Critiquing: National Cancer Institute (NCI) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) CancerNet “fact sheet”

[1] – 1995 (10/1995) – The National Cancer Institute (NCI) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued its CancerNet “fact sheet”

The problem is that there were “factual issues” with the CancerNet “fact sheet”
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[0] – All Americans are “presumed to know the law:”

Title 18, Part I, Chapter 47, § 1001

18 USC § 1001 – Statements or entries generally

(3) “makes or uses any false writing or document knowing the same to contain any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or entry”
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Below is how the “fact sheet” looked before and after the “fact sheet’s” “factual issues” were fixed
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BOLD = changes
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[1] – 10/1995 – CancerNet from the National Cancer Institute

CANCER FACTS

National Cancer Institute
National Institutes of Health
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[2] – 5/20/2002 – CANCER FACTS

National Cancer Institute • National Institutes of Health Department of Health and Human Services
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[1] – 10/1995 – National Cancer Institute-Sponsored Clinical Trials of Antineoplastons

Antineoplastons are a group of compounds originally isolated from urine by Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski, who claims that they inhibit cancer cell growth
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[2] – 5/20/2002 – Antineoplastons

Antineoplastons are a group of synthetic compounds that were originally isolated from human blood and urine by Stanislaw Burzynski, M.D., Ph.D., in Houston, Texas
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[1] – 10/1995 – Dr. Burzynski has used these compounds to treat patients with various cancers
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[2] – 5/20/2002 – Dr. Burzynski has used antineoplastons to treat patients with a variety of cancers
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[1] – 10/1995 – In 1991, a “best case series” review was conducted by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to evaluate clinical responses in a group of patients treated at Dr. Burzynski’s Houston facility
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[2] – 5/20/2002 – In 1991, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) conducted a review to evaluate the clinical responses in a group of patients treated with antineoplastons at the Burzynski Research Institute in Houston
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[1] – 10/1995 – For this review, Dr. Burzynski selected from his entire clinical experience seven brain tumor patients whom he felt had a beneficial effect from antineoplastons
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[2] – 5/20/2002 – The medical records of seven brain tumor patients who were thought to have benefited from treatment with antineoplastons were reviewed by NCI
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[3] – 10/27/1995 – Burzynski objected to [1] in a 7 page letter to Richard Klausner, M.D., Director, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), on page 1:

[A] – Gives the reader the impression that in his entire clinical experience he had only 7 patients who benefitted from antineoplaston treatment

[B] – He prepared not 7, but dozens of cases for the NCI reviewers

[C] – The reviewers were able to spend just one day at the clinic–enough time to review only 7 cases

(averaging one case per hour)
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[1] – 10/1995 – This series did not constitute a formal clinical trial, since it was a retrospective review of medical records, did not include all available patient information, and included only cases selected by Dr. Burzynski
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[2] – 5/20/2002 – This did not constitute a clinical trial but, rather, was a retrospective review of medical records, called a “best case series.”
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[3] – 10/27/1995 – Burzynski objected to [1] in a 7 page letter to Richard Klausner, M.D., Director, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), on page 1:

[D] – The patient medical records that NCI scientists reviewed were exhaustive and did contain “all available patient information.”

[E] – Michael Hawkins, M.D., leader of the site visit team, specifically complimented him on how complete and well-organized they were

[F] – 1991 (11/15/1991) – Michael J. Hawkins, M.D., Chief, Investigational Drug Branch, Department of Health &Human Services (HHS), Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Cancer Institute (NCI) sent a 1 page Memorandum Re:
Antineoplaston
to Decision Network:, which advised, in part:

“Seven patient cases were presented at the site visit and the records, pathology slides and scans documenting response were reviewed”
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[1] – 10/1995 – The reviewers of this series determined that there was presumptive evidence of antitumor activity and NCI then proposed that Phase II clinical trials be conducted to evaluate more definitively the response rate and toxicity of antineoplastons in adult patients with refractory brain tumors
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[2] – 5/20/2002 – The reviewers of this series found evidence of antitumor activity, and NCI proposed that formal clinical trials be conducted to further evaluate the response rate and toxicity of antineoplastons in adults with advanced brain tumors
——————————————————————
[F] – 1991 (11/15/1991) – Michael J. Hawkins, M.D., Chief, Investigational Drug Branch, Department of Health &Human Services (HHS), Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Cancer Institute (NCI)
sent a 1 page Memorandum Re:
Antineoplaston
to Decision Network:, which advised, in part:

