Positive Health Online

Abstract

HAMMER and JONAS, International Peace and Conflict Resolution Program, School of International Service, American University, Washington DC, USA, have studied the management of conflict in complementary and alternative medicine research in the case of the antineoplastons trial.

Background

From 1991 to 1995, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) initiated clinical trials of 'antineoplastons' infusions in patients with diagnosed primary malignant brain tumours. In 1999, these studies were stopped before it was possible to determine the effectiveness of antineoplastons. Both NCI and Dr Burzynski, the developer of antineoplastons, accused one another of attempting to undermine the project. In an effort to determine why this study failed to be completed, the director of the National Institutes of Health Office of Alternative Medicine (OAM), who sponsored the study, commissioned a detailed analysis of the conflicts that led to the study's closure. The intent was to understand the social dynamics surrounding this failed study and to develop a method for managing and possibly preventing such failures in the future.

Methodology

The clinical trial was extremely complex and comprehensive. It involved hundreds of memoranda, letters, and telephone and fax correspondence among a wide number of parties over a 4-year period. All correspondence and other documents from the OAM as well as documentation from NCI were thoroughly examined. In addition, in-depth interviews with key individuals involved in the antineoplaston study were completed and incorporated into the analysis.

Results

At least 10 areas of conflict emerged from the analysis including issues around production, quality, and delivery of antineoplastons; commencement of the trial; the role of Dr Burzynski in the trial; types and combinations of cancers; choice of clinical investigators; need for communication; criteria for patient selection and treatment; and evaluation. Each of these issues clearly represented a difference of opinion between the two main parties around scientific protocols. Yet contention around these substantive, "scientific" disagreements reflected conflict in attunement (trust, power, and affiliation) between Dr Burzynski and NCI.

Conclusion

References

Hammer MR, Jonas WB. Managing social conflict in complementary and alternative medicine research: the case of antineoplastons. Integrative Cancer Therapies 3 (1): 59-65, Mar 2004.

Comment

Comment: The above investigation by the National Institutes of Health Office of Alternative Medicine by Hammer and Jonas would appear to be of prime importance to all interested in cancer research. We are all the poorer because the clinical trials regarding the efficacy of antineoplastons were halted. When, I would ask, are these trials to be re-initiated, as the world is waiting to see and hear of these important results.