98
I would like to see such a study, because if there is anything that
would help with a disease I cannot cure, I can only treat, I would
welcome that.
Ms. OAKAR. If we get an effective variety of painkillers would
this not be a financial problem for some individuals who are rheu-
matologists? Would it not strike a blow to the profession, if you had
a substance that was so cheap and that people could apply them-
selves?
Dr. BAUM. Well, aspirin is still a good cheap drug.
Ms. OAKAR. Not for senior citizens who live on $200 a month.
They might have to take four a day.
Dr. BAUM. I do not know, it would depend on how much DMSO
would cost once it got on the market, how much you would have to
apply, and what the final expense would be. I cannot evaluate that
compared to aspirin.
You are right, I try to get my patients on the cheapest drugs. I
am in academic medicine. My clinic people are people who cannot
afford to go to a private doctor. I want to treat them as cheaply as
I can and very often I have to use the cheapest drug that I can.
Ms. OAKAR. Thank you.
The CHAIRMAN. One other question.
In your rather extensive use of DMSO, have you had any patient
who had serious side effects or reaction to it?
Dr. BAUM. I had one nurse, a blond, as they pointed out earlier
that fair-skinned people have problems, who blistered. I think the
drug is essentially safe. In our review we only found one patient
who died from DMSO. And that is out of thousands who used it. So
I think that in general the drug is as safe, if not safer than, a lot of
the other drugs we use, yes.
The CHAIRMAN. Thank you.
Well, thank you very much, Dr. Baum and Mr. Bennett, for your
kindness in waiting so long and giving us your valuable testimony.
We appreciate it.
That concludes our hearing and we thank all of the witnesses
and the people who have cooperated with us today. The record will
remain open for 30 days for additional comments.
[See appendix 11, p. 139.]
[Whereupon, at 5:30 p.m., the hearing was adjourned.]
