LETRS, TO TH EDITOR '| . Dr Posey responds: In the interim since my editorial, "A Threat to Autologous Blood Donors," (J Natl Med Assoc. To the Editor: The November 1990 editorial, "A1990;82:757-758) was published, Threat to Autologous Blood Do-the policy has been changed. Autolnors" by Douglas H. Posey, Jr, MD,ogous units drawn and retained by (J Natl Med Assoc. 1990;82:757-the institution are exempted from 758) centered around a requirementtesting. However, autologous units from the Director of the Center fordrawn by one institution or organiBiologic Evaluation for Research (azation and shipped to another must branch of the FDA) that autologousstill be tested. donors be tested for transfusion- I hope that Dr Rankin and all of transmitted diseases. Dr Posey ar-my clinical colleagues are practicgued that this requirement woulding universal precautions and treatsubject patients to an additional testing every unit of blood as if it was that offers no benefit and is costly. potentially infectious. I certainly agree with Dr Posey The need to practice universal that autologous donations are veryprecautions was recently highimportant and are the safest type oflighted by the series of challenges tranfusions, in addition to decreas-faced by the American Red Cross. ing the demand for banked blood.Those challenges led to the most The aspect that Dr Posey does notrecent decision to systematically address is protecting health-careshut down every regional center to workers who could be handlinginstall new sophisticated computer HIV or other infected blood ifprograms and limit testing for transautologous donors were notfusion-transmitted diseases to sescreened. From this perspective, itlected centers. Douglas H. Posey, Jr, MD seems prudent to screen autologous Northwest Missouri Pathologists donors as well as other blood doSt Joseph, Missouri nors to prevent the spread of contagious diseases, particularly ones as serious as hepatitis and acquired Etiology of Cancer
Threat to Autologous Blood Donors
immunodeficiency syndrome. Although this additional testing may To the Editor: cause some increase in the cost to A fresh focus on cancer research the donor, the stated benefit is well and tolerance for new and original worth any increase in the cost. concepts is urgently needed. The Furthermore, as a practicing ortho- current generally accepted viral conpedic surgeon who routinely recom- cept-that a malignant cell arises mends autologous donation, I have from a genetic predisposition-does not found this requirement to be a not explain the physiopathological drawback to the obvious advantages pattern that is associated clinically of patients donating their own with the malignant growth. We must face the truth. We blood. who are caring for the physicians Edward A. Rankin, MD ill patient recognize metastatically Howard University Hospital the that radical surgical fact despite Washington, DC JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, VOL. 83, NO. 10
procedures, massive or mixed chemotherapies, and extensive radiation procedures, the morbidity and mortality rates for cancer are no lower than those from 20 or 30 years ago. If the cancer problem is ever to be solved adequately and physiologically treated, it is necessary to uncover the exact etiology and chemistry of the disease. It is for this reason that medical journals, research centers, medical schools, and national cancer organizations must remove their bias in the area of cancer and become more courageous and openminded. They must listen, extend more help, and publish new or original concepts even if these concepts are controversial, difficult to believe, or even divergent to a national or universal concept. I have uncovered what I firmly believe is the exact etiologic and physiopathologic reason for the formation and growth of malignant tumors. The facts contributing to my concept were published in my article, "Pathway to Carcinogenesis: The Role of Bacteria," which appeared in the June 1990 issue of the Journal of Medical Hypothesis. I now have even more facts, both in pictorial and written form, to enhance the validity of my concept. My basic premise is that the malignant cell in vivo is actually an animal cell that respires and metabolizes in an anaerobic pathway. Findings dramatically demonstrate that the malignant cell is a viable unit despite being of animal origin without the ultimate oxygen molecule. Although the malignant cell receives oxygen via the circulatory flow of blood, the ultimate respiration is anaerobic rather than aerobic continued on page 864 849
Threat to Autologous Blood Donors
immunodeficiency syndrome. Although this additional testing may To the Editor: cause some increase in the cost to A fresh focus on cancer research the donor, the stated benefit is well and tolerance for new and original worth any increase in the cost. concepts is urgently needed. The Furthermore, as a practicing ortho- current generally accepted viral conpedic surgeon who routinely recom- cept-that a malignant cell arises mends autologous donation, I have from a genetic predisposition-does not found this requirement to be a not explain the physiopathological drawback to the obvious advantages pattern that is associated clinically of patients donating their own with the malignant growth. We must face the truth. We blood. who are caring for the physicians Edward A. Rankin, MD ill patient recognize metastatically Howard University Hospital the that radical surgical fact despite Washington, DC JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, VOL. 83, NO. 10
procedures, massive or mixed chemotherapies, and extensive radiation procedures, the morbidity and mortality rates for cancer are no lower than those from 20 or 30 years ago. If the cancer problem is ever to be solved adequately and physiologically treated, it is necessary to uncover the exact etiology and chemistry of the disease. It is for this reason that medical journals, research centers, medical schools, and national cancer organizations must remove their bias in the area of cancer and become more courageous and openminded. They must listen, extend more help, and publish new or original concepts even if these concepts are controversial, difficult to believe, or even divergent to a national or universal concept. I have uncovered what I firmly believe is the exact etiologic and physiopathologic reason for the formation and growth of malignant tumors. The facts contributing to my concept were published in my article, "Pathway to Carcinogenesis: The Role of Bacteria," which appeared in the June 1990 issue of the Journal of Medical Hypothesis. I now have even more facts, both in pictorial and written form, to enhance the validity of my concept. My basic premise is that the malignant cell in vivo is actually an animal cell that respires and metabolizes in an anaerobic pathway. Findings dramatically demonstrate that the malignant cell is a viable unit despite being of animal origin without the ultimate oxygen molecule. Although the malignant cell receives oxygen via the circulatory flow of blood, the ultimate respiration is anaerobic rather than aerobic continued on page 864 849