“It was the opinion of the site visit team that antitumor activity was documented in this best case series and that the conduct of Phase II trials was indicated to determine the response rate”

[3] – 10/27/1995 – Burzynski objected to [1] in a 7 page letter to Richard Klausner, M.D., Director, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), on page 1:

[G] – The statement of the NCI scientists who actually reviewed patient records was quite different from the above

Their report stated:

“The site visit team determined that antitumor activity was documented in the best case series and that the conduct of Phase II trials was indicated to determine the response rate

(minutes of Decision Network committee meeting)
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[1] – 10/1995 – The decision by NCI to sponsor the study of an agent in a clinical trial does not indicate that the agent is or will be useful in the treatment of cancer patients, only that it merits further evaluation in a research setting

Efforts to study antineoplastons in a scientifically rigorous manner have required complex interactions among NCI, clinical investigators, the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Office of Alternative Medicine, the Food and Drug Administration, advocates from the alternative medicine community, and Dr. Burzynski
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[1] – 10/1995 – Two protocols were developed by the participating Cancer Center investigators with extensive review and input from NCI and Dr. Burzynski
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[2] – 5/20/2002 – Investigators at several cancer centers developed protocols for two phase II clinical trials with review and input from NCI and Dr. Burzynski
======================================
[1] – 10/1995 – These studies began in 1993 at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, and the NIH Clinical Center
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[2] – 5/20/2002 – These NCI-sponsored studies began in 1993 at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, the Mayo Clinic, and the Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center at the National Institutes of Health
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[1] – 10/1995 – However, accrual to these studies was very slow and only nine patients were enrolled
——————————————————————
[2] – 5/20/2002 – Patient enrollment in these studies was slow, and by August 1995 only nine patients had entered the trials
======================================
[1] – 10/1995 – On 8/18/1995, the studies were closed because a consensus could not be reached with Dr. Burzynski on the proposed changes in the protocol to increase accrual, and there was no hope of completing the studies in a timely manner
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[2] – 5/20/2002 – Attempts to reach a consensus on proposed changes to increase accrual could not be reached by Dr. Burzynski , NCI staff, and investigators, and on 8/18/1995, the studies were closed prior to completion
——————————————————————
[3] – 10/27/1995 – Burzynski objected to [1] in a 7 page letter to Richard Klausner, M.D., Director, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), on page 1:

[H] – The only reason the clinical trials of antineoplastons were stopped is that NCI would not conduct them as per our written agreement

[I] – Even the NCI’s own previous “fact sheet” on antineoplastons, dated 2/17/1994, states that

“The NCI reviewed 7 cases of patients with primary brain tumors that were treated by Dr. Burzynski with antineoplastons and concluded that antitumor responses occurred

[J] – The NCI never made any effort to “reach a consensus.”

[K] – It simply violated the written protocol we had agreed upon

[L] – Without informing me, NCI changed the rules to allow patients with any size or number of tumors, low performance scores, and spinal cord metastases

[M] – When I found out and insisted that NCI either conduct the study as agreed or inform patients that I felt it was conducting the study improperly, NCI cancelled it
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[1] – 10/1995 – Because these studies were closed prior to completion, no conclusions can be made about the effectiveness or toxicity of antineoplastons
——————————————————————
[2] – 5/20/2002 – Because of the small number of patients in these trials, no definitive conclusions can be drawn about the effectiveness of treatment with antineoplastons
======================================
[1] – 10/1995 – It is rare that this kind of NCI-sponsored clinical study cannot be successfully completed

The NCI is disappointed by this outcome but is continuing to evaluate related compounds in clinical trials in order to determine if they may be of benefit in the treatment of patients with cancer
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REFERENCES:
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[1] – Date Last Modified 10/1995
——————————————————————
CancerNet from the National Cancer Institute

