A PROFESSOR of medicine has told a court that a review of a group of cancer patients treated by Paschal Carmody showed very good results and excellent remissions.
On the 11th day of the trial of Mr Carmody at Ennis Circuit Court, UK-based Prof Neville Krasner said yesterday he regretted that proper clinical trials were not carried out on the cancer patients treated by Mr Carmody, because there was potential for benefit with the information.
A review of 10 cancer patients of Mr Carmody by Prof Krasner, first presented to a medical Fitness to Practise inquiry in 2003, showed that nine of the 10 responded to an assortment of treatments provided by Mr Carmody.
All the patients involved were administered laser treatment known as photodynamic therapy treatment (PDT) and prescribed drugs aimed at building up their immune system.
Mr Carmody (60), Killaloe, Co Clare, is pleading not guilty to 25 charges of obtaining €80,172 from six terminally ill cancer patients and their families by deception between September 2001 and October 2002.
Mr Carmody’s counsel, Pat Marrinan SC, told the jury that the accused had been prevented from performing any further PDT treatments after an injunction in 2003.
Mr Marrinan asked: “In circumstances where patients are coming to you as a last resort, chemotherapy has not worked, surgery hasn’t worked, radiotherapy hasn’t worked. All treatments are failed and the patient has a short period to live and Dr Carmody is in a position where out of 10 patients were reviewed, nine have done well, eight have done remarkably well – do you see anything wrong with Dr Carmody trying to ameliorate those people?”
Prof Krasner responded: “There is too much chance in anecdotal cases. It would benefit the medical community in general and the patients to have precise information on treatment.”
One of Mr Carmody’s patients reviewed by Prof Krasner was the late Mark Hadden who, according to Mr Marrinan, was given three months to live in 1996, but survived another 12 years under the care of Dr Carmody, which included PDT treatments.
Prof Krasner said: “I would consider this a very striking result.”
On another of Mr Carmody’s patients, diagnosed with leukaemia in 1999, Prof Krasner said it was remarkable that the man was still alive. “It is an excellent result.”
Mr Marrinan said the patient was told in November 1999 that the prognosis was poor. He underwent chemotherapy and received no further conventional treatment. He then underwent treatments provided by Mr Carmody.
A third unnamed patient was told he was terminally ill before December 2002. Mr Marrinan said the person underwent PDT treatment from Mr Carmody and that the patient was still alive in December 2003 at the time of the Fitness to Practise committee hearing.
Prof Krasner said: “If no other treatment was provided, I would consider it a striking result.”
Mr Marrinan said: “Even more so if I told you that the person is alive today?” Prof Krasner answered: “One would not have expected him to survive.”
The trial continues today.
