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Essiac Articles The True Essiac is the 4 herb formula By Xania Livia Beware of businesses illegally using the trade-mark name of Essiac to promote their 8 herb Brusch - Paulhus product. This report covers over six months of research and will prove Nurse Rene Caisse had nothing to do with the eight herb formula that is wrongfully sold on the internet as “Essiac” Consumers beware. Report chapters: 1. The Eight Herb Tea Falsely Sold As Essiac (1) A number of internet businesses are illegally using the trademark name of Essiac to promote their 8 herb product as a formulation derived from Canadian Nurse Rene Caisse. (2) In their marketing campaign they use undocumented, false and altered facts of Nurse Rene Caisse and her 4 herb Essiac formula to associate their herbal formula with that of Rene Caisse’s legacy. (3) In fact, the 8 herb product being falsely advertised as Essiac, was actually developed by Dr. Charles Brusch of Cambridge, MA, years after Rene Caisse’s death in 1978. (4) On one hand these internet home-based businesses mislead the consumer by using clinical research material on Rene Caisse’s 4 herb formula on their web sites to give their 8 herb formula credibility (5) Then on the other hand these internet home-based businesses also make false, undocumented claims on their promotional material, that their 8 herb formula was clinically tested in the Brusch Medical Research Clinic and found to be better than the 4 herb formula, even though they cannot show test results to document these false claims as true. (6) In addition, these internet home-based businesses claim Dr. Brusch legally signed over the 8 herb “patented Essiac” formula to Linda Paulhus of Newburyport, MA, using an unwitnessed, one statement letter, with Rene Caisse’s name misspelled on it, as “proof” their formula is a legit Caisse formula which they falsely promote as Essiac. It is very questionable as to how “legit” this letter is in a court of law? (7) In fact, Dr. Brusch legally signed over his 8 herb formulation to a Canadian, Elaine Alexander, on April 23, 1993, in a legal document, signed by both Elaine Alexander and Dr. Brusch and witnessed by a third party, giving Elaine Alexander world-wide rights to the 8 herb formula and is presently promoted in Canada as a herbal supplement. (8) Essiac Canada International, the Canadian Company that legally holds and manufacturers the true Essiac formulation from Rene Caisse, must spend a considerable amount of money each year on advertising costs in health magazines and medical journals, medical and health conventions, trade shows and educational institutions around the world on the natural health benefits of Essiac. If Essiac Canada International did not take the time and funding to do so, the public would not know about Essiac. All the other business who illegally use the trademark name of Essiac on the internet to promote their products are financially benefiting from Essiac Canada International’s hard work, time and funding. It is a form of “parasitic-theft” when these businesses ride off the efforts of a major corporation. Why these businesses do not make an effort and financial commitment to promote their herbal products to the public based solely on the credibility of their product is questionable. If these businesses must ride off of the trademark name of Essiac to promote their products, then one has to question their business ethics. If their business ethics are not honorable, then why would their product be any better? 2. Changing History For Financial Gain The problem with history is that over time it can be changed. When historical claims are made, especially when someone financially benefits from the claims presented, it is very important for the reader to look for evidence and sources to validate the claims as true. From extensive research into the history of Nurse Rene Caisse of Ontario, Canada and Dr. Charles Brusch of Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, I have come to the conclusion:
Having researched and compiled close to 80 years of documentation on Rene Caisse’s history, I sincerely believe Rene Caisse’s association to a very honorable and well respected physician, Dr. Charles Brusch of Cambridge, Massachusetts, was distorted and possibly exaggerated to provide the 8 herb tea with a history to gain consumer trust and perpetuate marketable sales. Rene Caisse was not involved with the development of the 8 herb formula and that her true Essiac formula contains only the 4 herbs of Sheep Sorrel, Burdock root, Slippery elm, and Indian rhubarb. As an Essiac distributor for the 4 herb Essiac formula, which was researched and promoted by Rene Caisse for over 50 years, I became very suspicious when a number of web sites popped up on the internet claiming their 8 herb formula was the “new improved formula” developed by Canadian Nurse Rene Caisse and Dr. Charles Brusch. The web sites promoting the 8 herb formula are using a letter dated January 6, 1992, signed by Dr. Charles Brusch, of Cambridge, Massachusetts to validate the authenticity of their “formula” as the correct “Renee Caisse” formula, and had to question the credibility of the document for the following reasons:
