New article in Epoch Times by Sher Tsai on Gadolinium Deposition Disease, GBCAs, and Iodine Contrast and CT.

New article on GBCAs and GDD

This article was just posted on Epoch Times authored by Sher Tsai

What No One Tells You About Contrast in CT and MRI Scans: https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/what-no-one-tells-you-before-or-after-a-ct-or-mri-with-contrast-6026564?utm_campaign=socialshare_email&utm_source=email

I like it quite a lot, it could be a little stronger on GDD, but I think she probably is wise to make it more even-handed.

She does mention a point that I do see the dark humor in it. Still to this day, and I am not sure if she quotes from the ACR, a number of radiologists believe there is insufficient proof that GDD exists. Where I see the dark humor in it, the obvious question is what is lacking?

I will step through the points of why it is obviously a real entity:

1. people manifest symptoms most often shortly after the GBCA injection and generally by 1 month in everyone, and these symptoms are new.

2. Symptoms follow a common set pattern of types.

3. These symptoms are quite similar to the toxicity of other heavy metals.

4. Using the optimal chelator, presently Ca-DTPA, 24 hour urine pre-chelation is generally low, and post-chelation the Gd quantity increases substantially, often around 20 fold

5. There is a triphasic response to chelation :i) initial Gd removal Flare (week 1), ii) period of symptom improvement (week 2), iii) re-equilibration Flare (week 3)

6. Over time these phases progressively change with the Flares diminishing and the improvement expanding.

It is literally impossible to imagine there could be more proof for any other medical entity. What the above points contain is the Bradford Hill criteria for causation that is lacking for most entities, which is, if you challenge the individual again with the toxin they will again elaborate the symptoms. This is what chelation accomplishes, it brings Gd back into circulation, so that more immune cells interact with Gd and cause these Flare reactions (both removal and re-equilibration).

Ofcourse I could add in point 7 which should not be necessary.

7. I have authored more articles and textbooks on GBCAs, including more articles on the value of GBCA use, than anyone. So the primary observer of the disease is not some random influencer serving up slurpees at 7 eleven.. But the actual world authority on the whole God damn Gad subject.

Historically I have forgiven radiologists for not recognizing the disease, I had not myself for many years recognized it, when I was more or less just the world authority on writing about the good things about GBCAs, So why did I not see it myself for so many years? Three basic reasons:

1. The manufacturers never really described the toxicities of GBCAs. Around 2000 I recall one senior radiologist writing GBCAs are 'as safe as water', and we all more-or-less believed that then.

2. GDD is relatively rare. I estimate about 1 in 10,000 for all comers.

3. Radiologists never see patients, and certainly not at 1 month post MRI, when symptoms of GDD are most evident. This is the sad truth, that also was the case with me:

At this point in time I am quite incredulous that it is not widely recognized by radiologists, and by extension most / all physicians.

To say there is 'not sufficient evidence' is just plain wrong and reflects pure ignorance. I am not sure of the combination of sources of stupidity,, which probably varies between individuals: the amount that is pure just lack of knowledge (stupidity) or the various forms of greed (fear of not making money, fear of losing money by legal action). When I think generously, which for the longest time I have, I explain it that the entity is uncommon and radiologists never see patients. But then for various Rubes to say there is insufficient evidence, now actually makes my blood boil. The world authority is telling you about it, you dunces, and has done so for 10 years.

I have used several times the quote attributed to Arthur Schopenhauer regarding the Acceptance of Truth. There are 3 phases: first it is ridiculed, second it is violently opposed, and third, it is accepted as self-evident. We are in the phase of violent opposition. I had not thought when I first described GDD in 2016 that it would take more than a few years at most till it was broadly recognized. After all Schopenhauer made this observation in the early 1800s when the level of science and medicine was limited to little more than blood letting or applying leaches. I had thought that today with so much knowledge about medicine and disease that the lag time would be brief... But I have been wrong, there seems to be still, 10 years on, general lack of knowledge or misinformation: stating there is not enough evidence. So this may be always the case, and well also into the future, it may take decades for truth to sink in, This human nature that is well described by the quote of Upton Sinclair:

It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.

I am reminded of various other stupid wordings: for some reason today it made me think of the childish retort: I know you are but what am I. Or in the present age people who consider there are two sets of facts. No there is never two sets of facts. There are two sets of opinions, one is often much more wrong than the other. For someone to say there is not enough evidence that exists is actually spreading dangerous misinformation. I will add in the next point:

8. How is it possible that every other heavy metal can result in toxicity,, and all of the others acquired in small amounts and over a long period of time, in pathways where there are multiple layers of immune protection, such as lead and the GI tract. Somehow Gd alone does not result in toxicity in humans? Despite also 100s of peer-reviewed papers in animals of toxicity, likely more than for any other heavy metal, yet none of this has any bearing on humans? Some small amount of the administered Gd is present in the person for their lifetime, that is never a problem? And alone of all heavy metals, Gd is injected intravenously bypassing multiple layers of immune protection. Yet somehow by magic or divine intervention Gd does not ever result in persistent symptoms? When you pause for a moment and ponder the above, you come to the realization that only a complete idiot or complete liar, or a combination of both, would believe that Gd does not cause persistent severe symptoms.

When someone then says 'there is not enough evidence,'it simply reveals they are ignorant. In fact rather than just sticking their head in the ground like an ostrich (not sure they do that), here is a simple solution if you want to see the truth yourself. Easiest ofcourse is just to speak to individuals online on Gad toxicity groups. Or to be more scientific, everyone who gets an MRI with iv contrast should get an automatic phone call at 1 month time to see how they are doing, and if they feel they are presently suffering from symptoms that appeared to have arisen after the GBCA injection. This is much less expensive and time-consuming than the accepted, what I consider unwarranted (stupid), practice that most if not all radiology departments do,, when they have off-site imaging centers. They have a medically trained person, often a physician, who is trained in life support, and armed with an epipen or vials of epinephrine to treat severe acute hypersensitivity reactions. I have never been convinced that this has done anything or been of any value, yet is most commonly done. Here is an actual smart idea:, have an automatic call to everyone who received a GBCA injection to see how they are 1 month after the MR study. This actually should be mandated by the FDA.

I actually also find it interesting that as a modification fo Schopenhauer's observation, I also have developed a violent attitude towards the ignorance of accepting truth, so this is a variation of stage 2. I will allow you to land the first punch.

Richard Semelka, MD