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Page 1: Unproven methods of cancer treatment

The following statement on Revici Cancer Control or lipid therapy, proposed byEmanuel Reviei, M.D., Scientific Director of time Institute of Applied Biology andTrafalgar Hospital in New York City, was recently dists-ibuted to time 60 Divisions ofthe American Cancer Society for their information.

The Revici Cancer Control or lipidtherapy, proposed by Emanuel Revici,M.D., Scientific Director of the Institute of Applied Biology (TrafalgarHospital), New York, for the treatmentof cancer and certain other conditions,is based on the belief that cancer is theproduct of imbalance between twotypes of lipids (acid and alkaline) inthe tissues. This is reflected in the reactions of pain, pH of urine and tissues, etc., which are associated withchanges in the acid-alkaline balance ofthe body. After determining the typeof imbalance present in the tissues, patients are treated by adjusting the acidalkaline level through administrationof lipids or “¿�liposides―which have anacid or alkaline reaction respectively.Dr. Revici describes this treatment ofcancer as “¿�biologicallyguided chemotherapy.―

Since 1941, when this therapy firstattracted attention in Mexico, manyagents have been named by the proponents as giving promise at the moment in control of certain types of cancer reflecting an acid or an alkaline imbalance. Since, however, research isconstantly being conducted, and newagents tested and substituted, no agentor agents to control either type of imbalance has been reported as an agentof choice for long. For instance, duringone year, 1952, 17 different products,nine for treatment of acid symptoms,and eight for alkaline, were proposedfor clinical trial to one group which wastrying to reach agreement with the In

stitute on a plan for an evaluationstudy of this therapy.

Dr. Revici, a naturalized citizen ofthe United States, was born in Rumania in 1896, the son of a physician.He obtained his M.D. in 1920 at theFaculty of Medicine, Bucharest, andwas licensed to practice medicine inNew York in 1947. From 1921-26 hewas Assistant Professor at the Facultyof Medicine, Bucharest; 1926-36, he directed his own research laboratory andpracticed medicine; 1936-4 1, he wasdoing research in France at many hospitals and laboratories. In 1941 he fledfrom the Germans through Nice andPortugal to Mexico where he organizedand directed the Instituto de BiologiaAplicada, AC. in Mexico City till 1946.From April 1947 to the present he hasbeen Scientific Director of the Instituteof Applied Biology.

The Institute of Applied Biology waschartered April 1947 in New York as anonprofit membership corporation, organized to conduct scientific and clinical research in cancer and allied diseases, and is entitled to tax exemption.Since 1955 it has been composed ofthree units: The Institute, 144 E. 90thStreet; Trafalgar Hospital, 161 E.90th Street, which is the headquarters'address, and the Basic Science Laboratory, 164 E. 91st Street. They occupy anine-story 130 bed hospital, with f acilities for laboratories and research,and a nearby four-story research laboratory. Their program is primarily focused upon research and the applica

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Unproven Methods of Cancer Treatment

Page 2: Unproven methods of cancer treatment

lion of results obtained to the treatment of hospitalized and outpatients. Itis their belief that the need for frequent information about the “¿�offbalance― present and its degree of intensity requires strict supervision oftreatment which is easier to obtain forhospitalized patients. The Institute formerly occupied smaller quarters without hospital facilities in Brooklyn at 54Greene Avenue (1947-50) and 101Lafayette Avenue (1950-55).

Until August 1957 it was supportedby the Cancer Research and HospitalFoundation which was originally theCancer Hospital Fund of Brooklyn. Atthat time, this group withdrew its support due to disagreement over administrative policies. A booklet issued by theInstitute in 1960 names three groupsas sources of support: the Cancer Control Project of the Institute of AppliedBiology, a women's group which hasbeen contributing for the past 10years; the Variety Club of New Yorkwhich organized the Cancer ControlResearch Foundation and adopted thework of the Institute of Applied Biology as its cancer research program in

1957; and the Gertrude LawrenceFoundation.

Since 1944, repeated attempts havebeen made by many individuals andgroups to set up studies which wouldevaluate the claims made by the Institute of Applied Biology, and by supporters of the Institute and Dr. Revici,that therapeutic benefits, including reduction in size or disappearance of tumor, followed administration of theRevici Cancer Control. These have included the University of Wisconsin, theUniversity of Chicago, the NationalCancer Institute and the Committee onCancer Diagnosis and Therapy of theNational Research Council. In everycase, it has been impossible to reachagreement with representatives of theInstitute on procedures which wouldassure an objective scientific evaluation.

After careful study of the literatureand other information available to it,the American Cancer Society has foundno acceptable evidence that treatmentwith the Revici Cancer Control resultsin any objective benefit in the treatment of cancer in human beings.

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