One has to question why would Nurse Rene Caisse, well known for her 4 herb Essiac formula, to have developed a “new improved” formula with Dr. Brusch at the Brusch Medical Clinic for 8 years and not tell anyone about it? If this claim were true, then someone, either a friend or relative would have heard about this claim to verify its validity. There is no documentation found in Rene Caisse’s personal possessions confirming this claim. Research data found no evidence to substantiate claims that the 8 herb formula was even clinically tested anytime during the years of 1959, when Rene Caisse first met Dr. Brusch to 1993, the year Dr. Brusch had passed away. In addition my research could not even find evidence of clinical trials for the claims that the 8 herb formula was found to be “far superior” to that of Rene Caisse’s 4 herb Essiac formula. Researching the National Library of Medicine found no mention of the 8 herb formula in the 34 year period, which is important as Dr. Brusch would have written articles to his peer group documenting his research. All clinical studies in the USA are strictly regulated by the FDA, requiring Dr. Brusch to have filed an application with the FDA to conduct clinical trials for the 8 herb formula. My investigations found too many inconsistencies in the claims made of Rene Caisse and Dr. Brusch’s partnership and their purported combined effort in the development of the 8 herb formula. While sorting through historical information, two very important facts came to light that must be questioned: #1. - Why would Rene Caisse sign over an “inferior” 4 herb Essiac formula to the Resperin Corporation of Toronto, one year before she passed away in 1978, if she had a “new improved superior” 8 herb formula? Wouldn't this have had been a great waste of time and disrespect for all concerned such as the Resperin Corporation, the investors, the lawyers, the government officials, medical doctors, and most importantly the patients? Wouldn't such an act have been horrendously dishonest? Why would Rene Caisse tarnish her reputation and life long legacy of battling medical and political bureaucracy for over 50 years promoting her 4 herb formula she called Essiac if she did not have faith in it.? Rene Caisse would only provide the best to the public, which meant if there was a “superior” 8 herb formula, then that is the formula she would have legally signed over to the Resperin Corporation of Toronto in 1977. However the 8 herb formula was not developed until the 1980’s years after Rene Caisse’s death in 1978. #2. – If Dr. Brusch and Rene Caisse had developed a “superior quality” 8 herb formula before Rene Caisse had passed away in 1978, then why was Dr. Brusch obtaining Rene Caisse’ 4 herb Essiac from the Resperin Corporation of Toronto and obtained the 4 separate herbs used in Essiac from Rene Caisse’s life long assistant, Mary McPherson, to treat his own cancer in the mid 1980’s? Further evidence will refute the Paulhus’ claims and will clearly show the true history between Rene Caisse and Dr. Charles Brusch, and how Dr. Brusch’s 8 herb formulation was legally signed over to a Canadian radio talk show host, Elaine Alexander. Additional findings will show just how the web sites promoting the 8 herb Brusch-Paulhus product have used Rene Caisse’s persona and have even altered Rene Caisse’s amazing history to creatively entwine their altered facts into a marketing campaign to promote their 8 herb formula, falsely as an essiac product. 3. The Ojibwa and Rene Caisse Connection In 1922, Nurse Rene Caisse obtained an 8 herb Ojibwa formula (do not confuse the Ojibwa formula with the 8 herb Brusch formula as they are different) from a patient in Northern Ontario and used the recipe in 1924 on her mother who was diagnosed with cancer. Her mother continued to live for another 18 years. Over the next two years Rene Caisse tested the individual herbs by inoculating mice infected with cancer to isolate the medicinal properties of the herbs that were found to destroy cancer cells. From this research, Rene Caisse reduced the 8 herb Ojibwa formula to her 4 herb Essiac formula containing only Sheep sorrel, Burdock root, Slippery elm, and Indian rhubarb. In 1926, Rene Caisse called the 4 herb formula Essiac, her family name Caisse, spelled backwards. Her research and clinical human trials lasted until 1941 when she had to close down her Cancer Research Clinic in Bracebridge, Ontario, due to government controls regulating “cancer cures.” Rene Caisse kept her 4 herb Essiac formula secret for 50 years; concerned the formula would be tampered with and even shelved by a medical system that in Rene’s words “had too much power over government to change the laws.” Rene Caisse frustrated that Essiac could no longer be legally tested in Canada without revealing the formula to the Canadian government and medical establishment turned to the USA to continue with her work. 4. The Rene Caisse and Dr. Charles Brusch Connection From May 1959 to June 1960, Rene Caisse and Dr. Charles Brusch of Cambridge, Massachusetts, established a business partnership based on the testing of Rene Caisse’ 4 herb formula, Essiac, and had nothing to do with the 8 herb tea being sold on the internet today. The trials conducted at the Brusch Medical Clinic were shut down in June 1960 by the American Medical Association which forbids its members to administer “unknown remedies” to patients. Rene Caisse was not going to divulge the 4 herb formula to anyone, not even to continue research at the Brusch Medical Clinic in Massachusetts