To: "Health Freedom, Codex Issues
Subject: FDA RAID FLORIDA ALTERNATIVE CANCER CLINICS - TREATMENT BLOCKED -LIVES JEOPARDIZED
From: John Hammell jham@iahf.com
Date: Tue, 6 Nov 2001 13:43:35 -0500 (EST)

IAHF Webmaster: Breaking News, Create New Category: FDA ALBARIN RAIDS

IAHF LIST: The reason you haven't heard from me lately is because I am on the road in St.Petersburg FL assisting The Medical Center for Preventive and Nutritional Medicine of Tampa/St.Pete which got raided by the FDA Oct.11 placing several patients lives in jeopardy.In this article you will learn of the suppression of a remarkable injectable aloe vera treatment. Please help by taking the action steps requested at the end of my article.Please forward this to more people, and if you can help get Joe DiStephano on the air, please let me know. Urgent legal donations are needed by the clinic.

FDA TERRORISTS RAID FLORIDA ALTERNATIVE CLINICS
TREATMENT BLOCKED-LIVES JEOPARDIZED
By John C. Hammell, President, International Advocates for Health Freedom
http://www.iahf.com POB 625 Floyd V A 24091 USA 800-333-2553

On October 11,2001 120 terrorists from the Food and Drug Administration, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office raided alternative cancer clinics in Tampa and St.Petersburg Florida run under the auspices of The Medical Center for Preventative and Nutritional Medicine. Ironically, the raids came exactly one month after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center/Pentagon, they were conducted by our own government.

What sets this raid apart from other FDA raids is that 80 % of the cancer patients coming to the clinics for treatment with Albarin, an injectable form of Aloe Vera, were going into remission and not a single complaint came from a patient. The only complaints came from mainstream oncologists obviously solely interested in protecting their economic turf. Many patients lives have been thrown into disarray and several will be dead within a month if they can't get their Albarin back.

If the FDA succeeds in this outrageous effort to suppress patient's access to Albarin, consumers may never again have access to any unapproved treatment they may wish to use, no matter how good it may be. It is essential that everyone take the actions suggested at the end of this article to defend the lives of the patients.

Along with the Tampa and St.Petersburg clinics, the FDA raided the home of Joseph DiStefano, the licensed nutrition counselor who ran them in conjunction with Daniel Mayer, D.O. Their first 100 patients all came from Hospice where they'd been told they only had 2-3 months to live.DiStefano and Mayer only lost 6 out of lOO of them.

Although Albarin is not an FDA approved drug, DiStefano and Mayer had been conducting an INR investigation for its developer, Ivan Danhof, MD, PhD of the N Texas Research Laboratory, Grand Prairie, TX into its uses in the treatment of pain in prostate cancer. Danhof had filed an application for an Investigational New Drug (IND) and was on the verge of providing the FDA with data to support this application, when the raid occurred. They were prepared with solid clinical data from over 30 patients charts to prove that Albarin has a powerful immune enhancing effect while blocking the blood supply to cancer cells, causing rapid diminishing of their size and killing them.

Instead of storming in with this raid which is now jeopardizing lives, the FDA should have simply visited the clinics for the sake of friendly communication to find out what DiStefano, Mayer and Danhof were doing to make sure they were acting in compliance with the law. By conducting this Nazi styled raid, the FDA has grossly violated their mandate to safeguard the public health and they've betrayed our trust. Instead of protecting the public in this case, their actions are directly threatening people's lives.

US Attorney's Office spokesman Steve Cole would not comment on the investigation and U.S. Judge Thomas Mc Coun III sealed the search warrant affidavits used to justify the search warrants for 120 days, as the government seeks to cook up some "justification" for this illegal fishing expedition.

Judging from what was said during the raid, the trumped up charges will most likely include dispensing unapproved drugs, and for Joe DiSteffano, practicing medicine without a license. This charge against DiSteffano is absurd because he has never held himself out to be a doctor, he's been legally working for 38 years as a licensed nutrition counselor always alongside a licensed medical practitioner, in this case, Mayer, an osteopath.

DiSteffano's patients know he is not a doctor, but many of them affectionately call him "Dr Joe" as a term of respect and appreciation. I didn't meet a single unhappy patient here, they all have nothing but praise for DiSteffano and Mayer stating that they don't charge a cent for their initial consultations, and only charge $1100 for Albarin treatment, no matter how many times they have to come back for treatments and they have always been quite willing to work with their patients financially, turning NO ONE away due to any inability to pay. ($1100. is far less than what mainstream oncologists typically charge for a weeks worth of chemotherapy.)

