Thank you for the interesting email forward . I am a little surprised that this is something being passed on though . I remember at conventions being advised to be careful when passing along unsubstanciated experiences because they seem to become embellished along the way , Which I expect has occured in this case .
Not to say that the procedure did not happen, but the way it is written has the characteristics of an urban legend. For instance the line "The brothers propose a fourth day of EPO and the count rises." Doctors do not operate under the instruction of the HLC who are not trained medical staff, they would have obtained research into the procedure and made their own decision as to how many days EPO should continue.
Also I doubt Bethel is in the business of importing and distributing EPO, or would have supplied the hospital. EPO is a standard product used in several medical procedure that the hospital would have access to itself.
Witnesses need to become aware of the dangers associated with EPO use also. When my mom had her heart surgery she relayed the JW information about bloodless alternatives to her doctor including EPO . However she was unaware of the 40-50 % increase in stroke she would be subjecting herself to by using the product . Her doctor informed her of the added risk ,but because she felt she had no other choice and because the literature had such glowing reports about the wonders of EPO she decided the risk was worth it .It takes a week to have any real effect and since the surgery was a scheduled event they gave her the Epo the week before surgery . It now makes me wonder if her stroke was because of the EPO .
Older people need to realize the risks especially if they already have diabetes and heart disease.
Here are some interesting facts I found about EPO :
While erythropoietin itself is not a blood product, some brands of the synthetic form do have a very small amount of a blood fraction added to them. The epoetin-alfa formulation (Epogen®, Procrit®) contains 2.5 mg human serum albumin. The albumin first prevents the pharmaceutical from sticking to the vial, and then acts as a carrier molecule to help the EPO remain in the bloodstream until it reaches its destination at the bone marrow.
Two formulations of Eprex®, one of which replaces albumin with polysorbate as a stabilizer, are available in Canada and other countries.[1] Recormon® is also albumin-free, with polysorbate being the stabilizer.[1] Aranesp® comes in two formulations, one contains albumin; the other is albumin-free
What risks or side-effects are there?
Already hypertensive patients may experience further elevation of blood pressure, and a minority of patients (perhaps 20-30%) with chronic renal failure may experience increased blood pressure, when given intravenous EPO. This is thought to be caused by the rapid increase in hematocrit. For the same reason, some patients may develop blood clots. These undesirable reactions are less common when the drug is administered subcutaneously.[1] In general, elevated blood pressure can be managed with antihypertensive agents. [1]
Recently Eprex® has been associated with incidences of pure red-cell aplasia, a condition which, though rare, can lead to permanent blood transfusion dependency.[1]
Possible minor side effects include: diarrhea, dizziness, headache, itching, muscle aches and pains, nausea, pain at the site of injection, tiredness, or vomiting. These side effects usually diminish or disappear as the body adjusts to the medication.[1]
Results of Recent Research
* Amgen study results released January 29, 2007 reflect higher mortality rates in use of Aranesp® in cancer patients with anemia not caused by chemotherapy. Amgen stresses need for caution in using this product within the dosage parameters stated on their approved product label.
* The FDA has issued "black box" warnings regarding aggressive use of Aranesp, Epogen, and Procrit (link to article http://www.medpagetoday.com/ProductAlert/Prescriptions/tb/5231
How much does it cost?
Specific cost data is being researched, but generally EPO is still quite expensive (about twice as costly) relative to the cost of blood transfusion, for which EPO is an alternative treatment. Of course, total cost of treatment depends on the condition being treated, the length of treatment, and the frequency of dosing. Some cancer patients can receive EPO on a once-every-three-weeks dosing interval; other patients may need once a week or more frequent dosing, or larger doses.
* How long does EPO take to produce a significant rise in hemoglobin or hematocrit?
Patient response to the drug varies, and a minority of patients show little or no response. However, many studies have shown that in patients without underlying disease or active bleeding, EPO can raise the hemoglobin by one gram per deciliter (1 g/dL) in as little as one week -- the equivalent of a unit of packed red blood cells.[1]