Risks (harms that occurred on this treatment)

In our opinion, there are many serious problems with MM’s approach. First, ALSUntangled is aware of no evidence to support MM’s theory on ALS pathogenesis. No case of ALS has ever been shown to be caused or exacerbated by emotional repression. Statements that patients may have somehow caused their own ALS by repressing their emotions are not only completely unfounded but potentially hurtful, as pointed out by the numerous angry patient and caregiver posts cited. MM’s statement that ALS development “is never really about genes” demonstrates that he has a shocking lack of awareness of more than a decade of ALS scientific literature. Despite his claim that he is not offering a treatment, rather merely “teaching or coaching”, it is clear that some of those he contacts see his program as a potential therapy. It is also clear that MM has implied to clients that his method can lead to dramatically effective results, potentially ‘solving’ their ALS problem. Reticence to call an intervention a ‘treatment’ is a strategy sometimes used to avoid laws that restrict the practice of medicine without a license. In our opinion, degrees in political science, economics, and finance are not qualifications to provide medical advice, medical teaching or medical treatment. In the future, we hope that MM will clarify his lack of medical training, and the fact that he is offering ‘teaching or coaching’ and not medical treatment, to prospective clients. We find no evidence that MM has ever ‘solved’ or cured ALS. Of his few reported ‘successes’ the two we could contact reported improved attitudes and motivations. It is not clear whether these had anything to do with his approach, or to one of the other alternative or off-label approaches being utilized, or (most likely) to the benign natural history of their unusual motor neuron diseases. We could confirm no definite motor improvements and Case 2’s neurologist documented worsened motor function over the past year. Thus, terms like ‘solved’ and ‘cured’ should not be used by MM in describing his offering to patients. Finally, MM’s practice of cold-calling patients with ALS and their families is morally and ethically questionable and is clearly disturbing to many. Patients and families who receive harassing phone calls should be aware that they can take action against the caller (5).