2
[See app. 1, p. 99, for staff briefing memo on arthritis and
DMSO.]
This drug has been used for many years by veterinarians. We
contacted hundreds of veterinarians and about 70 percent of the
veterinarians contacted have been using it, and about 95 percent of
them responded that they had found its use remarkably satisfac-
tory in dealing with animals that they were treating for arthritis,
inflammation, swelling, and other disorders.
[See apps. 2-6 for results of committee's questionnaires and let-
ters from foreign health organizations and officers, pp. 103–117.]
The Food and Drug Administration has not so far approved the
drug for general use in humans. We want to know why they have
not approved it if, as has been claimed, it shows efficacy or the
great promise of efficacy. Have they exercised the due diligence in
trying to see that adequate research was done to determine if it
could be safe for use upon humans?
We are simply concerned about doing what we can to help people
inflicted with the painful illness of arthritis, some of whom have
had distortions in their body posture, or hands on account of it. We
are anxious to see if there is any way that we can be helpful in
promoting this or any other drug that will be meaningful to the
people who suffer from that illness.
[The prepared statement follows:]
PREPARED STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN CLAUDE PEPPER
Good morning ladies and gentlemen. I would like to welcome you to this hearing
by the House Select Committee on Aging. Today, we want to hear from expert
witnesses about the possible benefits of the drug, dimethyl sulfoxide-widely known
as DMSO. The drug, on one hand, is heralded as a new wonder drug and, on the
other hand, decried as a quack remedy. We intend to learn the truth.
DMSO is a by-product from the manufacture of paper. In refined form, it is
applied directly to the skin in either a liquid or ointment form.
The drug is said to be very effective in reducing pain, swelling, inflammation and
other symptoms of arthritis. Since there are 31 million people with arthritis, most of
them elderly, we are very interested in the potential of this drug.
The drug has its critics who label it as an unproven remedy. The Food and Drug
Administration has not approved the drug for general use in humans. The drug,
however, is legal for veterinary purposes and one specific medical condition in
humans.
This morning we will hear from both sides on this important question. We hope to
learn what, if anything, the Congress should be doing about DMSO and Federal
laws which relate to drug testing.
In an effort to learn more about DMSO, we have sent questionnaires to interna-
tional health experts in several countries where DMSO is legal for human use. We
have also sent questionnaires to rheumatologists in the United States, and to team
physicians with many pro-sports teams. Finally, we sent questionnaires to veterinar-
ians to learn from their experience in treating animals with DMSO
Not many rheumatologists reported they had experience with the drug. Those
who had were about evenly divided on whether it should be legalized for human
use. Veterinarians were overwhelmingly positive about their experience. Fully 70
percent of the veterinarians had used it and 95 percent of this number claimed the
drug was effective. Eighty percent of them said it should be legalized for human use.
Team physicians from American and Canadian pro-sports teams were reluctant to
talk about their use of the illegal drug. Several of them called our staff to confirm
the widespread use of the drug in pro-sports and to give us the names of people
willing to talk about it.
We have a distinguished list of witnesses here this morning and I look forward to
hearing from both proponents and opponents of the drug.
The CHAIRMAN. We have two of our colleagues here this morning
who have been kind enough to come to give us some evidence that
they have acquired by experience in the use of this drug.
