Very Red Flag Over Cancer Center's Survival Claims :NBC.com.(Cancer Treatment Centers of America)

[Stuart G]

http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/03/06/17211582-very-red-flag-over-cancer-centers-rosy-survival-claims?lite

By Sharon Begley and Robin Respaut, Reuters

When the local doctor who had been treating Vicky Hilborn told her that her rare cancer had spread throughout her body, including her brain, she and her husband refused to accept a death sentence. Within days, Keith Hilborn was on the phone with an "oncology information specialist" at Cancer Treatment Centers of America.

Hilborn had seen CTCA's website touting survival rates better than national averages. His call secured Vicky an appointment at the for-profit, privately held company's Philadelphia affiliate, Eastern Regional Medical Center. There, the oncologist who examined Vicky told the couple he had treated other cases of histiocytic sarcoma, the cancer of immune-system cells that she had.

"He said, ‘We'll have you back on your feet in no time,'" Keith recalled.

Vicky's cancer treatment was forestalled by an infection and other complications that kept her at Eastern Regional for three weeks. In July 2009, when she got back home, things changed. Despite Keith's calls, he said, CTCA did not schedule another appointment. As his wife got sicker, Keith, a former deputy sheriff in western Pennsylvania, was reduced to begging. The oncology information specialist "said don't bring her here," he recalled. "I said you don't understand; we're going to lose her if you don't treat her. She told me I'd just have to accept that. "Vicky Hilborn never got another appointment with CTCA. She died on September 6, 2009, at age 48.

CTCA is not unique in turning away patients. A lot of doctors, hospitals and other healthcare providers in the United States decline to treat people who can't pay, or have inadequate insurance, among other reasons. What sets CTCA apart is that rejecting certain patients and, even more, culling some of its patients from its survival data lets the company tout in ads and post on its website patient outcomes that look dramatically better than they would if the company treated all comers. These are the rosy survival numbers that attract people like the Hilborns.
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interesting history of this company:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer_Treatment_Centers_of_America
note: if you go to that site you will see that CTCA has tried to infect the wikipedia site with their own scum garbage..note warning before you get to the honest statement at the bottom of the article................................................................

CONTROVERSY [/B ]
Cancer Treatment Centers of America was the subject of a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) complaint in 1993. The FTC alleged that CTCA made false claims regarding the success rates of certain cancer treatments in their promotional materials. This claim was settled in March 1996, requiring CTCA to discontinue use of any unsubstantiated claims in their advertising.[8] CTCA is also required to have proven, scientific evidence for all statements regarding the safety, success rates, endorsements, and benefits of their cancer treatments. CTCA was also required to follow various steps in order to report compliance to the FTC per the settlement.

Cancer centers and hospitals in general (including Cancer Treatment Centers of America) have been the subjects of some controversy over their advertising Many doctors and other observers[11] have noted that many cancer organizations' advertising are sparsely regulated and, therefore, often contain unsupported and misleading claims as to the efficacy of their cancer treatments.[9][10][11]

In 2001, the FDA issued CTCA a Warning Letter concerning three clinical trials that were conducted in violation of FDA requirements.[12]

[CurtEastPoint]

1. For profit. That's their only goal.

[MotherPetrie]

2. SO fucking wrong

[Stuart G]

3. It is all about these assholes making money.

A couple of hours ago, I heard one of their ads on the radio implying that they get better results than other cancer centers. I had read about them before, and almost puked in the car. They are the worst of the worst...still in business..pass this around. maybe they will lose some business...

[MotherPetrie]

5. I see their ads all the time on TV and I've always been suspicious of them

When something seems too good to be true it usually is, and to falsely raise cancer victims' hopes like this with these ads, when the reality is they fudge their numbers and only take patients with the "right" health insurance is just criminal. Evil fuckers!

[LiberalElite]

6. yes they tout their doctors and staff and whatnot

but then the small print that then appears on the screen says you "should expect the same results" So what's the point of the commercial?

[MotherPetrie]

8. They're preying on vulnerable people and banking on their emotions overriding caution

[LiberalElite]

9. Yes - I'm not in that situation (yet) so I'm able to pay attention to the

small print that's put there undoubtedly for legal reasons.

[JoeBlowToo]

4. Those ads on TV for this outfit always struck me as B.S.

They imply that they can cure cancers that no one else can...of course, without actually claiming so.

[Phentex]

12. That's how I see them...

they can perform miracles where no one else can.

I wondered if they were just in places where people don't have access to other care but I never looked them up or anything.

[LiberalElite]

7. I learned some time ago about hospitals and their survival stats -

a co-worker's husband had a very serious heart condition and had a lot of difficulty finding a hospital to treat him - in NYC mind you where we have hospitals galore - because he was too sick.

[greiner3]

10. What I remember of their tag line;

"It's worth everything!"

[alarimer]

11. Their CEO is a known criminal

He's committed fraud before.

[Archae]

14. He has?

I never heard of this...

[kairos12]

13. Their ads always smelled to me