UWI professor casts doubt on prostate drug claim

Head of Urology at the University Hospital of the West Indies, Dr. William Aiken, is maintaining his skepticism about a new drug to be used for prostate health.

News emerged recently that Jamaican scientist, Dr. Henry Lowe, had developed a formula that may possibly treat prostate cancer.

The formula will be in the form of supplements, and should be on the market in three months, with the drug available at a later date.

These supplements are said to be derived from the Jamaican ball moss.

However, Dr. Aiken believes that more information needs to be made available about the drug, so that it can face rigorous medical and public scrutiny.

Dr. Lowe has explained that he cannot give too much detail about the products because of fear of possible duplication, but Dr. Aiken is unconvinced.

“I would expect something as groundbreaking as what has been put in the patent, you would have at least seen by now at least one or two studies coming out. I can’t understand the rationale given for withholding publication, because having demonstrated that you are the first one to publish it anybody who publishes anything subsequent to you is subsequent,” Dr. Aiken said.   

Meanwhile, Dr. Aiken is raising safety concerns about the Jamaican moss ball, from which the formula is said to be derived.

He believes that more information is needed.

“You see the Jamaican moss ball unless it has a record of being fit for human consumption, you derive a product from that and call it a nutraceutical you must have done some study at some time to say it is safe for human consumption,”

“Some tremendous claims were made now admittedly some of these claims may not have been made by Dr. Lowe himself, but some tremendous claims have been made without any evidence,” Dr. Aiken said.