Chelation study criticized by research physicians
Chelation is the periodic infusion of a drug in an attempt to flush arteries. It is used in cases of lead poisoning, and is currently being tested as a potential method of clearing calcium deposits in coronary arteries, through the infusion of disodium EDTA. Critics say that heart attack survivors who have enrolled in the study have not been adequately warned of the dangers of chelation and that the "alternative medicine" research is unethical.
The US Office for Human Research Protections apparently agrees, according to an article in the Boston Globe. The federal investigation apparently found that doctors conducting the study had been accused of poor practices or insurance fraud and that three of the supervising doctors were convicted felons. The Globe reports that the federal study recommended corrective steps but did not recommend that the study be halted, as some groups vehemently suggest would be appropriate.