Near breakthrough in leukaemia treatment

By Gargi Parsai

NEW DELHI, FEB. 2. India may be on the verge of a breakthrough in alternative cure for leukaemia, which is affordable, easily available, does not involve chemotherapy or bone marrow transplant. A study sponsored by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in the ayurvedic treatment of the dreaded disease, has shown promising results- a nearly cent per cent success rate in patients who followed a standard protocol.

The results have prompted the Ministry to fund the second phase for a scientific development of the silver-based compound that cured 10 of the 11 patients of acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APML) on the basis of the bone marrow test. ``The results were discussed in the Governing Body of the Central Council for Research for Ayurveda and Sidhdha chaired by the Minister, Mr. Shanmughan, recently and it was decided to support the study for further evaluation. In 10 of the 11 patients, the bone marrow had reached normality,'' said Ms. Shailja Chandra, Secretary for Department of Indian System of Medicines and Homeopathy.

Vaid Balendu Prakash, who has achieved the miraculous results, told The Hindu that he had been treating APM leukaemia patients for the last 13 years. It was his late father, Vaid Chandra Prakash, then based at Meerut, who discovered the medicine. ``It takes three years for us to prepare the medicine, which is a silver compound. Our results have been promising, but there is a certain scepticism about ayurveda in our country, especially from allopaths, because of which we were being denied the official support and recognition we need.''

Mr. Balendu Prakash, who is in his early forties, wants the benefits of ayurveda to reach as many people as possible. He wants the mysticism around ayurveda to be removed and more research and development to go into it. Despite having won a Padma Shri two years ago and despite being appointed honorary ayurved to the President of India, Mr. Balendu Prakash is still struggling to get ayurveda, particularly his brand of cancer cure, the recognition it deserves. He says he is game for examination of his compounds, evaluation, assessment and standardisation. Very wisely, he has moved for process and product patent for the compound for APML cure.

One of the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) doctors who is a member on the Cancer Research Sub- Committee said Vaid Balendu Prakash's results merit ``full, close and scientific analysis''. The doctor who examined 10 patients treated by Mr. Balendu said so far the results were good and patients had a normal bone marrow. Only one patient who stopped the treatment after three months had a relapse.

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