UPDATE 7/23. Added a summary: Two UC Davis neurosurgeons were treating terminally ill brain cancer patients with an unapproved, experimental treatment that is referred to as "Probiotic Intracranial Therapy for Malignant Glioma". The treatment involved purposefully infecting patients brains with a bacterium Enterobacter aerogenes apparently because of prior anecdotes and case reports that suggested that patients with these brain cancers who also had brain infections might live longer than those with the cancer but without the infection. According to the article, there was an investigation at UC Davis into the practices of the surgeons. It was determined by UC Davis that they did not have IRB approval to carry out the treatments and that there were some other issues with the practice going on. At the conclusion of the investigation UC Davis wrote a letter to the FDA detailing the case and has banned the two neurosurgeons from performing medical research on humans. Read the article for much more detail and see the link below.
Many interconnected issues in here involving IRB approval, human experimental treatments and informed consent, UC Davis, and even "probiotics". Still taking it all in ... Uggh ...
Other stories posted in the SacBee at the same time:
- Banned UCD doctor is one of UC's highest paid employees
- Other cases
- Confidential letter: UCD outlines doctor's 'serious' offenses (.pdf)
- Surgeon fights UCD with a federal suit - Fighting suspension, he ...
- Northern California Hospital Blog
- Sacramento Bee, The : Board seeking more clout over guest...
- Sacramento Bee, The : Surgeon fights UCD with a federal...
- UC's payroll in 2009 shows spending hike - UC Merced -...
- Top 10 earners list - Compensation at the University of California
- Muizelaar to hold first Julian R. Youmans ... - UC Davis Health System
- Youmans furthers his leadership in neurological surgery | Davis ...
- Best Doctors - Sacramento Magazine - December 2011 ...
