June 15, 2001--
A prestigious peer-reviewed medical journal has published findings by a BYU professor, suggesting a new approach in the treatment of cystic fibrosis.
But it's not the work of a medical researcher.
She's a professor of political science, finding a niche in a scientific journal normally reserved for medical experts.
Valerie Hudson is not a chemist or an M.D. She doesn't have a background in genetics, biology or pulmonology. And yet the theory she's trying out on her own sons is credible enough to pass critical review and end up in this month's issue of Free Radical Biology.
In Orem, Utah, Tommy Hudson celebrates his 2nd year birthday. Tommy has cystic fibrosis. So does his brother, John.
BYU political science professor Valerie Hudson wanted to learn as much as she could about CF, so she bought medical books and reviewed the archives, even analyzing obscure studies.
As she continued researching, she learned the language of biology and became intrigued with a natural compound CF patients lack.
ED YEATES, SCIENCE SPECIALIST: "THIS IS THE STUFF DR. HUDSON WRITES ABOUT IN HER ARTICLE. GLUTATHIONE. IT'S EASY TO GET, CHEAP - BUT IT'S NON-PROFITABLE FOR THE BIG PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES."
VALERIE HUDSON, BYU POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR: "IF THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH OF IT BECAUSE OF THE MUTATION, LET'S ADD SOME AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. SIMPLE IDEA BUT THERE IS NO MONEY TO BE MADE. YOU CAN'T PATENT IT."
No royalties, no profit - that's why the Hudson's believe Glutathione has been ignored.
But under the supervision of their own doctors, the Hudsons began mixing up Glutathione in apple juice and sauce and giving it to John and Tom as a supplement.
Since John is the oldest, he's been getting it the longest. It appears to have thinned the damaging mucous in his lungs. But even more..
"HE WENT FROM LIKE THE 15TH PERCENTILE FOR WEIGHT TO THE 60TH PERCENTILE FOR WEIGHT JUST WITHIN A FEW MONTHS TIME. AND SOME OF HIS MEDICATIONS WE WERE ABLE TO REDUCE BY OVER 75 PERCENT."
Though Dr. Hudson is not a biologist, her article was critically reviewed by scientific peers and backed with more than 358 references.
VALERIE HUDSON: "SCIENCE IS SCIENCE AND YOU'E NOT GOING TO PERSUADE SOMEBODY BY JUST SHOWING THEM A COUPLE OF BEAUTIFUL KIDS. YOU'RE GOING TO PERSUADE PEOPLE BY DOING IT THE RIGHT WAY - BY DOING IT THE WAY SCIENCE ENDORSES."
The Hudson's know what they're doing with their kids is NOT a clinical trial. But pulmonolgists at the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center want to do a bonafide double blind clinical trial - donating their services free of charge.
Since pharmaceutical companies won't finance it, a non-profit fund has been sent up to raise $50,000 for the study.
