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Hydrogen
Peroxide Therapy Linked to Patient Death
Most people are familiar with the foaming
action that occurs when hydrogen peroxide it put
on an open cut or sore. That foaming action is
why proponents of "oxidative" or "hyperoxygenation"
therapy (the common names for IV hydrogen
peroxide infusions) think it works. Such
practitioners believe that an infusion of
hydrogen peroxide delivers an "oxidative burst"
that can ease or cure the oxygen deficiency that
they believe is the cause of diseases like
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, multiple
sclerosis (MS), many cancers, and AIDS.
While thousands have received this
non-traditional treatment, recent developments
are showing that hydrogen peroxide infusions are
not without risk. In fact, one physician in
South Carolina faces murder charges because one
of his MS patients died following a hydrogen
peroxide infusion -- an action that threatens
the future of this treatment, which the
International Oxidative Medicine Association
estimates is given more than 100,000 times a
year by more than 200 participating physicians.
Coroner Gary Watts attributed the "murdered"
patient's death to massive internal bleeding
directly caused by the hydrogen peroxide
infusion he says created bubbles in her
bloodstream that led to multiple organ failure
and cardiac arrest. A lawsuit brought by the
patient's family against the physician states
that the doctor ignored that the patient was
exhibiting clear signs of "acute hemolytic
crisis," failed to order a blood work-up for the
patient, or to refer her to another physician.
The physician, who acknowledges that hydrogen
peroxide infusions can destroy red blood cells
after repeated treatments, denies the
allegations set forth in the lawsuit.
Holistic practitioners who support such
treatment claim that these actions (the murder
charge and lawsuit) are a part of a conspiracy
aimed at alternative treatments because the
patient was taking at least two FDA-approved
drugs that could have attributed to her death.
Richland County, S.C., forensic pathologist Clay
Nichols has been quoted as saying that he can't
help but wonder how many deaths from hydrogen
peroxide infusions have instead been attributed
to the natural progression of terminal illness.
Sources:
Deaths after 'oxidation' cast shadow over
alternative medicine
Peroxide therapy leads to a patient's death
in South Carolina
Hydrogen peroxide controversy bubbles
Infusions blamed in deaths, but backers see
conspiracy against alternative treatments
Deaths pall 'oxidative' treatment
An alternative-medicine use of hydrogen
peroxide comes under investigation
Additional information:
Hydrogen peroxide has long history of
medicinal use
January 2005
Copyright © 2005 Pamela Rice Hahn
All Rights Reserved |
