Quoted message said:Subject: Re: More Happenings in Wisconsin
From: [email hidden] (Ilsa9)
Date: 7/29/2003 5:43 AM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id: <[email hidden]>Quoted message said:Quoted message said:Subject: Re: More Happenings in Wisconsin
From: "Peter Moran" [email hidden]
Date: 7/28/2003 8:54 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id: <[email hidden]>I was going to say something like "show a bit of common sense, Jan", but
never mind. PB has said it all.Peter Moran
My common sense is NOT the issue.
Certainly not! Like the alleged conspiracy between the prosecutor and the
excellent witness, Baratz, it is Non-Existent.
http://www.quackpotwatch.org/opinionpieces/wisconsin_legislature.htm
WISCONSIN LEGISLATURE
P.O. Box 7882 Madison, WI 53707-7882
July 16, 2003
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact:
Rep. Sheryl Albers 608-266-853
Sen. Dale Schultz 608-266-0703
Schultz, Albers Blast Chelation Therapy Witch Hunt
State Agency Spends $50,000 On “Expert†Witness With Suspect Background
State Capitol – Sen. Dale Schultz (R – Richland Center) and Rep. Sheryl
Albers (R – Reedsburg) questioned today the legitimacy of a disciplinary
process underway against a state doctor using alternative therapies to treat
patients.
The Department of Regulation and Licensing (DRL) is currently in the middle of
disciplinary proceeding against Dr. Eleazar Kadile, in part for using chelation
therapy as an alternative treatment for patients with heart disease. Similar
arguments have been levied at LaValle resident Dr. Robert Waters, who runs the
Waters Preventative Medicine Center in Wisconsin Dells.
“We have constituents who swear by this treatment. If they feel better as a
result of it, who are we to take that from them?†said Schultz. “When it
comes to health care, individuals should make these decisions, not overzealous
paper-pushers.â€
Much of the attention surrounds the state’s expert witness, Dr. Robert
Baratz. Baratz runs the National Council Against Health Fraud (NCAHF), a
non-profit organization based near Boston, Massachusetts. However, many
individuals have questioned his professional credibility. He has been accused
of padding his resume as an expert in alternative medicine so that he can
collect fees for testifying before licensing and review boards. To date,
Baratz has received $48,806 in state funds for his services. According to
Christopher Klein, DRL Executive Assistant, Baratz has dropped off an
additional stack of invoices to cover his fees for this appearance. However,
it is unclear as to what further payments Baratz will receive from the state.
According to the NCAHF’s 2001 tax return, the non-profit organization
reported just $17,967 in contributions, including $13,000 from one individual.
“No matter how big or grand it tries to appear on paper, this organization is
hardly a major player in the medical field,†Albers said.
“As taxpayers, we are outraged that a person with such a questionable record
has soaked us to the tune of $50,000,†Schultz added. “We’re paying
$50,000 to fly in some character from Boston who has entire websites devoted to
questioning his expertise. Sounds to me like a bad investment of our tax
dollars.â€
At the request of Dr. Robert Waters, Schultz and Albers have introduced
identical bills in the Senate and Assembly to allow physicians who practice
chelation therapy to do so without aggressive bureaucrats attacking their
credibility. “Dale and I are both aware that studies are still being done as
to the effectiveness of chelation therapy for some conditions,†Albers said.
“The FDA licenses chelation therapy for treating lead toxicity. Dr. Waters
provides chelation therapy as one option for his patients and properly informs
them of the potential risks. If people want to spend their hard-earned money
on this treatment, why shouldn’t they be able to?â€
Jan