Roy Kerry, the physician who administered a chelation therapy to the child Tariq Nadama shortly before the 5-year-old boy died, surrendered to police 23 August 2007 in Pittsburgh (PA, US). Dr. Kerry was charged with involutary manslaughter and is being sued by the boy’s parents. Here is a snippet from the Washington (DC, US) Post:
A doctor was charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with administering a chemical treatment that state police say killed a 5-year-old autistic boy. The child, Abubakar Tariq Nadama, went into cardiac arrest at Roy E. Kerry’s medical office immediately after undergoing chelation therapy on Aug. 23, 2005. Chelation is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating acute heavy-metal poisoning but not for treating autism. Some people who believe autism is caused by a mercury-containing preservative once used in vaccines say chelation may help autistic children. The boy’s parents had moved from England to the Pittsburgh area to seek treatment for his autism. They have filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Kerry, and the state is trying to revoke his medical license.
The story in the Post appeared in section called “Nation in Brief.” There is a longer story under the headline “Doctor surrenders in autistic boy’s chemical treatment” in the Somerset (PA, US) Daily American.
The doctor should never be allowed to practice medicine again. The parents have to blame the doctor because any introspection would result in the terribly harsh reality that they too are to blame. It’s terribly sad, no matter which angle you take. It’s a shame parents are so easily duped by charlatans with letters behind their name. MD’s seem to have unlimited licenses to go beyond their medical training and be experts, not in disease and medicine but in learning, school, and behavior as well.
I think if an MD was not adhering to the CDC recommendations, JAMA and the Surgeon General, I would question their competencies. With our pediatrician and our son’s medical condition, he prefaces his recommendations with, “The Center for Disease Control’s current position…” I find that very comforting.
Andrew, I hope that sites such as yours help educate consumers (i.e., parents, families, and individuals with disabilities or other service needs) about choosing services based on explicit evidence about effectiveness. I agree that too many therapies are selected for the wrong reasons.