DiStefano and Mayer are without question two of the kindest, most altruistic men I've ever met. Now that they have been raided, they're in desperate need of donations for their legal fund because they aren't making much money at all running these clinics where the primary focus has been to simply help people, not to make money.

Paul Schebell, Margaret Marsh, Karen Kyper, Ruth Hannah, Will Weinand, James Strickland, Robert Banks, and Robert Scofield are among the terminally ill cancer patients who have just been issued death sentences by the Food and Drug Administration Their medical records were seized in the raid, along with Albarin, and your help is urgently needed to defend their lives in the face of this insanity. They could all be dead soon unless they can resume Albarin treatment.

MIDNIGHT FDA DUMPSTER DIVERS CAUGHT TRESPASSING ONE WEEK BEFORE RAID

This FDA fishing expedition began a week before the raid when DiStefano exited his office at midnight only to catch FDA Senior Special Agent Rande Mattison and another FDA accomplice trespassing on clinic property, illegally rummaging through his dumpster with rubber gloves on. Trespassing this way was an immense screw up on the part of Mattison who failed to notice DiStefano's car parked in the clinic parking lot and so wrongly believed no one was there.

When DiStefano demanded to know what they thought they were doing trespassing on his property, they had the nerve to tell him they were merely "searching for boxes." "Sure you are, with rubber gloves on at midnight- everyone ALWAYS looks for boxes with rubber gloves on at midnight, you can't legally come on my property without a search warrant, do you have one?" DiStefano proceeded to write down their license plate number while telling them he was going to call the police. "Good" Mattison sneered. They were about to drive away when DiStefano demanded that they put back all the garbage they had removed from the dumpster, but Mattison scowled and tersely informed him that they didn't have to, but his partner said "yes, we do" and he put all the garbage back. Mattison peeled out of the driveway. On the day of the raid in which all Albarin, and patients charts were seized, Mattison pulled DiSteffano aside and told him they were going to "get him" for "practicing medicine without a license."

FEDS TAMPERED WITH CLINICS MAIL -BLOCKED KEY DATA FROM BEING SENT (?)

Shortly before the raid, when DiStefano attempted to mail over 30 patient charts with carefully presented data intended to be used by Ivan Danhof, MD, PhD the Texas researcher who had spent over 30 years developing Albarin to apply for a compassionate use IND, the box was mysteriously RETURNED to him marked "refused by addressee." Danhof never received the package, and he and DiStefano now speculate that the FDA may have been monitoring their mail and that they may have blocked Danhof's receipt of the data as part of their ongoing effort to block public access to this highly successful alternative cancer treatment.

DiSteffano's mail was routinely 3 days late in arriving, and took an extra 3 days to be sent anywhere. His mailman told him that it was being held, but he didn't know why.

Will this terrorist attack soon be another documented case of government genocide as the FDA continues to flaunt their mandate to protect the public health while providing a protection racket defending the profits of such mainstream oncology centers as the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa Florida?

A week ago I flew to Tampa from Virginia on the urgent request of the Life Extension Foundation to write this article and to do anything possible to assist in the fight back. Having interviewed several patients, and reviewed their medical records, I am horrified by what the FDA has done here. Every Wednesday since the raid, DiStefano's patients have held rallies in front of the Federal Courthouse in Tampa, and I went with them last Wednesday to take pictures and help carry a sign reading "FDA- Give Us Our Albarin Back" Unless the Courts and Congress rapidly intercede to restore these patients access to Albarin, many patients will be dead quite soon, and many more others who had gone into complete remission will see their cancers return.

WHAT IS ALBARIN?

Ivan Danhof; MD, PhD, the developer of Albarin, is regarded by many to be the leading authority on the aloe vera plant. Working out of the North Texas Research Laboratory in Grand Prairie, TX, Danhof has impeccable credentials B.S in biochemistry, M.S in Nutrition and Microbiology, PhD in Physiology, and an MD with specialties in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology. He has written 80 research papers throughout his career. Additionally, he has served as a Fulbright scholar in Afghanistan investigating Botanical medicine.

