Dear Mr. Adams,
I read your article about “Bloodletting” in the Worcester Phoenix last week. At first I was elated to see phlebotomies and iron receiving long overdue attention by the press, albeit minor. But after reading your article I was completely taken aback by your cavalier attitude for a therapy that is relatively simple, non-invasive and does not require ingestion of chemicals. Therapeutic phlebotomies are essential for the health and well being of millions around the world who suffer from iron overloading in its various forms. Furthermore, I was appalled that as a journalist you used several of your supporting statements to denigrate the “iron hypothesis”, flagrantly misstate current federal regulations regarding the use of therapeutically drawn blood and discount iron disorders as being “exotic”
One iron disorder, Hemochromatosis, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), is the most common metabolic disorder in the United States today. ( http://www.cdc.gov/genetics/publications/hemoch.htm ) Conservatively, there are over 1 million Americans (1 in 300) with this disorder and 30 times that number who are carriers of this genetic disorder. Furthermore, if one’s heritage happens to be Celtic, such as Irish, English, or Scotch, the ratios are considerably higher. I’m certain you can extrapolate the numbers on an international basis, if you consider the immigrant origins of Canada and Australia, to name a few countries. Many of these Americans, Canadians and Australians will require, at some time in their life, this “medieval” procedure to prolong their life and, if diagnosed early enough, prevent severe morbidity, thus improving the quality of their lives. In light of this, a wise person would have to conclude that at least one of the iron disorders, Hemochromatosis, is a relatively common occurrence rather than “exotic”.
By the way! Is Adams a name that is Celtic in origin? If so, I’d be concerned.
Rather than taking a position on Dr. Sullivan’s iron hypothesis, I’d like to point out that your reference to Dr. Meyers’ study failed to mention that it is over 2 years old. His study was published in the August 1997 issue of the journal Heart. There have been considerably more studies published since 1997, a majority in support of Dr. Sullivan’s theory. I’m not sure what you read in Dr. Meyers’ study, but the following quote, appears to diametrically oppose your inference of non-support for the iron hypothesis.
"What this means for men is - if you donate blood, in a sense you can become a virtual woman and protect
yourself from heart disease," said Meyers. "We have identified another reason for blood donation, beyond
altruism, for men." ( http://www.newswise.com/articles/1997/8/BLOODONR.KU.html )
I’d like to take this opportunity to direct you towards a more recent study in support of Dr. Sullivan’s Iron Hypothesis: http://hemochromatose.tripod.com/cardio.html
Naughty, naughty, naughty! The Feds don’t appreciate having their rules reinterpreted to suit one’s personal views by anyone except insiders. Besides, ignorance of the law is not an acceptable excuse. Recent changes to FDA regulations have approved the reuse of therapeutic blood drawn from donors or patients who have Hemochromatosis. The following is an excerpt from the response to the Director, Mt. Sinai Blood Bank in New York from the FDA’s Director, Office of Blood, dated November 10, 1999:
“Your submissions dated August 30, 1999 and October 13, 1999 requesting a variance from 21 CFR 640.3 (d)
under the provisions of 21 CFR 640.120 to collect blood and blood components from donors with hereditary
hemochromatosis, without special labeling have been reviewed, approved and placed in your registration file.”
That’s hardly a federal directive to discard therapeutic blood drawn from Hemochromatosis patients.
Many people from the medical community and volunteer organizations along with individuals have battled long and hard to see otherwise very healthy blood from Hemochromatosis patients be used for the benefit of others rather than be relegated to a toxic dump. Given the number of Americans affected by iron overloading, it would be safe to assume that there may be one or two journalists who would not be appreciative of your skepticism. Please don’t belittle this tremendous success by perpetuating deceptive half-truths and innuendo to serve your interests.
The “toxic levels” of iron you refer to, not only leads to heart failure, but many other debilitating and documented conditions; such as, cirrhosis of the liver, liver cancer, arthritis, impotence and extreme fatigue, to mention a few. Mortality can also be the result of excess iron, be it iron overloading or Hemochromatosis, especially when iron has not been recognized as the culprit. Iron is often the underlying cause of these conditions, yet may not be detected until an autopsy has been performed, if then. Individuals who have been diagnosed with Hemochromatosis consider themselves fortunate to have such a “barbaric” treatment, which can prevent most of these ailments, certainly death, with an early diagnosis. In some cases, the reduction of iron stores may reverse organ damage, at a minimum cease progressive damage. I consider myself among the more fortunate.
The real tragedy resulting from your article on “Bloodletting” is that many people in your audience who are completely unaware of their genetic inheritance will believe your tirade, including family members of those who have been diagnosed. Consequently, they will refuse to seek the appropriate medical attention. Equally as important, you have reinforced the beliefs of many medical practitioners whose medical currency is questionable regarding the diagnosis of iron disorder, specifically Hemochromatosis. Pity!
Your ability to incite emotions on a variety of subjects is remarkable and certainly admirable. However, I was under-whelmed by your blatant lack of attention to detail and truth. With that in mind, I would hope that in the future you would complete your homework prior to meeting your deadline. Knowing this is after the fact, I’d encourage you to explore a world class collection of medical treatises and articles on the subject of iron overloading:
http://members.tripod.com/~hemochromatose/linkseng.html
Mr. Adams, I look forward to my monthly “bloodletting”, not because I enjoy being stuck with a large needle, but because I love life. What I don’t appreciate is having a life-saving treatment being scorned, especially since it has served me well, along with many more in similar circumstances.
In fact, I choose to always be “a quart low”. My dipstick has measured low for the past 20 years. Thankfully, I enjoy excellent health because of it.
Respectfully,
Jim Hines
aka “The Rusty Curmudgeon”