and returned back to Canada. There is no evidence from Rene Caisse’s meticulous filing of letters, documents and clinical research that Dr. Brusch and her were in contact with each other after that time until a letter dated September 21, 1976 from Dr. Brusch to Rene Caisse, with Dr. Brusch apologizing for being out of touch..... ”Failed to communicate with you..... I am interested in your project..... In addition..... ready to cooperate with you.....Also, I am a little out of touch with the present conditions”. Around that time, Canadian author, Sheila Snow (Fraser) who knew Rene Caisse for a few years had written an article on Rene Caisse and her Essiac formula, co-authored with Carol Allen assigned from Homemaker’s Magazine to help verify the facts in the article. The article titled, “Could Essiac Halt Cancer?” was published in the June, July, August 1977 edition. Homemaker’s Magazine sent out pre-publication copies of the article to a list of Canadian doctors for comment, only to find the feedback was not to Rene Caisse’s favor. The response may have been over shadowed by the influence of the Ontario “Cancer Remedy Commission” created in 1938 to control cancer cures, which was eventually repealed by the Ontario Legislature on October 8th 1997. Rene felt sadly betrayed, which may have been the reason she turned to a very well respected American physician, Dr. Brusch, in 1976. On January 20, 1977, Sheila Snow and Carole Allen flew down to Boston, Massachusetts to interview Dr. Brusch, to verify facts for the article, and to read the clinical trial records Rene Caisse and Dr. Brusch had worked on. The records were only from 1959 to 1960. There were no other records to substantiate additional clinical trials after 1960. On the day that Sheila Snow and Carol Allen arrived to interview Dr. Brusch, a parcel from Rene Caisse had also just arrived with Essiac herbs that Dr. Brusch requested from Rene Caisse for his patient, Patrick McGrail, who was being treated for cancer of the esophagus. Sheila Snow noted in her book, Essiac, The Secrets of Rene Caisse’s Herbal Pharmacy, Rene was reluctant to send the herbs to Dr. Brusch as she had not heard from him in many years. If Dr. Brusch and Rene Caisse had worked together for 8 years, developing an 8 herb formula, then why did Dr. Brusch request the 4 herb Essiac formula from Canada, instead of using the “superior” 8 herb formula on Patrick McGrail? Rene Caisse would have openly discussed 8 years of research with Dr. Brusch developing an 8 herb formula with Sheila Snow if the claim were true. There would be no reason for Rene Caisse and Dr. Brusch to hide this fact. In addition if there was an additional 8 years of research, Dr. Brusch would have let Sheila Snow and Carole Allen have access to the clinical trials, especially if the clinical trials clearly showed the 8 herb formula to be “far superior” than the 4 herb Essiac. After Homemaker’s Magazine published the article on Nurse Rene Caisse and her Essiac formula in the summer of 1977, J. Patrick Boyer, a lawyer who knew Rene Caisse when he was a child, was hired by Resperin’s board of directors to draw up a legal agreement for Dr. Brusch to conduct clinical trials for the 4 herb Essiac formula under the control of the Department of Health in Ottawa, Canada, for controlled dispensing of trial drugs under the supervision of medical doctors in Canada. This was the first step by the Resperin Corporation to conduct clinical trials by registering the 4 herb formula as a drug treatment for cancer. If Brusch had a “superior” 8 herb formula, why would he even want to continue medical tests on Rene Caisse’s 4 herb formula? Dr. Brusch’s involvement with the testing of the 4 herb formula in the USA was written into the legal contract between Rene Caisse and the Resperin Corporation, when Rene Caisse signed over the 4 herb formula to the Resperin Corporation on October 26, 1977. In the legal agreement the medical re-evaluation of Essiac treatment was to be conducted on behalf of Resperin by and under the sole auspice of Mr. Fingard, Dr. Charles Brusch, Dr. E. Thomas French, Dr. Matthew Dymond, and Dr. P. B. Rynard. It is not logical that Dr. Brusch would remain only as one of the doctors responsible for the medical re-evaluation of the 4 herb formula if Rene Caisse and Dr. Brusch had a new improved 8 herb formula? Would Dr. Brusch even sign a legal document as a witness to the contract between Rene Caisse and the Resperin Corporation if the 8 herb formula even existed and was considered even far superior to the 4 herb formula? Wouldn’t this have been a terrible hoax? Rene Caisse and Dr. Brusch seemed too honorable to betray humankind with such an action. There are far too many questions that contradict the validity of Rene Caisse and Dr. Brusch ever having developed an 8 herb formula together. Dr. Brusch was receiving his Essiac herbs from Rene Caisse until her death at the age of 90 years, when on December 26, 1978, Rene Caisse passed away from complications of a broken hip from a fall in her home a few weeks previous. Earlier that year, on June 22, 1978, Dr. Matthew Dymond of Resperin Corporation of Toronto filed an application for clinical studies of Essiac, as a new drug submission with Health Canada. After Rene Caisse’s death, Dr. Brusch had to legally register with the USA FDA to allow the 4 herb Essiac into the USA, as mentioned in the letter