Krebiozen, was a promising cancer therapy in 1951. What happend?

see also the writings of "A Midwestern Doctor" on Substack.com

Was Krebiozen fairly evaluated or did it simply receive the Ivermectin treatment?

Krebiozen was a controversial cancer treatment that gained attention in the 1950s and 1960s. Dr. Andrew Ivy, a prominent American physician, became its leading proponent after being introduced to the drug in 1951. Ivy conducted studies and claimed that Krebiozen had a success rate of 50-70% in treating cancer patients, with positive results in over 4,200 cases. However, the medical establishment, led by the American Medical Association (AMA) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), opposed the treatment.

Several factors contributed to the controversy surrounding Krebiozen:

Opposition from Medical Authorities: The AMA and NCI dismissed Krebiozen as ineffective. The AMA allegedly conducted a fabricated study to discredit it after the inventors refused to sell the rights to the drug. This was part of a broader pattern of monopolistic practices by the AMA, which sought to control promising therapies.

FDA Involvement: The FDA also played a significant role in blocking Krebiozen's approval. After Ivy applied for approval, the FDA reportedly stonewalled the process and presented spectrographic data claiming that Krebiozen was a worthless metabolite. It was later revealed that this data had been fabricated by the FDA.

Political and Public Support: Despite opposition from major medical institutions, Krebiozen garnered support from several politicians and patients who believed in its efficacy. Protests were held in front of the White House when the FDA used its authority under the 1962 Kefauver-Harris Amendment to prohibit interstate shipment of Krebiozen. Senator Paul Douglas publicly criticized both the FDA and NCI for their handling of Krebiozen.

Eventual Ban: Despite efforts to promote Krebiozen, including media coverage and political advocacy, it was eventually outlawed in Illinois in 1973. The controversy surrounding Krebiozen faded over time, similar to other alternative cancer treatments of that era.