CANCER FACTS

National Cancer Institute
National Institutes of Health

National Cancer Institute-Sponsored Clinical Trials of Antineoplastons

Antineoplastons are a group of compounds originally isolated from urine by Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski, who claims that they inhibit cancer cell growth

Dr. Burzynski has used these compounds to treat patients with various cancers

In 1991, a “best case series” review was conducted by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to evaluate clinical responses in a group of patients treated at Dr. Burzynski’s Houston facility

For this review, Dr. Burzynski selected from his entire clinical experience seven brain tumor patients whom he felt had a beneficial effect from antineoplastons

This series did not constitute a formal clinical trial, since it was a retrospective review of medical records, did not include all available patient information, and included only cases selected by Dr. Burzynski

The reviewers of this series determined that there was presumptive evidence of antitumor activity and NCI then proposed that Phase II clinical trials be conducted to evaluate more definitively the response rate and toxicity of antineoplastons in adult patients with refractory brain tumors

The decision by NCI to sponsor the study of an agent in a clinical trial does not indicate that the agent is or will be useful in the treatment of cancer patients, only that it merits further evaluation in a research setting

Efforts to study antineoplastons in a scientifically rigorous manner have required complex interactions among NCI, clinical investigators, the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Office of Alternative Medicine, the Food and Drug Administration, advocates from the alternative medicine community, and Dr. Burzynski

Two protocols were developed by the participating Cancer Center investigators with extensive review and input from NCI and Dr. Burzynski

These studies began in 1993 at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, and the NIH Clinical Center

However, accrual to these studies was very slow and only nine patients were enrolled

On 8/18/1995, the studies were closed because a consensus could not be reached with Dr. Burzynski on the proposed changes in the protocol to increase accrual, and there was no hope of completing the studies in a timely manner

Because these studies were closed prior to completion, no conclusions can be made about the effectiveness or toxicity of antineoplastons

It is rare that this kind of NCI-sponsored clinical study cannot be successfully completed

The NCI is disappointed by this outcome but is continuing to evaluate related compounds in clinical trials in order to determine if they may be of benefit in the treatment of patients with cancer
======================================
[2] – This fact sheet was reviewed on 7/13/01

Editorial changes were made on 5/20/02
——————————————————————
CANCER FACTS

National Cancer Institute • National Institutes of Health Department of Health and Human Services

Antineoplastons

Antineoplastons are a group of synthetic compounds that were originally isolated from human blood and urine by Stanislaw Burzynski, M.D., Ph.D., in Houston, Texas

Dr. Burzynski has used antineoplastons to treat patients with a variety of cancers

In 1991, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) conducted a review to evaluate the clinical responses in a group of patients treated with antineoplastons at the Burzynski Research Institute in Houston

The medical records of seven brain tumor patients who were thought to have benefited from treatment with antineoplastons were reviewed by NCI

This did not constitute a clinical trial but, rather, was a retrospective review of medical records, called a “best case series.”

The reviewers of this series found evidence of antitumor activity, and NCI proposed that formal clinical trials be conducted to further evaluate the response rate and toxicity of antineoplastons in adults with advanced brain tumors

Investigators at several cancer centers developed protocols for two phase II clinical trials with review and input from NCI and Dr. Burzynski

These NCI-sponsored studies began in 1993 at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, the Mayo Clinic, and the Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center at the National Institutes of Health

Patient enrollment in these studies was slow, and by August 1995 only nine patients had entered the trials

Attempts to reach a consensus on proposed changes to increase accrual could not be reached by Dr. Burzynski , NCI staff, and investigators, and on 8/18/1995, the studies were closed prior to completion

A paper describing this research, “Phase II Study of Antineoplastons A10 (NSC 648539) and AS2-1 (NSC 620261) in Patients With Recurrent Glioma,” appears in Mayo Clinic Proceedings 1999, 74:137–145

Because of the small number of patients in these trials, no definitive conclusions can be drawn about the effectiveness of treatment with antineoplastons

At present, the Burzynski Research Institute is conducting trials using antineoplastons for a variety of cancers
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[1] – Date Last Modified 10/1995
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[2] – This fact sheet was reviewed on 7/13/2001

Editorial changes were made on 5/20/2002
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[2]
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Click to access Antineoplastons.pdf