from Sheila Snows book, Essiac, Secrets of Rene Caisse’s Herbal Pharmacy, dated, July 1979, he wrote, “Currently I am making contact with Washington to get permission to have Essiac sent to me here at Brusch Medical.” The letter continues on with Dr. Brusch admitting to developing his new herbal formula. “In the mean time we will work on our own formula, with your help. I am using a formula consisting of herbs given me by a friend in the Midwestern section of the USA. It has some merit but I do not know how effective it is in treating cancer.” This is the first time in 1979, Dr. Brusch admits to developing an herbal formula with Elmer Grove. If Dr. Brusch did not know Rene Caisse’s 4 herb formula, then how did Brusch and Elmer Grove know which herbs to incorporate into his 8 herb formula? Dr. Brusch knew what types of herbs were used in the formula; even Mary McPherson, Rene Caisse’s life long assistant, knew this, but Dr. Brusch did not know the actual formulation of Rene Caisse’s 4 herb formula. In 1978, after Dr. M. Dymond of the Resperin Corporation of Toronto, registered Essiac for clinical studies with Health and Welfare Canada, all physicians requesting Essiac for patients were supplied with a letter from Health and Welfare Canada detailing the herbs used in Essiac. In addition, when Essiac was registered for clinical trials at the Brusch Medical Clinic with the USA FDA for legal import into the USA, the herbs in Essiac had to be listed in the application. The herbs used in the Essiac recipe was now public domain. However the actual Essiac formulation is still proprietary, requiring all herbs to be tested before they are even considered for blending. In January of 1986, Canadian radio talk show host, Elaine Alexander had interviewed Dr. Brusch on her live talk show and asked if Dr. Brusch knew Rene Caisse’s Essiac formula. Dr. Brusch replied a simple “No.” This was also confirmed in the legal contract between Rene Caisse and the Resperin Corporation on October 26th, 1977, that Rene Caisse did not give out the formula to anyone as shown in the contract:
From 1979 to August 1982, the Resperin Corporation, through Dr. Dymond, would supply doctors with the four herb Essiac to use in clinical trials. However, in 1982 the Canadian Ministry of Health closed down the sales and distribution of Essiac due to “Resperin’s failure” to comply with the clinical requirements outlined in the clinical drug testing policy. Resperin could no longer distribute Essiac to physicians for testing under a drug classification and could only distribute Essiac to physicians through the Emergency Drug Release Program for patients who would request Essiac as a treatment for cancer. Dr. Brusch’s personal Essiac supply to the USA to treat his own cancer was now cut off. In a letter dated October 1984, Dr. Brusch mentions to Mary McPherson that after Rene Caisse’ death he was not able to obtain Essiac and has a little on hand to keep up the program, but at a lower dosage and requested if Mary could send him the Essiac herbs directly to treat his own cancer of the lower bowel. Finally, after 8 years of development, Dr. Brusch’s 8 herb formula contains the herbs: Burdock root, Sheep sorrel, Slippery elm, Water cress, Red clover, Blessed Thistle, Kelp, and Turkish Rhubarb. This formula was eventually signed over to a Canadian, Elaine Alexander, complete with a legal contract signed and witnessed by a third party on April 23rd, 1993, 6 months before Dr. Brusch passed away. Linda Paulhus of Newburyport, MA, on the other hand has made various claims on the internet that the 8 herb “patented” formula was placed in her care by Dr. Brusch to carry on with his work. 5. The Dr. Charles Brusch and Elaine Alexander Connection Elaine Alexander was a radio talk show host, with her own live talk show on CJOR in Vancouver, British Columbia during the 1980’s. Her show called Staying Alive Today featured the history of Nurse Rene Caisse and her 4 herb Essiac formula which could only be obtained by Canadian physicians through Health Canada’s Emergency Drug Release Program. Elaine Alexander would conduct live radio interviews with Dr. Brusch from his home in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was through this relationship between Elaine Alexander and Dr. Brusch that the 8 herb formula was made available to the public for retail sales. In the interview on January 1986, Elaine Alexander asked Dr. Brusch if he was able to obtain Essiac and Dr. Brusch’s reply was, “No, it is very difficult, I have not been able to obtain it lately.” Dr. Brusch continues, “Four bottles have been sent to me and I believe it and they were confiscated and the government kept one bottle there in Canada, and they returned the three bottles back to the Resperin Corporation.” Dr. Brusch openly admits in the live interview with Elaine Alexander, in 1984 he was using the four herb Essiac formula from the Resperin Corporation of Toronto to treat his own cancer. This was 6 years after Rene Caisse had passed away. Dr. Brusch and Elaine Alexander only discuss Rene Caisse’s 4 herb formula from the Resperin Corporation of Toronto and never mention the 8 herb formula. On November 10th, 1990, Dr. Brusch and Elaine Alexander enter into a legal agreement, signing over his 8 herb formula to Elaine Alexander. This legal document would be revised on April 23rd, 1993, refining the details of their