Danhof states that the Aloe Vera mucilaginous polysaccharide is a long chain sugar molecule composed of individual mannose and glucose sugar molecules connected together. There is a wide range in the size of the mucilaginous polysaccharide molecule, and their size determines their healing properties. Albarin consists of very large particles. up to 9000 molecules which are extracted through a patented freeze drying process turning them into a powder, which was then turned into an intravenously applied liquid by a compounding pharmacist. These large molecules are immune modulating, and have a very powerful healing effect on AIDS, Cancer, and many other immune system disorders. This large molecule also causes the body to produce a natural chemical tumor necrosis factor that functions to shut off the blood supply to tumors.

Illustrating the wide range of healing applications of aloe, Danhof states that the small particles. 60-600 molecules reduce inflammation- which is involved in such diseases as ulcerative colitis, arthritis, and gastric reflux. The small particles also help with the reduction of blood sugar in Type I and II diabetes.

Medium sized particles, up to 1500 molecules, are very effective intracellular antioxidants and free radical scavengers. Whereas vitamins and minerals only have antioxidant properties outside the cells, aloe works within the cells to prevent and treat arteriosclerosis, heart disease, and Parkinson's disease. With the ever increasing pollution of the soil, the increase in free radicals and loss of cellular oxygen will only get worse over time. This makes Aloe Vera mucilaginous polysaccharides more important than ever.

Large sized particles, up to 5000 molecules have a direct antibacterial and anti viral effect. This is important with all the new infectious diseases cropping up and older ones becoming more virulent from long term use of antibiotics.

As stated above, the Albarin serum is derived from the largest particles, up to 9000 molecules in size.

MANUFACTURING PROCESS CRITICAL WITH ALOE

The mucilaginous polysaccharide molecule is very fragile. When the leaf of the aloe plant is cut, enzymes in the plant are released, which breaks down the long chain sugars of the mucilaginous polysaccharide into simple sugars, which then results in a loss of the different healing properties. There are very few products on the market that can claim to contain stabilized mucilaginous polysaccharides. Stabilization requires extraction of the musilaginous polysaccharides in a freeze-dried form but also the process must include a way to deactivate the enzymes released in the plant when it is cut. Furthermore, the high concentration of mineral salts found in Aloe Vera gel must be separated from the final extract because they are very irritating to the gut. An aloe product must be very soothing to the gut to promote healing.

Synergism is a property that many of the large Aloe companies tout who do not have the patented technology to extract stabilized mucilaginous polysaccharides. In other words, many of these companies claim that all 100 of the various ingredients found in Aloe Vera must be present for healing to occur. None of these claims have any basis in scientific research, while there is an abundance of research to prove that the mucilaginous polysaccharide is the sole ingredient responsible for all the healing properties attributed to Aloe.

CANCER RESEARCH on ALOE VERA/ALBARIN

Research by the immunologist Ian Tizard, PhD and virologist Maurice Kemp, PhD from Texas A&M led to the discovery that Aloe mucilaginous polysaccharide is taken into a special leukocyte, the macrophage, and this cell is stimulated to release messenger molecules called cytokines (interferons, interleukines, prostaglandins, tumor necrosis factor and stem cell growth factors. )

Tumors release a chemical that attracts blood circulation so that malignant cells have a supply of nutrition and can keep multiplying. Tumor necrosis factor shuts off the blood supply to the tumor and therefor it dies. All of the immune modulating effects from Aloe contribute greatly to the prevention and healing of malignant cells.

Danhof's Albarin is being shown to successfully treat about 80% of all cancer patients at The Medical Center for Preventative and Nutritional Medicine, and it is criminal that the FDA has seized the Albarin.

(How likely is the FDA to grant an IND given this raid? Typically, the FDA will grant an IND if one in 50 patients respond favorably to a new treatment. DiStefano has had an 80% success rate with Albarin, and it is apparent that many mainstream oncologists fear it as unwanted economic competition- the complete Albarin treatment has only cost patients $1100., regardless of how many treatments may be needed. Thats less than a typical charge for a week's worth of chemotherapy.)

Joe DiStefano started with the Albarin by successfully treating his own cancer. The first lOO patients he used it on all came from Hospice where they had been told they only had 2-3 months to live, and Joe only lost 6 out of 100 of them.

