Why We Removed the Dr. Berkson Thread

[Cindy]

Hi,

We took down the thread about Dr. Berkson until we have a chance to check into his background, credentials and treatments.  Given this is a holiday weekend, we won't be able to do that until next week.  

We appreciate your patience and wish each of you a very Happy Thanksgiving!!

Cindy Thompson
MedHelp

[Trish77]

"Thank you for taking the time to explain how the experts at MH decided that this UNproven treatment would be of no help to anyone on this forum. "

Well, that's the "rubber band" interpretation of it.  Quite a stretch.  

[IAmTheWalrus]

The proof is in the puddingzzzzz (plural), and then only when you can do it in a way and number that controls the other variables so you know it's the pudding and not the cook or the kitchen! Otherwise there is no proof.

And thus the native hue of Dr. B's cooking
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of artificial flavor,
And enterprises of great pitch and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry
And lose the name of pudding!

[copyman]

I just got back from a trip and was very happy to see your post about the decision to keep the Berkson thread deleted.

Thank you for taking the time to explain how the experts at MH decided that this UNproven treatment would be of no help to anyone on this forum.

Have a great holiday

[Trish77]

"Strange that you hadn't heard of ALA before. It was included in our endless supplement discussions. Several of us here were taking it. It was also on Gauf's list.

I took it everyday since before starting tx until 3 months post. "

Not so strange.  

I didn't participate in your endless supplement discussions.  I'm sure if you went back through those threads you would find I make little to no appearance there.  I also didn't have a reason to study Gauf's list at the time either - I've read it since. One of the first things I did after being diagnosed for Hep C was to search out CAM therapies however not so much for me but for a friend's mom who had kidney disease and Hep C and couldn't do treatment.  Once that was done, my attention turned to treatment-related pursuits. Supplements were not relevant to my situation at the time as generally, no supplements are taken on treatment and I spent little time on those threads and much more time on riba threads and the like.  I headed into treatment and a clinical drug trial and consumed myself with treatment-related research.  During treatment, I started looking into supplements to boost my immune system out of sheer necessity and a bit of desperation - Ev and Gauf were very helpful there.  

I noted those supplement threads but did not have reason to engage and I needed to focus my energies elsewhere. I'm sure if the treatment had failed, I would have then turned my attention to supplements as a means of curbing any progression of liver damage.   Beyond that, I've hardly ever touched a supplement my entire life other than mega doses of C when I got the occasional sinus cold. I've had practically no health issues whatsoever until diagnosed with Hep C in 2006.

Strange to you, perhaps, as one who has taken supplements for years.  I've hardly touched them ever. And now, I suppose, my reason for engaging is the same as when I first found out about Hep C.  My interest is not so much for me but with regards to other people in my life who don't have treatment as an option right now.

[mikesimon]

And I bet your favorite is artificially flavored pudding.

[Upbeat]

Yes I knew that.  Sometimes my fingers are quicker than my brain