agreement. Some time later, Elaine Alexander tries to promote the Brusch 8 herb formula under the trademark name of Essiac which was at that time the legal trademark of the Resperin Corporation of Toronto. When Health Canada restricted the distribution of Essiac for clinical trials under a drug classification, Canadian scientist David Dobbie of Campbellton, New Brunswick, Canada, later to become the president of Essiac Products Inc. took over the helm of the Resperin Corporation. In August 1991, he had signed an agreement with Mankind Research Foundation Inc. in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA, to retail Essiac Tea as a nutritional health supplement to Americans. When Elaine Alexander tried to promote the 8 herb formula under the trademark name of “Essiac”, Mankind Research through the Resperin Corporation of Toronto had their patent and trade-mark lawyers advised Elaine Alexander of trade-mark infringement in a letter dated May 25, 1992. In response to Resperin’s concerns of trademark infringement, Elaine Alexander through her lawyer signed a letter dated June 30, 1992 to refrain from marketing, advertising, and to retailing of any product bearing the trademark name of “ESSIAC” In another letter from Elaine Alexander’s lawyer, M. N. Gifford of Vancouver, B.C. to Mankind Research, dated August 17th, 1992 advising Elaine Alexander has no agreement with Dr. Charles Brusch for Essiac or the product Essiac under another name. This letter dated August 17th, 1992., was written 21 months after the first legal agreement between Elaine Alexander and Dr. Brusch dated November 10, 1990. Meaning, there was a contract between Elaine Alexander and Dr. Brusch for an herbal product, but not for a product called Essiac or a product even similar to Essiac. A revised second agreement between Elaine Alexander and Dr. Brusch only mentions ‘a formula for health or nutritional products including, but not limited to, formulations derived from or based on Rene Caisse’s health supplement product.” This revised legal agreement between Dr. Brusch and Elaine Alexander and her business Stoneham House Holdings Limited, a registered company of British Columbia was signed by both Dr. Brusch and Elaine Alexander on April 23rd, 1993, six months before Dr. Brusch passed away in October 1993. A section of the legal document states the following:
The above statement clearly mentions formulations derived from Dr. Brusch. The document then summarizes the products that were derived or based on Rene Caisse’ formulations, not formulations developed by Rene Caisse and Dr. Brusch.
Important note to the reader: Rene Caisse had numerous other health products besides Essiac. No where in the contract does it mention an herbal formula based on Rene Caisse’s 4 herb Essiac formula. This is confirmed by the letter dated August 17, 1992 by Elaine Alexander’s lawyer to Mankind Research that Elaine Alexander and Dr. Charles Brusch do not have a contract for a product specifically named Essiac or based on Rene Caisse’s Essiac. The above document was legally signed by Dr. Brusch, Elaine Alexander and witnessed by Mrs. Wilma Brankey of Boston, Massachusetts. Four years later, Elaine Alexander had passed away on April 30th, 1996 from ovarian cancer. The Weekend Sun newspaper, dated May 25th, 1996 read, “Cancer and other diseases claim promoter of herbal cancer cure.” The 8 herb formula promoted by Elaine Alexander is still being manufactured by the Canadian company Flora, based in Burnaby, BC. On September 1, 1994, Flora tried to trademark the phrase “The best of Rene Caisse and Dr. Brusch” with the USA Patent and Trademark Office. The trademark was abandoned on April 22, 1998. There is now a serious conflict surrounding Brusch’s 8 herb formula. Where exactly is the true 8 herb Brusch formula from? Is it the Canadian Brusch-Alexander formula or the USA Brusch-Paulhus formula? Elaine Alexander had a legal document signed and witnessed on April 23, 1993 giving her world-wide rights to the 8 herb formula from Dr. Brusch, where as Linda Paulhus of Massachusetts claims Dr. Brusch gave her the 8 herb “patented” formula, stated as the “correct Renee Caisse formula” quoted from her un-notarized letter from Dr. Brusch dated on January 6, 1992. Let’s take a look at the Paulhus’ and their undocumented claims that their 8 herb formula is a “superior” formula developed both by Rene Caisse and Dr. Charles Brusch. 6. The Dr. Charles Brusch and The Paulhus Connection My investigations into the individuals and the numerous web sites which falsely promote the 8 herb formula as Essiac and their brazenly altered, contradictory and undocumented claims of Rene Caisse, (whether these historical claims were changed in error or were intentionally altered for personal or financial gain) has left me absolutely livid that these claims were published as “truth” to the public without providing substantiating sources to back up their statements. A review of the following claims from discussion groups on the internet and the web sites promoting the 8 herb formula, as directly linked to Rene Caisse through Dr. Charles Brusch, and eventually passed on to Linda Paulhus, of Newburyport, Massachusetts, will be assessed for interpretation as follows. My debate to these claims will clearly show the true history regarding the 8 herb formula, and how Rene Caisse’s identity was fallaciously woven into a