« Autism: The Musical! | Main | Here Come The Lawyers »
Another Chelation Death
By Richard | April 11, 2007
Doctor’s office searched in autistic boy’s death
PORTERSVILLE, Pa. - State police searched the offices of a doctor who treated a 5-year-old autistic boy who had a heart attack and died.
Dr. Roy E. Kerry’s treatment of Abubakar Tariq Nadama with chelation therapy “rose to the level of acting in a reckless and grossly negligent manner,” according to the state attorney general’s Medical/Legal Advisory Board on Child Abuse.
Nadama died Aug. 23, 2005, after receiving his third dose of chelation therapy.
Butler County District Attorney Randa Clark described Monday’s search as a fact-finding mission. The search warrant said police planned to find the boy’s medical records, medical tools and procedure books used in his treatment.
“At this point, I don’t have enough information to determine if a crime has been committed,” she said.
In September, the Department of State filed disciplinary charges against Kerry, including engaging in unprofessional conduct and breaching the standard of care.
Messages left at Advanced Integrative Medicine Center on Wednesday were not immediately returned.
Chelation is often used in patients with sickle cell anemia, lead poisoning or other maladies. During chelation, chemical compounds are injected or given orally and latch onto metals in the body and carry them out through urine or feces.
Some people believe autism can be linked to a mercury-containing preservative once commonly used in childhood vaccines. Chelation therapy has been advocated as a remedy.
The Food and Drug Administration has approved chelation only for acute heavy-metal poisoning that is confirmed by blood tests. Critics call the treatment risky and say there isn’t enough evidence to link autism to mercury or lead toxicity.
Topics: In The News, Mercury/Thimerosol |