STATEMENTS FROM SELECTED PATIENTS

THREE WHO FACE IMMINENT DEATH SENTENCES IF CAN'T GET ALBARIN BACK And THREE OTHERS WHO's CANCER IS IN COMPLETE REMISSION WHO FEAR IT WILL NOW RETURN WITHOUT ALBARIN

PAUL SCHEBELL

Paul Schebell, 48, from Connecticut, Advanced Metastatic Prostate/Liver Cancer. Had onset in '98, was diagnosed by PSA levels and bonescan. Despite Lupron and hormone shots, the cancer kept progressing. Learning of the Albarin clinics through a chance phone call with a friend, he started on Albarin in July of 2001. Having been told death was imminent, he now feels much stronger mentally and physically. He can now walk much easier and can concentrate well enough to read. The only side effects from the Albarin are chills. He was stunned by the FDA raid saying "It would be almost ludicrous if not so tragic." He said that his chances will be "greatly diminished" if he can't get Albarin. When the FDA raided, he was receiving treatment and the FDA asked everyone if they wanted to stop. Not one hand went up, they all wanted to keep receiving treatment. Schebell was outraged and told them. "We're all adults here making free will choices."

Along with all the other people interviewed, Schebell stated that there had been no charge for the initial consultation, that the full Albarin treatment only cost $1100. No matter how many treatments were necessary. (He along with all patients stated that their mainstream treatment costs had been into the tens of thousands of dollars, some into the hundreds of thousands.) He (along with all patients) stated that at no time did Joe DiStefano ever hold himself out to be a doctor, they knew him to be a licensed nutrition counselor and they all stated that Daniel Mayer, DO was always present to advise them on their treatments. Schebell could be dead within a month unless he can keep getting his Albarin.

MARGARET MARSH

Peggy Marsh, 54 from Tampa Florida was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in '94. Diagnosis was made by biopsy, ultrasound, mammogram. She had a radical mastectomy, radiation, and chemo therapy through the Moffit Cancer Center in Tampa. She had 5 lymph nodes become cancerous by the time they did the open biopsy. After every chemo treatment she lay in bed for 5 days unable to move. They made her sick as a dog, very nauseated. The radiation caused multiple infections forcing her to constantly return to the hospital.

She had a grapefruit sized tumor in her liver a year and a half ago and was only given 6 months to live. She credits the Albarin with helping her to beat these odds. She was treated at the bone marrow clinic at Moffit Cancer Center in Tampa by Dr.Karen Fields, who ultimately issued an ultimatum- that she "had to trust" her medical expertise, and that she could only do either the albarin or chemo, but not both, even though Peggy wanted to keep using both and felt that both were vitally necessary in her case. Marsh, who was trained as a nutritionist and is a Cornell graduate, feels that this is an economic control issue, noting that "All of my Albarin treatments cost me only what one week of chemo costs now." She feels strongly that Moffit might be part of the complaint against Albarin to the FDA, and if that's the case, then Field's violated her trust. "I shared with her about the Albarin study, and if she initiated the complaint to the FDA, she is now jeopardizing not only my life, but the lives of all the patients taking Albarin." Marsh could be dead within a month if she can't keep getting her Albarin.

WILL WEINAND

Will Weinand, 54 from Chicago, started Albarin treatment in March of this year due to cancer in his prostate, spine, and hips. He had his prostate removed, but a year later discovered his cancer had spread to his spine and hips. He did hormone therapy and had severe pain in his lower spine at the T -4 and T -5 vertebrae The pain was so bad from this he had trouble getting out of bed and showering. Mainstream doctors told him he should have 21 days of radiation, and that he wouldn't live longer than a year. They told him the best they could do was pain management. After 6 weeks on the Albarin, the pain began to subside and was gone completely in 3 months. A recent MRI showed that the tumor between T -4 and T -5 vertebrae were gone, as well as the tumor in his left hip, but he still has cancer in his right hip and sacrum according to medical testing. He is very worried that the cancer will start spreading again without the Albarin, and is very disappointed that the government is strong arming their way in, stopping his Albarin treatment when it was clearly working. Will could be dead within a month if he can't resume his Albarin treatment.

PARI THIEM

Pari Thiern, 58 from Tampa FL had her thyroid removed due to cancer but still has lung and lymph node cancer which metastasized to the bone. She had a huge tumor on the left side of her neck that was going to choke her. After having her thyroid removed at McDill Airforce Base, they wanted to also remove the tumor in her neck and give her chemo and radiation. She refused having watched her first husband die from chemo and radiation, electing to try the Albarin after learning of the clinic at a local health food store via her son. Terrified that she could not afford the Albarin treatment, she was put at ease by Joe and Dr.Mayer who told her not to worry about the $1100. Cost, but to just begin her treatment which she did.