marketing campaign so to authenticate their 8 herb formula as a “legitimate” product, to be falsely retailed as Rene Caisse’s Essiac. Note to the reader: The following claims in question are only a small portion of the statements made by the various web sites that sponsor Linda Paulhus “Brusch” formula. The facts of some of the statements made were so warped in confusion and contradiction, that by detailing the complete chaotic statements in this report would only create confusion to the average reader who has little back ground into the true historical facts of Rene Caisse and her Essiac formula. The mind warp of fallacies was enough give even someone with my background into Rene Caisse’s history a major migraine. The following claims are only a sampling of the statements made that could be deciphered into simplistic terms for the reader to understand. To debate the claim in question, from a cancer forum, Linda Paulhus is quoted as saying, “I have been was given the patented Essiac formula by Charles Brusch, M.D. and have been involved in research, education, and referrals since 1986 - signed Linda Paulhus of Essiac, USA, Inc. Researching the USA Patented and Trademark System for the key words of, “essiac”, “herbal tea”, “Brusch” and “Paulhus” found no listing for a patented formula registered to Dr. Brusch or to Linda Paulhus. The word “essiac” is a registered trademark for another company and it is very questionable that Paulhus could even have a legal business entity under the business name of “Essiac, USA, Inc“. This is called trademark infringement and has legal repercussions. To debate the claims in question, that #1. - “in 1959, Rene Caisse gave Dr. Charles Brusch the “true original formula” which contained a total of 8 herbs and over an 8 year period, both Dr. Brusch and Rene Caisse worked together perfecting the 8 herb formula. #2. - In this claim they also mentioned Dr. Brusch even took the 8 herb formula to cure his own cancer. #3. - On another one of their numerous web sites, they would contradict themselves by also claiming Rene Caisse gave the 8 herb formula to Dr. Brusch just before Rene Caisse passed away leaving the formula for Dr. Brusch to improve and test the formula.” It is very possible that Rene Caisse may have given Dr. Brusch the original Ojibwa formula from the 1920’s. However, there is no substantiating evidence that backs up their claim Rene Caisse worked with Dr. Brusch for eight years. In another article claims were made that Rene Caisse helped develop and test the formula in the 1970’s, which could not be documented. The only documentation found of Rene Caisse and Dr. Brusch conducting clinical trials were from 1959 to 1960, when Sheila Snow and Carol Allen, went down to Cambridge, Massachusetts in January 1977 to interview Dr. Brusch and verify facts of the clinical trials. To debate the quoted claim in question, that “The fact is, Rene Caisse never preferred the four herb formula.” This claim is absolutely ludicrous. If this were true then why did Rene Caisse spend over 50 years researching and promoting the 4 herb formula? If Rene Caisse was not satisfied with the results of the 4 herb formula, don’t you think she would have returned to re-evaluating the formula long before she even met Dr. Brusch in 1959 when she was 70 years old? Rene Caisse had started testing the herbs and formulating her 4 herb Essiac formula in 1924. Two years after testing the herbs she developed the 4 herb formula which she called Essiac. Why would Rene Caisse, after 33 years of promoting the 4 herb formula, claim that she never preferred the 4 herb formula? To debate the claim in question, that “Rene Caisse had used the 8 herb formula with great success on so many terminally ill patients, but Dr. Brusch wanted to improve Rene Caisse’s 8 herb formula.” First of all, the Brusch 8 herb tea promoted by the Paulhus’ is NOT a formula from Rene Caisse. Rene Caisse had nothing to do with the Brusch-Paulhus 8 herb tea as it was developed by Dr. Brusch and a master herbalist in the 1980’s. Rene Caisse tested the 8 herb Ojibwa formula early in the1920’s, until she isolated 4 of the beneficial herbs which she then called Essiac in 1926. Rene Caisse never reverted back to using the Ojibwa formula after she developed her 4 herb formula. To debate the claim in question, “Dr. Charles Brusch worked with a master herbalist called Elmer Gove, and that the master herbalist worked with both Dr. Brusch and Rene Caisse on the 8 herb formula. They also mentioned that the herbalist died in 1987.” The herbalist’s correct name is Elmer Grove and not Gove. In three letters written to Mary McPherson, dated December 17, 1985, August 1986 and July 14, 1987, Dr. Brusch mentions Elmer Grove. In the July 1987 letter Dr. Brusch mentions how Grove and he are working on a new formula. Rene Caisse had already passed away in 1978. From Sheila Snow’s book 'Essiac: The secrets of Rene Caisse’s Herbal Pharmacy', she mentions a written statement made by Dr. Brusch in 1985 “Elmer is very interested in working with us.” This all happened after Rene Caisse passed away in 1978. Sheila Snow who also wrote the article about Rene Caisse for Canadian Homemaker’s Magazine in 1977 had met Elmer Grove in Long Island in 1979. Elmer Grove was placed into a nursing home in 1991 and passed away in August 1992 from Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. To debate