Opinion by Consumer Advocate Tim Bolen

Thursday, November 12th, 2009

It just had to happen sooner or later - the truth about the US Cancer Industry not working at all, just had to come out - to the American public, in a very big way.

If you haven't picked up, and read, Suzanne Somers's newest book, you don't have anything better to do today, after you finish reading my newest newsletter, of course, than running down to the store and picking up a copy.  In fact, if you have a list of people in mind you care about, then pick up more than one, and give those people a copy.  The book is about the real world, and, frankly, I think Suzanne did a better job, much more, than she intended.

There is a Foreword to the book by Julian Whitaker MD.  Those of you who know Julian will not be surprised that he tells it like it is, clearly and succinctly.

Then Suzanne tells her story about how, about a year ago today, she had a health problem coming home on an airplane, checked into an Emergency Room unable to breathe properly, and was given about a gazillion dollars worth of what hospitals seriously label as cutting-edge testing.  She was then diagnosed by six separate doctors there with full-body cancer.  They recommended, of course, full-body chemotherapy and told her to get her affairs in order immediately.

This all came as a big surprise to Suzanne, of course, who prides herself on taking care of her health.  After the initial shock wore off common sense kicked in, as in "wait a minute here, Cancer does not come on this quick."  There is something wrong with this situation.

Fortunately, Suzanne had health care "secret weapons" available.  Unlike most Americans she had telephone access to some of the best cutting-edge practitioners the world has to offer. She knows the same doctors I know - and she grabbed her cell phone and called a few.  They told her what to really do - for she had been tested about a month before and was, at that time, in the peak of health. 

So, where then, did this "full-body cancer" come from?  Suzanne demanded a biopsy.  Of course, as you probably already suspect, the biopsy came back with no signs of cancer...  and the authoritative six doctors were tripping over themselves trying to pretend that this didn't happen.  Their cell phone calls were probably to their Malpractice Insurance Carriers.

Then, if you think things could not get any worse, four more doctors show up, this time so-called experts in infectious diseases, and declared that "since there was no cancer, then Suzanne must have either tuberculosis, leprosy, or coccidiomycosis (valley fever)" and they declared that she must isolated from the hospital community.  They moved her to the isolation ward and put an armed police officer in front of her door so she couldn't escape, and her family couldn't see her.  And, of course, they told her that it would be two to six weeks before the laboratory results came back defining what was actually happening.

Now, let me explain something to you about Suzanne Somers, so you will understand the explosion that's about to come the hospital's way - quickly.  Suzanne is an Irish girl, descended from a long line of Celtic men and women who have developed a strong sense of right and wrong, and an even stronger sense of what it takes to right a wrong.  The Celts, as you may know, both men and women, used to strip naked, paint themselves blue, and ride their war chariots into the enemies battle lines with gusto. 

With that said, I want you to take a look at the picture of Suzanne on the cover of her new book. She's Blue.

When Suzanne demanded to be able to go home the infectious disease doctors told her she would have to agree to take all of the medications for each of the diseases they suspected she might have.  They mentioned that the leprosy medication makes you sweat blood.  Suzanne signed the papers and took the prescriptions home - but took none of them. 

She called her own experts first - who told her not to take them.

Finally, Suzanne got the results back from the tests and found that she had a severe case of Valley Fever, something extremely common in the Pacific Southwest.  It is caused by a common fungus found in the dirt in California and Arizona.  And, it is easy to treat, and it is not usually life threatening.

So, why didn't the hospital find this first, or at least look for it?  Good questions.  Unfortunately most of know the answer.  What happened to Suzanne is fairly common.  How? The test for this fungus is cheap, and does not require the use of fancy machinery and massive billing for test services, so it would simply never be used first.  In hospitals health care decisions are made using Sutton's Law.

What's Sutton's Law?  In the 1920's a bank robber named Willy Sutton was finally captured.  When asked "Willy, why do you rob banks?"  Willy answered "because that's where the money is..."

It is the same situation with health care decisions.  Hospitals, and their doctors make decisions based on the profit on the test, or the treatment - not on what works, or is most practical.  Which, in case you were wondering, is why hospitals and Oncologists recommend chemotherapy for Cancer when they are clearly aware that it only has a 2.1% success rate over five years.  It is VERY profitable, and Oncologists will recommend it until the very end - when either the patient finally dies, or the health insurance maximum runs out.  Whichever comes first.

What's Happening...

This book is tearing up the Cancer Industry.  Right from the start the industry brought out their best Spokes-bozos.  The guy from the American Cancer Society ("The Limousine Charity" - 71% of the contributions made to them goes to Administrative costs) was an absolute hoot, walking right into one trap after another on national television.  Clearly the industry was not  then, and is not now, prepared to fend off the attack Suzanne threw at them.  We haven't seen this guy since.

And, of course, now the book is at the top of the New York Times Best Seller List.

Points to Consider...

The book is for the layman.  It is divided up into readable segments that make sense, and lead to the next important points.  She talks about "What Got Us here, The Doctors Who Are Curing Cancer, Preventing Cancer Before it Starts," and offers resources.

For those of us living in the world of trying to protect, and promote, innovation in health care in general, and cancer specifically, it is a valuable resource.

Of course an old guy like me has to admit that I bought the book for the picture on the cover.  I know that Suzanne Somers is 63.  But there, on that cover, she makes 63 the new 33.  And she is wearing Celtic Blue...  You can see the cover, and the book's beginning, by clicking here.

Stay tuned...

Tim Bolen - Consumer Advocate