Gordon Brown's Response to the UK petition
Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 1:34 pm
Like many of you I have just received a copy of this and I am more than furious at the utterly careless and negligent contents of the reply. I could not stop myself making a few obvious notes.
This is the reply.
The Government is aware of Dr Paolo Zamboni’s findings. However, as this is the only piece of research on the link between CCSVI and MS that is currently available, it is important to approach such findings with caution until a further review of the research has been conducted.
A number of medical advisers to the MS Society have read the papers published by Dr Zamboni, and have heard him lecture on the subject. The advisers have provided the following statement about the alleged link between MS and CCSVI:
We are not convinced by the evidence that blockages to draining veins from the brain are specific to people with multiple sclerosis, or that this explains the cause of multiple sclerosis at any stage of the condition.
We are all agreed that people with multiple sclerosis are not likely to benefit by treatments that dilate blood vessels and consider these procedures to carry risks with no evidence for benefit.
The treatment for CCSVI is not available for patients with multiple sclerosis in the United Kingdom because there is no convincing evidence to suggest that it is safe or beneficial to people with MS.
The Government is determined to make the UK the best place in the world for health research, development and innovation and to invest its substantial health research budget in the best possible way.
The Government’s research strategy ‘Best Research for Best Health’ is resulting in an expansion of the Department’s research programmes and in significant new funding opportunities for health research. The National Institute for Health Research programmes support high quality research of relevance and in areas of high priority to patients and the NHS.
1. “as this is the only piece of research on the link between CCSVI and MS” - This is far from being the only piece of research. (Zamboni’s papers alone are not about the same piece of research.)
2. “to approach such findings with caution until a further review of the research has been conducted.” - Approach with caution!!!???.. until further reviews. Further reviews had already been published before this (GB’s) response appeared. So what does this mean?
3. ‘A number of medical advisers” - did this include phlebologists? Pharmas? Not just the MS society?
4. MS Society views of a link between MS and CCSVI!!!??? Enough said.
5. “people with multiple sclerosis are not likely to benefit by treatments that dilate blood vessels” - What about people with CCSVI?
6. The treatment for CCSVI is not available for patients with multiple sclerosis in the United Kingdom because there is no convincing evidence to suggest that it is safe or beneficial to people with MS. - CCSVI is not contested but treatment must be withheld??
7. This is a very shoddy and poorly researched response. It is in total dismissive, insulting and derisory. It shows no regard whatsoever for the health of the 10 thousand people who signed the petition and relies for its validity on the opinion of people who clearly show themselves ignorant of the dozens of relevant research papers. It also misses the point entirely that CCSVI exists, has a massive detrimental effect on health and has several well tested treatments none of which are available in the UK because no testing for the condition is available.
8. This response from GB is simply an attempt to ignore this petition. There is not even a sense that this research is something interesting that must be further researched. The impression given is that this is nonsense and beyond consideration. “We are all agreed...” implies there is not even room for honourable dissent. This is very far from good enough.
I could rant on a lot longer but I wont. Suffice it to say that something must be done. If GB was in front of me now I would certainly give him a black eye. I am not sure what else needs to be done. Maybe another petition asking GB to stop taking the piss and give us a proper answer.
Anyone got any sensible ideas?
This is the reply.
The Government is aware of Dr Paolo Zamboni’s findings. However, as this is the only piece of research on the link between CCSVI and MS that is currently available, it is important to approach such findings with caution until a further review of the research has been conducted.
A number of medical advisers to the MS Society have read the papers published by Dr Zamboni, and have heard him lecture on the subject. The advisers have provided the following statement about the alleged link between MS and CCSVI:
We are not convinced by the evidence that blockages to draining veins from the brain are specific to people with multiple sclerosis, or that this explains the cause of multiple sclerosis at any stage of the condition.
We are all agreed that people with multiple sclerosis are not likely to benefit by treatments that dilate blood vessels and consider these procedures to carry risks with no evidence for benefit.
The treatment for CCSVI is not available for patients with multiple sclerosis in the United Kingdom because there is no convincing evidence to suggest that it is safe or beneficial to people with MS.
The Government is determined to make the UK the best place in the world for health research, development and innovation and to invest its substantial health research budget in the best possible way.
The Government’s research strategy ‘Best Research for Best Health’ is resulting in an expansion of the Department’s research programmes and in significant new funding opportunities for health research. The National Institute for Health Research programmes support high quality research of relevance and in areas of high priority to patients and the NHS.
1. “as this is the only piece of research on the link between CCSVI and MS” - This is far from being the only piece of research. (Zamboni’s papers alone are not about the same piece of research.)
2. “to approach such findings with caution until a further review of the research has been conducted.” - Approach with caution!!!???.. until further reviews. Further reviews had already been published before this (GB’s) response appeared. So what does this mean?
3. ‘A number of medical advisers” - did this include phlebologists? Pharmas? Not just the MS society?
4. MS Society views of a link between MS and CCSVI!!!??? Enough said.
5. “people with multiple sclerosis are not likely to benefit by treatments that dilate blood vessels” - What about people with CCSVI?
6. The treatment for CCSVI is not available for patients with multiple sclerosis in the United Kingdom because there is no convincing evidence to suggest that it is safe or beneficial to people with MS. - CCSVI is not contested but treatment must be withheld??
7. This is a very shoddy and poorly researched response. It is in total dismissive, insulting and derisory. It shows no regard whatsoever for the health of the 10 thousand people who signed the petition and relies for its validity on the opinion of people who clearly show themselves ignorant of the dozens of relevant research papers. It also misses the point entirely that CCSVI exists, has a massive detrimental effect on health and has several well tested treatments none of which are available in the UK because no testing for the condition is available.
8. This response from GB is simply an attempt to ignore this petition. There is not even a sense that this research is something interesting that must be further researched. The impression given is that this is nonsense and beyond consideration. “We are all agreed...” implies there is not even room for honourable dissent. This is very far from good enough.
I could rant on a lot longer but I wont. Suffice it to say that something must be done. If GB was in front of me now I would certainly give him a black eye. I am not sure what else needs to be done. Maybe another petition asking GB to stop taking the piss and give us a proper answer.
Anyone got any sensible ideas?