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[3] – 10/27/1995 – Burzynski sent a 7 page letter to Richard Klausner, M.D., Director, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH)
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https://stanislawrajmundburzynski.wordpress.com/2013/09/18/24-1995-10271995-burzynski-to-dr-richard-klausner-7-pgs/
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[0] – Title 18, Part I, Chapter 47, § 1001
——————————————————————
18 USC § 1001 – Statements or entries generally
——————————————————————
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1001
======================================
[F] – 1991 (11/15/1991) – Michael J. Hawkins, M.D., Chief, Investigational Drug Branch, Department of Health &Human Services (HHS), Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Cancer Institute (NCI) sent a 1 page Memorandum Re:
Antineoplaston
to Decision Network
——————————————————————
https://stanislawrajmundburzynski.wordpress.com/2013/09/17/5-1991-11151991-dr-michael-j-hawkins-to-decision-network/
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[G] – 1991 (12/2/1991) – NCI Decision Network Report on Antineoplastons:
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https://stanislawrajmundburzynski.wordpress.com/2013/09/17/6-1991-12291-nci-decision-network-report-on-antineoplastons/
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Critiquing: Dr. Michael A. Friedman, Dr. Mario Sznol, Robert B. Lanman,
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Public Health Service, Quality Assurance and Compliance Section, Regulatory Affairs Branch (RAB), Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program (CTEP), Division of Cancer Treatment (DCT), National Cancer Center (NCI) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Stanislaw Burzynski: On the arrogance of ignorance about cancer and targeted therapies:
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https://stanislawrajmundburzynski.wordpress.com/2013/09/08/critiquing-stanislaw-burzynski-on-the-arrogance-of-ignorance-about-cancer-and-targeted-therapies/
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DID Dr. Michael A. Friedman FIB ?

[1] – 6/6/1995 – Dr. Michael A. Friedman, Associate Director, Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program (CTEP), Division of Cancer Treatment (DCT), National Cancer Institute (NCI), Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health (NIH), sent a 3 page letter to Burzynski, in response to his letters of 4/20/1995 and 5/16/1995, which advised, in part, on page 1:

“I will 1st address the questions you raised about individual patients participating in the NCI-sponsored antineoplaston studies

“2 patients were treated at the National Cancer Institute”

Patient .26-77-03-9 … at the NCI

Patient .27-53-76-5 … “
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6/6/1995 we know “2 patients were treated at the National Cancer Institute” [1]

20130918-165840.jpg
[2] – 8/23/1995 – Robert B. Lanman, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Legal Advisor, Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Office of the Secretary, Office of the General Council, Public Health Division, sent a 1 page letter; which he copied Dr. Michael A. Friedman on, to Burzynski’s attorney, Richard A. Jaffe, Esq., which was in response to his letter of 7/21/1995, and advised, in part:

” … you requested in your letter that we provide you or Dr. Burzynski with the medical records of patients treated by the Principle Investigators”

“The NCI does not possess any individual patient records to provide to Dr. Burzynski”
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6/6/1995 we know per Dr. Michael A. Friedman’s letter that “2 patients were treated at the National Cancer Institute” [1]

8/23/1995 we know that the National Cancer Institute (NCI) did NOT have “any individual patient records” for those 2 patients per National Institutes of Health (NIH) Legal Advisor Robert B. Lanman [2]

20130918-154154.jpg
[3] – 9/19/1995 – Dr. Michael A. Friedman, Associate Director, Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program (CTEP), Division of Cancer Treatment (DCT), National Cancer Institute (NCI), Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health (NIH), sent a 2 page letter to Burzynski, which advised, in part:

“I am replying to your 8/29/1995 letter in which you requested “detailed records” of the patients treated in the National Cancer Institute sponsored trials of antineoplastons

Pg. 2

We have no individual patient records in our possession in addition to the Theradex reports”
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6/6/1995 we know from Dr. Michael A. Friedman’s letter that “2 patients were treated at the National Cancer Institute”[1]

8/23/1995 we know that the National Cancer Institute (NCI) did NOT have “any individual patient records” for those 2 patients per National Institutes of Health (NIH) Legal Advisor Robert B. Lanam’s letter [2]

