All rights Reserved
Egret Publishing Inc. June
2002
I felt I was trapped in a tight corner. The infectious disease specialist would not or could not treat me due to some rules about ethics or demarcations. I certainly did not want to see any neurologist who would most likely give a death sentence or some other doctors who might be stalling and playing for time by doing something harmless but irrelevant to my problems. So I decided to write to my provincial representative, the Minister of Health of Ontario, the Minister of Health of Canada and the President of the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Ontario.
Ching-Chee Chan, PhD
June 12, 2002
Below are copies of the letters:
May 31, 2002
Mr.
Morley Kells, MPP
Constituency
Office
3481
Lakeshore Blvd. W.
Etobicoke
ON M8W 1N4
Dear
Mr. Kells,
I
need help urgently. Could you please lobby the Minister of Health on my behalf?
My main points are development and improvement of detection methods for
Hansen’s bacterium and my need to be treated by infectious disease specialists
now. For reasons please see my letter to the Minister of Health, a copy of
which is enclosed herewith.
Thank
you
Sincerely
yours
Ching-Chee
Chan, PhD
May 31, 2002
The
Honorable Tony Clement
Minister
of Health
10th
Floor, Hepburn Block
80
Grosvenor Street
Toronto
ON M7A 2C4
Dear
Mr. Clement,
You
know many people are suffering from the so-called autoimmune diseases such as
Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, asthma, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (motor neurone
disease), cancer, Crohn’s disease, diabetes, Gulf War syndrome, Lyme disease,
Parkinson’s disease and scleroderma and these patients go to their doctors
regularly because these diseases are “incurable.” If these are curable with
antibiotics, it will save a lot of taxpayers’ money and pain and grief of
patients and their relatives.
But
the suspected pathogen, Hansen’s bacterium with antigens upsetting the immune
system thus causing these diseases indirectly, is below the detection limits of
most methods, if it is present in small number. It is not likely to multiply to
a detectable number if the infected are living in countries with clean water,
decent infrastructure, good food and shelter. This is why these diseases are
called rich peoples’ diseases.
The
proper way to solve the problem is to develop new methods and improve the old
methods to detect the suspected pathogen.
Instrumentation
is no problem for advanced countries. Mass spectrometers of high resolving power
are available therefore no pre-separation of components is necessary.
Ionization technology has made so much progress that most high molecular-weight
material can be ionized, sorted and detected. The sensitivity of mass
spectrometry is well known. Use human tissues for comparison purpose but do not
assume it is uninfected and never use it as a blank. A trained physical-organic
chemist with the help of a technologist can analyze many samples per working
day. The mass-spectrometric route is the best bet for detecting the DNA and the
antigens of Hansen’s bacterium present in small number.
Detection
of the antigens of Hansen’s bacterium by histological, immunochemical methods
(see Notes and Comments #2) can be carried out for crosschecking purpose. But
skilful technologists are hard to come by and easily lured away by higher pay.
It
will take time but people like me cannot wait any longer. I have symptoms
similar to those of ALS/MND and asthma.
I have inflamed tissues and swollen lymph nodes, which may lead to
tumour formation and cancer. I have inflamed eyes frequently, which may lead to
blindness. I saw an infectious disease specialist and had a PCR test for
Hansen’s bacterium. The result was negative, which means I did not have enough
bacteria to give a positive signal. He was unwilling or unable to treat me due
to some regulations or demarcations or some other reasons.
For
the time being, my problems are not too serious until the next attack. I do not
know what will happen but I expect it will be more serious than the last one.
What I need is treatment. The ROM (600mg rifampin, 400mg ofloxacin, 100mg
minocycline as a single dose therapy plus low-dose convit vaccine as an
adjuvant, see My Personal Problems: Part 5) can be tried. I realise there is
risk but no more than millions of Hansen’s disease patients take everyday. With
careful monitoring, the risk can be minimized further. I need a specialist
capable of and willing to carry out the treatment and counter the various
reactions, such as ENL, Reversal Reaction, Lucio Reaction.
