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The University of Oklahoma DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY August 4, 1989 Mr. Robert. W. Lobsinger, Publisher
Dear Mr. Lobsinger: As per your request I have reviewed the documents you sent me regarding the Purification Program of Mr. L. Ron Hubbard and the Church of Scientology. My overall comment on Mr. Hubbard's literature is that there is an absolute lack of data to support his assertion that the Purification Rundown succeeds in doing what the presently adopted programs fail to do. The documents reviewed also contain many truths and half-truths. One can readily agree with his statement on page 164, that "We live in a chemical oriented society" and the following paragraph. One also can agree with the fact stated in the next paragraph that there is a "linkage between drugs and increasing difficulties with crime.... and the modern breakdown of the social and industrial culture." However, there is no evidence that Mr Hubbard's approach will cure these ills. On p. 166, paragraph 2 he states that "these actual substances can restimulate a being. When they are gone from the body, the constant restimulation can cease. So it is actually a spiritual action that is being done," The last sentence states a conclusion which does not follow a logical if-then, and as such, the statements is [sic] totally without foundation. In the fourth paragraph on this page he states that "The removal of these life-hostile chemical substances from the body. of any person apparently speeds, and in some cases even makes possible, case gain. It is even worth doing for its own sake." This is a worthwhile goal but his next sentence "The Purification Rundown, therefore, is for everyone." is not a logical conclusion. On the same page there is no data to document his assertion that "a large majority of them would benefit by the Purification Rundown and benefit even further from future audition [sic] as a result." The remainder of the document describes the program, and the precautions needed to protect other the program workers and program participants, smattered again with some half truths such as on p. 169 "Toxic substances tend to lock up mainly, but not exclusively in the fat tissue." This statement holds true only for lipid (fat) soluble substances. "(There is no such thing as a fat cell)" is a meaningless statement. "Fat tissue" should be adipose tissue which consists of many cell types, and the major lipid storage cell is termed a "brown cell". His statement on p. 172, "In 1973 someone got a Nobel Prize....but....he didn't know the facts...." Not that the Nobel Committee cannot make a mistake in their choice of recipients, but this statement by Hubbard is too absurd to comment on. On p. 174 Hubbard states "The principle here is that by giving one or two vitamins in excess amount you can create a nutritional deficiency of another vitamin..." again is a non-documented half-truth. On page 3 of HCOB 21.5.80 Hubbard states "Beyond any doubt the survey showed that those with heavy or even mediumly heavy drug histories benefited most from the 5 hour daily schedule," Where is the data supporting this statement and what type survey was used to collect the data? On page 13 of HCOB 21.5.80 Hubbard states "Per the original research and all reported survey data..." again where is the data supporting this statement and what type survey was used to collect the data? Hubbard's HCO Bulletin of 3 January 1980, revised 10 April 1980 is quite absurd. However, Hubbard ends this bulletin with the statement "The Church is not responsible for the handling of any bodily or physical condition or ill, it being the responsibility of the individual to seek the competent medical advice and treatment of his doctor in such matters" I could'nt [sic] agree more. In fact, this statement, in Hubbard's own words sums up my feelings about the documents you asked me to review and Hubbard's program in general. Finally, the only data Mr, Hubbard presents is in the portion of the document, entitled "Research Data on Nutritional Vitamin Increases on the Purification Rundown". This is not data but rather a table to show how much of each vitamin/mineral the Purification Program recommends for individuals on various dosages of Niacin. Overall the program proposed by Mr. Hubbard is pure unadulterated "cow pies". It is filled with some scientific truth but mainly is illogical and the conclusions drawn by Mr. Hubbard are without any basis in scientific fact. I hope that this review has been helpful. Yours truly, [signed] Bruce A. Roe, |