9/19/1995 we know that Dr. Michael A. Friedman advised that “We have no individual patient records in our possession …”[3]

8/23/1995 we know that Dr. Michael A. Friedman was copied on Robert A. Lanman’s letter which stated that the National Cancer Institute (NCI) did NOT have “any individual patient records” for those 2 patients [2]

All Americans are “presumed to know the law”, so we know that Dr. Michael A. Friedman would have advised Robert B. Lanman if his 8/23/1995 written statement to Burzynski’s attorney, Richard A. Jaffe, Esq., was NOT TRUE [2]

[0] – Title 18, Part I, Chapter 47, § 1001

18 USC § 1001 – Statements or entries generally

(3) “makes or uses any false writing or document knowing the same to contain any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or entry”

20130918-160216.jpg

20130918-161029.jpg
[4] – 10/5/1995 – Robert B. Lanman, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Legal Advisor, Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Office of the Secretary, Office of the General Counsel, Public Health Division, sent a 1 page letter to Burzynski’s attorney, Richard A. Jaffe, Esq., which advised, in part:

“This is in response to your 9/8/1995 letter in which you reiterate your request for copies of individual patient records and argue that the protocol for the study of Antineoplastons specifically provides that medical records of patients treated by the Principal Investigators will be provided to Dr. Burzynski”

“With regard to the portion of the medical record which you forwarded, the stamp does indicate that the patient was seen at the National Institutes of Health’s Clinical Center

“We have learned that 2 patients were enrolledthrough the Clinical Center and hence … the Clinical Centerhas medical records for those 2 individuals”
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6/6/1995 we know from Dr. Michael A. Friedman’s letter that “2 patients were treated at the National Cancer Institute” [1]

8/23/1995 we know that the National Cancer Institute (NCI) did NOT have “any individual patient records” for those 2 patients per National Institutes of Health (NIH) Legal Advisor Robert B. Lanam’s letter [2]

8/23/1995 we know that Dr. Michael A. Friedman was copied on Robert A. Lanman’s letter which stated that the National Cancer Institute (NCI) did NOT have “any individual patient records” for those 2 patients [2]

9/19/1995 we know that Dr. Michael A. Friedman advised that “We have no individual patient records in our possession …” in his letter to Burzynski [3]

10/5/1995 we know that Robert B. Lanman admitted that ” … the National Institutes of Health’s Clinical Center … has medical records for those 2 individuals”, in his letter [4]

All Americans are “presumed to know the law”, so we know that Dr. Michael A. Friedman would have advised Robert B. Lanman if his 8/23/1995 written statement to Burzynski’s attorney, Richard A. Jaffe, Esq., was NOT TRUE [2], and / or would have advised Burzynski in his 9/19/1995 letter that the National Cancer Institutes Clinical Center had “medical records for those 2 individuals” [3]

20130918-154926.jpg
Dr. Michael A. Friedman

6/6/1995 you advised Burzynski that “2 patients were treated at the National Cancer Institute” [1]

8/23/1995 you were copied on Robert A. Lanman’s letter which stated that the National Cancer Institute (NCI) did NOT have “any individual patient records” for those 2 patients [2]

8/23/1995 we know that you did NOT advise Burzynski that National Institutes of Health (NIH) Legal Advisor Robert B. Lanman’s written statement was NOT TRUE [2]

9/19/1995 you advised Burzynski that “We have no individual patient records in our possession …” [3]

10/5/1995 – Robert B. Lanman admitted that ” … the National Institutes of Health’s Clinical Center … has medical records for those 2 individuals” [4]

Dr. Michael A. Friedman, I know that you would NOT break the law

Title 18, Part I, Chapter 47, § 1001

18 USC § 1001 – Statements or entries generally

(3) “makes or uses any false writing or document knowing the same to contain any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or entry”

Dr. Michael A. Friedman, please let me know why what you did was NOT a LIE

My primary obligation is to the American public, because, I know you would tell the TRUTH, since, in your words, you “could not responsibly act in any other manner”
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[0] – Title 18, Part I, Chapter 47, § 1001

18 USC § 1001 – Statements or entries generally
——————————————————————
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1001
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