I
am only asking for the right to be treated and hopefully to get well. The drugs
and the technical know how are available. Experts on Hansen’s disease are also
available. Patients’ right to choose should be respected. Could you solve this
problem? If this is not within your purview, in whose purview does it fall? If
I am cured it will be easier to justify the cost of the research and
development of new detection methods for Hansen’s bacterium.
For
details of my points please see documents and booklets enclosed herewith.
Sincerely
yours
Ching-Chee
Chan, PhD
P.S.
similar letters also sent to Dr. Dody Bienenstock, president of College of
Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario and the Honorable Anne McLellan, Minister of
Health of Canada.
May 31, 2002
The
Honorable Anne McLellan
Minister
of Health of Canada
Brooke
Claxton Building
Address
Locator 0916A
Ottawa
ON K1A 0K9
Dear
Ms. McLellan,
You
know many people are suffering from the so-called autoimmune diseases such as
Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, asthma, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (motor
neurone disease), cancer, Crohn’s disease, diabetes, Gulf War syndrome, Lyme
disease, Parkinson’s disease and scleroderma and these patients go to their
doctors regularly because these diseases are “incurable.” If these are curable
with antibiotics, it will save a lot of taxpayers’ money and pain and grief of
patients and their relatives.
But
the suspected pathogen, Hansen’s bacterium with antigens upsetting the immune
system thus causing these diseases indirectly, is below the detection limits of
most methods, if it is present in small number. It is not likely to multiply to
a detectable number if the infected are living in countries with clean water,
decent infrastructure, good food and shelter. This is why these diseases are
called rich peoples’ diseases.
The
proper way to solve the problem is to develop new methods and improve the old
methods to detect the suspected pathogen.
Instrumentation
is no problem for advanced countries. Mass spectrometers of high resolving
power are available therefore no pre-separation of components is necessary.
Ionization technology has made so much progress that most high molecular-weight
material can be ionized, sorted and detected. The sensitivity of mass
spectrometry is well known. Use human tissues for comparison purpose but do not
assume it is uninfected and never use it as a blank. A trained physical-organic
chemist with the help of a technologist can analyze many samples per working
day. The mass-spectrometric route is the best bet for detecting the DNA and the
antigens of Hansen’s bacterium present in small number.
Detection
of the antigens of Hansen’s bacterium by histological, immunochemical methods
(see Notes and Comments #2) can be carried out for crosschecking purpose. But
skilful technologists are hard to come by and easily lured away by higher pay.
It
will take time but people like me cannot wait any longer. I have symptoms
similar to those of ALS/MND and asthma.
I have inflamed tissues and swollen lymph nodes, which may lead to
tumour formation and cancer. I have inflamed eyes frequently, which may lead to
blindness. I saw an infectious disease specialist and had a PCR test for
Hansen’s bacterium. The result was negative, which means I did not have enough
bacteria to give a positive signal. He was unwilling or unable to treat me due
to some regulations or demarcations or some other reasons.
For
the time being, my problems are not too serious until the next attack. I do not
know what will happen but I expect it will be more serious than the last one.
What I need is treatment. The ROM (600mg rifampin, 400mg ofloxacin, 100mg
minocycline as a single dose therapy plus low-dose convit vaccine as an
adjuvant, see My Personal Problems: Part 5) can be tried. I realise there is
risk but no more than millions of Hansen’s disease patients take everyday. With
careful monitoring, the risk can be minimized further. I need a specialist
capable of and willing to carry out the treatment and counter the various
reactions, such as ENL, Reversal Reaction, Lucio Reaction.
I
am only asking for the right to be treated and hopefully to get well. The drugs
and the technical know how are available. Experts on Hansen’s disease are also
available. Patients’ right to choose should be respected. Could you solve this
problem? If this is not within your purview, in whose purview does it fall? If
I am cured it will be easier to justify the cost of the research and
development of new detection methods for Hansen’s bacterium.
For
details of my points please see documents and booklets enclosed herewith.
