Milan Brych (born 11 December 1939) is a Czech-born quack and convicted fraudster known for his promotion of fraudulent treatments for cancer.
His claims received substantial media coverage and by late 1972 he had established a separate private practice and begun to treat overseas cancer patients from Australia and North America.
[5] Medical authorities in New Zealand were immediately skeptical of Brych's claims, as he refused to provide details of his treatment methods on the basis they might be stolen by other doctors or by pharmaceutical companies.
[7] Brych's contract at Auckland Hospital was terminated in response to Wright's findings, although he continue to treat patients privately.
[5] He eventually withdrew his appeal shortly before a hearing date was scheduled in early 1977, claiming that he was the victim of a conspiracy by the Communist authorities in Czechoslovakia which had destroyed evidence of his academic and professional record.
[7] One of Brych's methods of "treating" cancer was based around laetrile, an extract from apricot kernels which has no medical benefit and may in fact lead to cyanide poisoning.
However, an analysis of the remnants of an infusion given to one of his patients found that there was no immunoglobulin or other protein material present, but rather that it appeared to contain simply a vitamin B complex dietary supplement dissolved in water.
Another analysis of a syringe Brych used in the Cook Islands, which was returned to New Zealand using a police-approved forensic chain of custody, found that it contained procaine, a local anaesthetic which can induce euphoria when administered intravenously.
[12] In one instance, Brych falsely diagnosed a man with blood cancer and prescribed incorrect and unnecessary doses of chemotherapy drugs, resulting in the patient developing bone marrow failure and requiring emergency medical treatment.
[23] In September 1977, backbench MP Jack Birney used parliamentary privilege to allege that Australian doctors were receiving kickbacks from Brych for referring their patients to his Cook Islands clinic.
Bjelke-Petersen described Brych as a "man of great skill and knowledge" and said he should be allowed to establish a self-financed clinic, subject to being registered by the Medical Board of Queensland.
[25][26][27][28] Queensland deputy premier Dr Llew Edwards, a general practitioner, was strenuously opposed to Brych being allowed to practise in Queensland and ultimately succeeded in convincing the state cabinet that Bjelke-Petersen's invitation should not be pursued,[2][29] an unusual outcome at a time when Bjelke-Petersen was rarely opposed in cabinet.