I have spent a lot of time over the past five years researching antineoplastons. I have personally visited the Burzynski Clinic five times, spoken with scores of patients, and pored over medical charts. I've also interviewed dozens of Dr. Burzynski's most visceral opponents. I am convinced that what Dr. Burzynski has done represents the most significant breakthrough in cancer research ever. There's no question in my mind that the hurdles that have been placed in his path to prevent his discovery from being recognized and accepted have nothing to do with science but everything to do with belief, power, money, and politics.

Those of you who are long-term subscribers to Health & Healing will surely remember that period of time when I kept you apprised of the intense pressure put on Dr. Burzynski and his patients. U.S. Congressman Richard M. Burr stated in a congressional hearing on the matter, "The [FDA's] abuse of power transcends regulatory misconduct. It constitutes nothing less than one of the worst abuses of the criminal justice system I have ever witnessed."

Dr. Burzynski will meet with FDA representatives in January to present the results of 74 FDA-sponsored clinical trials of antineoplastons in the treatment of several types of cancer. In one trial of patients with brain tumors, survival, complete remission, and partial remission rates were seven times greater with antineoplastons than have been documented in the published studies of patients with similar tumors treated with surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

One of the major problems facing cancer patients today is that the cancer establishment has dictated that insurance will only pay for conventional therapieseven if these therapies don't work. Consequently, patients who seek out less toxic, more natural therapies have to foot the bill. And although such therapies may be less expensive than surgery, chemotherapy and radiation and their related hospital costs, when a family has to dig into its own pockets to pay for medical treatment, it's expensive, often prohibitively so.

Antineoplastons are particularly effective in the treatment of brain cancer. I could tell you dozens of dramatic stories of kids with dismal prognoses who are alive today because, and only because, they underwent antineoplaston therapy.

Eighteen-year-old Paul Michaels, who was diagnosed with brain cancer at age 4, is a healthy teenager who enjoys skiing, fishing, working on cars, and playing paintball. Six months after 2-1/2-year-old Dustin Kunnari began antineoplaston treatment for an aggressive brain tumor, his MRI was clear. Today he is a bright and boisterous 6-year-old. Toni Moreno, diagnosed with a brain-stem tumor at 15 weeks, recently celebrated her first birthday, completely free of symptoms with continuing shrinkage of her tumor. Ryan Smith was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor in January 1997 at age 10. He started antineoplaston therapy in April, and his PET scan in January 1999 showed no tumor activity.

The families of all these kids were offered no hope of long-term survival. They were encouraged to subject their children to "helpful therapies" such as chemotherapy and radiation, with the understanding that they risked hearing loss, stunted growth, learning disabilities, bladder and kidney damage, sterility, and leukemia. In no case was the family told about a 20year-old alternative therapy with a good track record and no side effects. Through sheer perseverance they found out about Dr. Burzynski, and they mustered together the funds to save their children's lives.