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To: freespirited
To overrule the parents, wouldn't the court have to have some kind of psychiatric determination or a hearing (with witnesses, evidence, cross-examination, etc.) and a finding of that they were not "of sound mind"?

Not just "these people have a minority medical opinion" but "they're legally mentally incompetent"?

53 posted on 07/25/2006 12:34:41 PM PDT by Mrs. Don-o (Inquiring minds want to know.)
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To: Mrs. Don-o

To overrule the parents, wouldn't the court have to have some kind of psychiatric determination or a hearing (with witnesses, evidence, cross-examination, etc.) and a finding of that they were not "of sound mind"? ...Not just "these people have a minority medical opinion" but "they're legally mentally incompetent"?

I would think so too.

I'm going to assume that Judge Demps truly has Abraham's best interest in mind. To do that I also have to assume that Judge Demps is naive or ignorant on three issues.

Politics of the FDA. An FDA researcher or the person that gives final approval of a drug or therapy, acting on their own self-interest isn't going to approve a drug that causes one death for every two lives. Or, saves five or ten lives for each death it causes. The stigma of approving a drug that causes death is too much to overcome. News reports of drugs or therapies causing injury or death are fairly common Common compared to virtually no news reports of the injury and death caused by not having access to life-saving drugs or therapies.

Another naiveté on Judge Demps part is the politics and cost efficiencies of  pharmaceutical companies. For a pharmaceutical company to adhere to FDA regulations for drug approval it cost the pharmaceutical  company hundreds-of-millions-of-dollars. That's the politics of it. 

The cost efficiency is a measure of profitability, not politics. A plant or herb that grows naturally cannot be patented. Without the ability to patent a plant a pharmaceutical company (call it ACME) cannot protect its half-billion-dollar investment (cost efficiency) that the FDA demands (politics). Once the plant or herb is approved by the FDA competing  pharmaceutical companies would immediately begin processing and selling it. Yet they didn't have to invest a half-billion dollars to get it to market and ACME would most likely never recoup its investment. 

The Hoxsey method has had much criticism bordering on attacks from the American Cancer Association and pharmaceutical companies. 

"In 1968 the influential American Cancer Society (ACS) reported in its list of Unproven Methods of Cancer Management (which amounts to a blacklist of alternative approaches) that it “does not have evidence that treatment used at the Bio-Medical Center, including. . . the Hoxsey method. . . is of objective benefit in the treatment of cancer.” Mildred observes, and the Cancer Society confirms, however, that no representative of the ACS has ever actually visited the Bio-Medical Center nor investigated the Hoxsey approach....

"Over time, the positive reputation of the Dallas clinic spread nationwide. But the large and powerful orthodox cancer Establishment disapproved of alternative approaches. In particular, the Hoxsey treatment -- inexpensive and simple compared to surgery, radiation, and drugs -- became a favored target of organized medical groups. Charged repeatedly by medical authorities with practicing medicine without a license, using unapproved therapies, and other violations, Harry spent much of his time in court. Interestingly, the legal proceedings were never initiated by any of his patients." The Hoxsey Herbal Therapy by Peter Barry Chowka

A third naiveté on Judge Demps part is taking for granted what the established medical community, AMC and previous court rulings had rendered rather than investigate the Hoxsey method for him/herself.

If I am correct in my assumption that Judge Demps is watching out for Abraham Cherrix's best interest he/she is, IMO, in reality unqualified to be acting in Abraham Cherrix's best interest. 

"This is my body that I'm supposed to take care of. I should have the right to tell someone what I want to do with this body," he says. "I studied. I did research. I came to this conclusion that the chemotherapy was not the route I wanted to take...

Another round, at higher doses, "would kill me, literally. No joke about it," Abraham says. "The first round of chemo almost killed me in itself. There were some nights I didn't know if I would make it." USATODAY.com - Virginia teen fights for right to pick Hodgkin's treatment

Has Judge Jesse E. Demps agreed to be held personally accountable and liable if Abraham Cherrix dies from chemotherapy?

Somehow I doubt it.

It's equally probable that Judge Demps is not naive or ignorant on the above three matters, but rather, is intentionally carrying the torch for the trio--FDA, AMC and pharmaceutical companies. Believing that Judge Demps is acting in Judge Demps' best interest, first. Second interest is in the trio. Third interest is Abraham Cherrix.

I strongly suggest that persons interested in this case and it's related issues read: The Hoxsey Herbal Therapy by Peter Barry Chowka -- a reputable third party.

55 posted on 07/25/2006 2:34:11 PM PDT by Zon (Honesty outlives the lie, spin and deception -- It always has -- It always will.)
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