the claim in question, that “the 4 herb formula was designed to have at least one of the herbs injected and not to be used as a tea.” The Sheep Sorrel herb was injected intra muscular, which can be rapidly absorbed. However the Sheep Sorrel could also make a tumor harden and increase in size causing blockages, so taking the herb orally was also recommended. The formulation could also be used orally, vaginally as in douches, applied topically onto the skin as compresses and can be taken rectally as a retained enema Rene Caisse also advised that anyone who was involved in the care of someone who was seriously ill should also take the 4 herb Essiac orally as a daily tonic to improve strength. The claim that one of the herbs used in the 4 herb Essiac formula called Sheep sorrel must be injected in order for the 4 herb formula to have any merit, is false and feel it was falsely misrepresented ONLY to discredit the 4 herb formula as an inferior product. To debate the claim in question, that “retailers selling the 4 herb Essiac are misleading the public by marketing their essiac as “authentic” or “original” essiac, which the original formula was 8 herbs, used by the Native Americans, when there was little or no cancer.” First, let us look the asinine statement of “when there was little or no cancer.” Based on information recorded on papyri and hieroglyphic inscriptions, ancient Egyptians were able to distinguish between benign and malignant tumors. They also used various treatments of medicine, including surgery.
The modern day term for carcinoma is derived from carcinos which translates into cancer, the sign of the crab, as a cancerous tumor resembles that of a crab. Hippocrates described several kinds of cancers, which he described benign tumors as oncos, meaning to swell as in swelling, and malignant tumors as carcinos. To debate the claim in question, that “after a few more years of research the (Canadian) doctors developed a version of the essiac formula that was to be partially administered by injection, however the (Canadian) medical establishment rejected proposals to allow physicians across Canada to inject the formula. The reason the formula was rejected by the (Canadian) medical establishment was that herbs have no merit.” It was Rene Caisse who performed the laboratory research and the human injections of the formula. It was not a team of doctors and Rene Caisse. Rene Caisse was her own boss. Rene Caisse worked within the law as long as cancer patients using Essiac were referred to her by a medical doctor and she did not accept payment for treatment. To debate the claim in question, that “Rene Caisse signed over the 4 herb formula to the Resperin Corporation with the legal stipulation that Resperin must complete clinical testing of the formula or the formula was to revert back to Dr. Brusch.” No where in the legal document between Rene Caisse and the Resperin Corporation which was signed in 1977 by Rene Caisse and Dr's. Dymond and Rynard on behalf of Resperin and witnessed by Dr. Brusch himself, does it stipulate this claim. Also, if Dr. Brusch already had an 8 herb formula that was “superior” to the 4 herb formula, as the Paulhus’ claim, then why would Dr. Brusch even want possession of the 4 herb formula? This is a contradiction to boggle the brain!! To debate the claim in question, that “Linda Paulhus and her son Bryan have been distributing Essiac since 1986 and the 8 herb formula has been taken by hundreds of thousands of people all over the world.” Having researched the testimonial pages on the numerous web sites retailing the 8 herb Brusch-Paulhus formula, the only testimonials found were from the USA and a few Canadians going back only as far as November 2004. So what happened to all those testimonials (world-wide) from 1986 to 2003? Seventeen years of missing testimonials. To debate the claim in question, that “Rene Caisse, Dr. Brusch and the estate of Rene Caisse were entitled to royalties for sales of Essiac by the Resperin Corporation. To this date no royalties were ever paid.” The president’s position for the Resperin Corporation changed hands over the years from David Fingard to Dr. Matthew Dymond, who was the former Minister of Heath for the Province of Ontario. David Fingard’s, eccentric behavior was not a stable influence behind Resperin’s venture. As a matter of fact, Rene Caisse never liked David Fingard. It was through Dr. Dymond that the royalties were finally paid. Rene Caisse never saw any of the royalties as the Essiac product was not sold on the market before her death in 1978 which only left Dr. Brusch and Rene Caisse’s niece, Valeen Taylor. Finally in 1991 both Dr. Brusch and Valeen Taylor received their royalty payments of $880.00 each. On May 21, 1982, Dr. Brusch and Valeen Taylor signed an agreement with the Resperin Corporation for financial royalties for the sales of the 4 herb formula that was signed over to Resperin in 1977 by Rene Caisse. If the 4 herb formula was the “inferior” formula as claimed by those retailing the 8 herb Brusch-Paulhus formula, then why would Brusch even want financial payment for the 4 herb formula? To debate the claim in question, regarding a statement made on one of the web sites retailing the 8 herb Brusch-Paulhus formula, #1.