By Joel Fuhrman, M.D.
Immunosuppressive medications
used by rheumatologists for autoimmune
diseases are fraught with
danger. That is the reason these
drugs are used only by rheumatologists
and not by internists, family
physicians, or other medical specialists.
Rheumatology is a medical
specialty developed to prescribe
and monitor the side effects of
these high-risk medications.
Cytotoxic (toxic to cells) agents
and chemotherapeutic agents, traditionally
used in cancer therapy, also
have become an established part of
therapy for autoimmune diseases.
The most powerful and dangerous
drugs in the medical arsenal often
are needed to control the raging
iimmune system in cases of autoimmune
illnesses. In rheumatology,
chemotherapy is designed to decrease
immune cell production and
suppress the immune system, which
is why these drugs are sometimes
called immunosuppressive drugs,
instead of chemo. Although much of
the initial data on toxicity was accumulated
in the setting of cancer
treatment, these agents can cause illness
or death even at the doses used
to treat autoimmune disease.For this
reason, the risks of treatment with a
cytotoxic agent or any of the other
immunosuppressive agents must
weigh against the potential benefits.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration
has warned health-care
professionals of an increased risk of
lymphoma, leukopenia, and opportunistic
infections with fatal outcome
associated with the use of
Remicade. Imuran is known to have
mutagenic and carcinogenic potential
and cause pancreatitis. All the
immunosuppressive agents increase one’s risk of cancer.The risk of developing
malignancies is related to the
duration of immunosuppressive drug
exposure in general. A study published
in the Journal of Rheumatology
followed 1,773 patients started
on treatments by rheumatologists
for ten years and found a 400% increased
rate of cancer in the treatment
group in the ten-year period
compared to controls.1
Doctors know the dangers of
these drugs, and patients are supposed
to be informed about them.
Patients choose conventional medical
care because they wrongly
assume there is no other approach.
The rationale for doctors is that we
can’t have a person suffering with
pain while their joints and internal
organs are being destroyed by
autoimmune illnesses. Patients and
their doctors evidently believe the
increased likelihood of cancer and
a premature death from immunosuppressive
drugs is worth the risk.
Unfortunately, patients are not
informed of the nutritional options.
A significant body of literature
exists documenting the effectiveness
of nutritional intervention for
treating autoimmune diseases, but
these articles are not being read by
doctors or distributed to patients
with autoimmune disease. I feel
strongly that giving a potentially
life-threatening drug with no other
option for treatment is malpractice
and should be stopped.
A packet of medical journal articles
documenting the results achievable
with nutritional intervention
could be given to every patient, and
physicians could offer simple nutritional
protocols for people initially
presenting with autoimmune diseases.
The earlier this information is
given, the better, because it is early
on—before years of medication
use—when there is the greatest possibility
of achieving a remission.
Autoimmune illness is serious. It
causes immense suffering and pain
and can kill. Autoimmune diseases,
just like heart disease and cancer,are
caused predominantly by the inadequate
diet consumed in our youth
and are potentially preventable with
prolonged breast-feeding and better
childhood nutrition. It is always
preferable to prevent illness rather
than just offer treatments to the
sick. However, even after these diseases
develop, recovery is still possible
in most cases. The opportunity
to live a life fully recovered, free of
illness, and free of the toxic effects
of drugs should not be passed up.
Today, we have an epidemic of
autoimmune illnesses that continues
to grow daily, and the offices of
rheumatologists are flooded with
suffering people. I am hoping that
one day rheumatologists only will
treat a small segment of patients
with autoimmune disease; the rest
will simply recover with modern
nutritional intervention.
Learn more from Dr.Fuhrman
Reference
1. Asten P, Barrett J, Symmons D. Risk of developing
certain malignancies is related to duration of
immunosuppressive drug exposure in patients with
rheumatic diseases. J Rheumatol 1999 Aug;
26(8):1705-14.
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