Sincerely
yours
Ching-Chee
Chan, PhD
P.S.
similar letters also sent to Dr. Dody Bienenstock, president of College of
Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario and the Honorable Tony Clement, Minister of
Health of Ontario.
May 31, 2002
Dr.
Dody Bienenstock
President
The
College of physicians & Surgeons of Ontario
80
College Street, Toronto ON
M5G
2E2
Dear
Dr. Bienenstock,
You
know many people are suffering from the so-called autoimmune diseases such as
Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, asthma, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (motor
neurone disease), cancer, Crohn’s disease, diabetes, Gulf War syndrome, Lyme
disease, Parkinson’s disease and scleroderma and these patients go to their
doctors regularly because these diseases are “incurable.” Some of them are
disappointed and opting in droves for alternative medicine. If these diseases
are curable with antibiotics, it will save a lot of taxpayers’ money and pain
and grief of patients and their relatives.
But
the suspected pathogen, Hansen’s bacterium with antigens upsetting the immune
system thus causing these diseases indirectly, is below the detection limits of
most methods, if it is present in small number. It is not likely to multiply to
a detectable number if the infected are living in countries with clean water,
decent infrastructure, good food and shelter. This is why these diseases are
called rich peoples’ diseases.
The
proper way to solve the problem is to develop new methods and improve the old
methods to detect the suspected pathogen.
Instrumentation
is no problem for advanced countries. Mass spectrometers of high resolving
power are available therefore no pre-separation of components is necessary.
Ionization technology has made so much progress that most high molecular-weight
material can be ionized, sorted and detected. The sensitivity of mass
spectrometry is well known. Use human tissues for comparison purpose but do not
assume it is uninfected and never use it as a blank. A trained physical-organic
chemist with the help of a technologist can analyze many samples per working
day. The mass-spectrometric route is the best bet for detecting the DNA and the
antigens of Hansen’s bacterium present in small number.
Detection
of the antigens of Hansen’s bacterium by histological, immunochemical methods
(see Notes and Comments #2) can be carried out for crosschecking purpose. But
skilful technologists are hard to come by and easily lured away by higher pay.
It
will take time but people like me cannot wait any longer. I have symptoms
similar to those of ALS/MND and asthma.
I have inflamed tissues and swollen lymph nodes, which may lead to
tumour formation and cancer. I have inflamed eyes frequently, which may lead to
blindness. I saw an infectious disease specialist and had a PCR test for
Hansen’s bacterium. The result was negative, which means I did not have enough
bacteria to give a positive signal. He was unwilling or unable to treat me due
to some regulations or demarcations or some other reasons.
For
the time being, my problems are not too serious until the next attack. I do not
know what will happen but I expect it will be more serious than the last one.
What I need is treatment. The ROM (600mg rifampin, 400mg ofloxacin, 100mg
minocycline as a single dose therapy plus low-dose convit vaccine as an
adjuvant, see My Personal Problems: Part 5) can be tried. I realise there is
risk but no more than millions of Hansen’s disease patients take everyday. With
careful monitoring, the risk can be minimized further. I need a specialist
capable of and willing to carry out the treatment and counter the various
reactions, such as ENL, Reversal Reaction and Lucio Reaction.
I
am only asking for the right to be treated and hopefully to get well. The drugs
and the technical know how are available. Experts on Hansen’s disease are also
available. Patients’ right to choose should be respected. Could you solve this
problem? If this is not within your purview, in whose purview does it fall? If
I am cured it will be easier to justify the cost of the research and
development of new detection methods for Hansen’s bacterium, thus opening a new
frontier for evidence-based medicine (scientific medicine).
For
details of my points please see documents and booklets enclosed herewith.
Sincerely
yours
Ching-Chee
Chan, PhD
P.S.
similar letters also sent to the Honorable Tony Clement, Minister of Health of
Ontario and the Honorable Anne McLellan, Minister of Health of Canada.
Readers
are welcome to e-mail me to discuss
relevant problems.
Back
to Egret Directory
Continues in part 7