- “Congratulations! You have found the most effective tea proven in clinical trials to be the most effective.” (Even though the Paulhus’ CANNOT come up with these clinical trials to prove their claims) #2. - Just below this statement, they claim that they can prove the 8 herb formula is directly linked to the most extensive research ever done on essiac tea. Their tea is the result of 8 years of clinical trials performed by the world-renowned research team of Rene Caisse and Dr. Charles Brusch, MD. (This statement shows just how deceptive this marketing campaign is, as the 8 herb formula was developed by Dr. Brusch in the 1980’s, years after Rene Caisse had passed away in 1978) #3. - They also claim that Rene Caisse played such an important role in the research and distribution of the 8 herb essiac, that the tea is actually named after her – essiac – is Caisse spelled backwards. (Rene Caisse named her 4 herb formula Essiac in 1926, which was 33 years before she even met Dr. Brusch and then had passed away long before Dr. Brusch developed the 8 herb formula, and is just another deceptive marketing tactic) #4. - In the same paragraph additional claims were made that Rene Caisse and Dr. Brusch spent eight years conducting clinical trials on at the Brusch Medical Research Clinic. In 1992, Dr. Brusch passed the formula that was “deemed most effective” onto the Paulhus family, who had assisted him in distributing the tea for the previous 6 years. Once again there are no records found to substantiate Rene Caisse ever worked with Dr. Brusch on an 8 herb formula, let alone having worked with Dr. Brusch for 8 years of her life on clinical trials. There is no documentation found or persons that have come forward to back up these claims of Rene Caisse working at the Brush Medical clinic for 8 years. Rene Caisse worked with Dr. Brusch at the Brusch medical clinic from 1959 to 1960. This was confirmed by Sheila Snow and Carol Allen when they interviewed Dr. Brusch for the article of Rene Caisse published in Homemaker’s Magazine in 1977. If Rene Caisse had worked with Dr. Brusch for an 8 year period, someone would have found documentation confirming the clinical trials. The Paulhus’ never provide actual dates and years of when these clinical trials had taken place, which makes it very difficult for anyone to verify their claims. To debate the claim in question that Rene Caisse played such an important role in the research and distribution of the 8 herb essiac, that the tea is actually named after her – essiac – is Caisse spelled backwards. This statement is such a misrepresentation of Rene Caisse’ legacy, that the public should actually be insulted for such a deception. Rene Caisse could not have played an important roll the development or research of the 8 herb product as Rene Caisse had passed away long before the 8 herb formula was developed. This shows an absolute disrespect for Rene Caisse’s name, her legacy, and all that she stood for. The true history of the naming of Essiac is as follows: Rene Caisse was still working with the original Ojibwa 8 herb formula in 1924, the first time she injected the formula into a patient. The patient suffered an alarming reaction to the injection and nearly suffocated. Even though the injection experiment resulted in an adverse reaction, Rene Caisse set up a laboratory in the basement of her mother’s house and with the help of Dr. Fisher studied the effect of the different herbs on mice inoculated with human sarcoma. From these studies, Rene Caisse found by giving intra muscular injections of the 8 herb Ojibwa formula to destroy the mass of malignant cells and providing the formula orally to help purify the system, that she got better results. Rene Caisse continued experimenting with the different herbs, refining the formula until she developed the 4 herb formula that Rene Caisse herself named Essiac in 1926, which was 33 years before she even met Dr. Brusch. To insinuate that the Brusch-Paulhus 8 herb formula was called Essiac because Rene Caisse was supposedly to have been instrumental in its development is absolutely misleading. The retailers of the 8 herb formula claim after Rene Caisse and Dr. Brusch had spent eight years conducting clinical trials on the “superior” 8 herb formula, and that in 1992, Dr. Brusch decides to pass on an 8 herb formula that was “deemed most effective” onto Linda Paulhus, who had assisted in the distribution of the tea for the previous 6 years. The web sites do not elaborate on Linda Paulhus’ official position or her connection to Dr. Brusch. My research was not able to document sources for the claims of Rene Caisse providing Dr. Brusch with an 8 herb Ojibwa formula and to have worked for 8 years with Dr. Brusch to develop and clinically test an 8 herb formula that was to be far “superior” than that of Rene Caisse’s 4 herb formula. If anything, my research found documentation contrary to Rene Caisse having had anything to do with the 8 herb formula which was found to have been developed after her death and is being sold from the USA as “essiac” the trademark name that belongs to Rene Caisse’s legacy. Historical research has proven the 8 herb formula was developed by Dr. Brusch and master herbalist, Elmer Grove years after Rene Caisse had passed away, and that the 8 herb formula is not a formulation approved by Rene Caisse and should not even be called Essiac. The 8 herb formula is ONLY a Brusch formulation and should ONLY be called a Brusch formulation.
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