'd be ok. I did miss the first few minutes and perhaps he did say that disclaimer. If so I will take down the comments.

Yep.

Jerry Lester

[batman911]

I have never had a real doctor recommend taking supplements.

[jandbrare]

Originally Posted by Advogado

Interesting. Thanks for the information.

Suggest you send your above post to the POA Bulletin in the form of a letter to the editor. Hopefully they will publish it.

I did so, today.

Jerry Lester