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Medical Experts Question Broward County Medical Examiner's Rush to Link Ephedra to Death of Orioles' Pitcher, Steve Bechler
Posted on: 02/24/
MANASQUAN, N.J. -- Numerous well-respected medical experts are speaking out regarding the unusual press conference held on February 18, by Broward County Medical Examiner Joshua Perper regarding the death of Orioles pitcher Steve Bechler. The experts have criticized Perper for rushing to blame ephedra products for the death of Steve Bechler, in light of the fact that a toxicology report is not yet available. In addition, medical experts question whether ephedra played any role in Belcher's death, given the fact that Perper's opinion is not supported by the medical evidence regarding ephedra.
Dr. George R. Nichols, II, former chief ME for Kentucky from to called Perper's press conference "highly unusual." Nichols, who has performed more than 10,000 autopsies, explained, "The role of an ME is to determine the cause of death, based on all of the medical evidence, and provide those findings in an objective manner. Dr. Perper should not have reported any conclusions until all of the evidence and all of the data has been collected and analyzed." Nichols concluded, "Dr. Perper has single-handedly concluded that ephedra products are linked to [Bechler's] death without any supporting data whatsoever."
This is not the first time Perper has been criticized for rushing to improper medical conclusions. In , when he was Allegheny (Penn.) county coroner, Perper's autopsy findings in a homicide case were described as "absolutely indefensible, illogical and scientifically untenable" by incoming coroner Dr. Cyril H. Wecht.
Dr. Robert M. Stark, a Connecticut cardiologist who has reviewed prior ephedra Adverse Event Reports from the FDA, expressed surprise at Perper's actions: "He certainly should have waited until he determined that [Bechler] had used an ephedra product, or that there were measurable amounts of ephedra found in a toxicological analysis." Stark continued, "It was known that Steve Bechler had a strong family history of cardiovascular problems, a personal history of hypertension and abnormalities in his liver function tests. Had he, in fact, taken any ephedra product, he should have checked with his physician beforehand. With his medical history, he would most likely have been advised against taking it."
Source: Cytodyne Technologies
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