When she first started treatment she could not talk due to the tumor in her neck. She'd made four visits to the emergency room due to chronic infections which no antibiotics helped and was always sick with colds. The only side effects from the Albarin was coldness that went away shortly after each treatment. A catscan indicates that she is now free of cancer, and she is doing 100% better. She is terrified that her cancer will now return and pleads for the return of her Albarin saying "I can't believe this is happening in America."Greatly angered that her medical records were seized in the raid, she is now pleading for the President, her Senators and Congressmen to go to McDi11 Airforce base to look at her records and to see for himself how sick she was.

ROBERT BECKS

Robert Becks, 58 year old roofer from Clearwater, FL had a softball sized tumor in his neck which started growing 4 years ago and got enlarged a year and a half ago. It was diagnosed by cat scan, xrays and blood tests. It was too late for surgery, which would have been disfiguring. Holding the view that chemicals and radiation CAUSE cancer, it didn't make much sense to him to have mainstream treatments, which he refused. On December 12, 2000 he began Albarin treatment having learned of it by word of mouth. He was told the cost was $1100. which he could only partially afford to pay. He said Joe was "absolutely wonderful" about not pressing him financially and that he still owed the balance of his payment calling DiStefano and Mayer "The good guys with white hats."

Becks had 70 treatments, 4 per week and the Albarin "stopped the tumor right in its tracks". He said that for awhile he was too sick to resume treatments, and during that time the tumor started growing again, but went away again after treatment was resumed. He was able to stop taking morphine for pain due to the Albarin. Along with all the others interviewed, Becks stated that at no time did DiSteffano ever claim to be a doctor, but that he often called him "Doctor Joe" out of respect and appreciation. Along with all the others he stated that Dr.Mayer had always been present to consult on his treatment. Becks stated with regards to the raid. "This is crazy! I need my Albarin! I personally will do everything possible to get it back! The government has issued me a death sentence! Go look at the statistics, even the head of the Moffit Cancer Center did not take his own treatments when he got cancer, he used alternative treatment!"

MILES COOPER

Miles Cooper from Shelby NC is a gospel singer who has sung in the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. He had stage 4 prostate cancer with enlarged lymph nodes and his prostate was pushed against his bladder. His PSA was 187 and he was told he had 6 months to a year to live. He learned of the Albarin treatment by word of mouth while discussing his cancer with friends at church and began treatment in April 2001. He had 86 treatments with Albarin and his PSA went from 187 to 0. 9 in 30 days. An MRI showed normal lymph nodes, and that his Prostate was beginning to shrink. Three weeks ago his PSA was 0.19, and his prostate was still shrinking. He is very concerned that without the Albarin his cancer, which is now in remission, will come back Miles is working very hard to help organize his fellow patients, as are several others. His quiet Christian faith is standing in good stead. He sincerely hopes that the courts and Congress will intercede to help get Albarin back, and that everyone reading this will help as well.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

It is essential that everyone call their Senators and Congressmen to request an immediate oversight hearing of the FDA to force them to give the Albarin back to Joseph DiStefano and Dr.Mayer so that these patients can resume treatment. You can reach any member of congress via the Capital Switchboard at 202-225-3121. Especially be sure to call Congressman Dan Burton, Chair of the House Government Reform Committee. He had held other hearings to reign in the FDA and he must hold one very quickly to address this matter.

People living in St.Petersburg and Tampa should specifically call Rep Bill Young at 727-893-3191, and Rep Jim Davis at 813-354-9217 Tell them both that people have a right to freedom of choice in healthcare.

Post this on websites, and forward it to everyone you know- several people's lives are in direct jeopardy, and we must work together to help them get their Albarin back.

Forward this to radio and TV talk show hosts who can air this story If you can get Joe DiStefano onto any large radio or TV shows, contact him via The Medical Center for Preventive and Nutritional Medicine Inc.727-344-3134, 813-968-5998.

Badly needed donations for the legal fund for the Medical Center for Preventive and Nutritional Medicine can be made to:

Joe DiStefano Legal Defense Fund
c/o 6701-C 38th Ave. N.
St.Petersburg, FL 33710