Dr. Layton's Response

[Guest guest]

Today I received an email with a file attached from E. Layton, M.D.

Below is a copy of the email and the attached file.

Thank You Sincerely,

Beverly Weakley

Mom of Jen ... age 10 years and 11 1/2 months ... infused and receiving

secretin transdermally

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Dear Beverly:

It appears that the letter I sent to Pediatric News must have made its way

on the Internet. If this is not the case, I am attaching a copy of my

response to the recent article disagreeing with the premise of this study.

Today this study is being published in the New England Journal of Medicine

and already there are negative comments about Secretin on t.v.

It is becoming quite obvious that a significant number of researchers and

physicians are determined to prove that Secretin is ineffective. Accepting

the reality that parental and teacher observations are valid is stepping on

scientific turf.

I am committed to helping as many children as I can with Autism and

appreciate your support.

Sincerely,

E. Layton, M.D.

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December 7, 1999

Pediatric News

The recent double-blind placebo-controlled Secretin study reported in

Pediatric News recently appeared to be scientifically accurate.

Unfortunately, this study was flawed from its inception; specifically,

errors in this study include the following:

1) Ferring & Gaspretin are the only types of Secretin that have been

credited with therapeutic effectiveness. Both are porcine based. Dr.

Sandler's study utilized human recombinant Secretin. The concern over

immunogenicity of pork-based Secretin is theoretical and to date clinically

without foundation.

2) IV Secretin should be given three times over 4-6 months--not once. A

significant number of children do not respond until the second or even third

dose. If a child has not responded by the third Secretin infusion, then

Secretin therapy should be discontinued.

3) When IV Secretin was initially reported to help children with Autism, the

patients selected had gastrointestinal disorders--often chronic diarrhea. A

significant percentage of Autistic children do have associated GI problems

but many do not. This study neglected proper patient screening.

4) This study claimed an equivalent dosage of Secretin was used. One

question--Is the dosage of .4 micrograms per kilogram equivalent to

Ferring's two clinical units?

Clinically, Secretin has provided over 50% of the children I have treated

with significant improvements in spontaneous language, social, and/or

cognitive skills. Many are calmer, happier children with improved GI

function.

The astute observations made by parents, teachers, and physicians involved

with autistic children should not be ignored. In the future physicians

knowledgeable on how to treat autistic children with Secretin should be

included in the study design; then a randomized DBPC study with better

patient selection will be far more accurate in its scientific conclusion.

Update

>

>

> Worth Reading... Autism Update ... at Allergy Connection - CHILDREN -

> ADULTS - ADHD ADD Hyperactivity Ritalin Allergy Allergies Hyperactive

Food -

> ADULTS - Dr. Layton

> http://www.allergyconnection.com/autism.html

> I found this very interesting and information!

> Beverly Weakley

> Mom of Jen ... Age 10 years and 11 1/2 months

>

>