Litigation

Reactions to the ridiculous statement of Dr. Casson-Time to investigate his competence

By Michael Kaplen

The medical profession is beginning to speak out against the outrageous statements made Dr. Ira Casson the former chair of the NFL Committee studying mild concussions in football.

Casson testified earlier this week that there is no proven link between football head injuries and brain disorders. One wonders if the State of New York should not be looking at his competence to continue to practice medicine given statements like this.

Here are what some of the leading authorities have said in reaction to Dr. Casson?s statement according to an article in today''s New York Daily News:

Robert Cantu, the co-director of Boston University's Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy, said the connection between concussions and brain disorders was established more than 80 years ago, when a New Jersey coroner published a paper that said head injuries had led to dementia in boxers.

"The links between concussions and dementia, depression and irrational emotional behavior are well-documented," Cantu said Tuesday.

Dr. Lewis Maharam, a past president of the New York chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine, said he was shocked when he learned about Casson's comments.

"It's ridiculous and no sports medicine physician I know would agree with him," Maharam said. "It is common knowledge that repeated injuries to the head cause brain damage."

Casson also told lawmakers that further study is necessary to determine what role performance-enchancing drugs play in brain disorders. But Cantu, a past president of the national American College of Sports Medicine, said he's not aware of any research that suggests steroids contribute to dementia or depression. Boxers and other athletes, he added, were diagnosed with brain disorders long before the use of steroids became commonplace.

"To attribute this to anything other than repetitive brain trauma would be in my opinion pure speculation," Cantu said. "There is no evidence whatsoever to suggest steroid use leads to this kind of brain abnormality."

Read the full story: Drs. Ira Casson, Lewis Maharam say there's not enough evidence to link concussions to brain damage

Full post as published by Brain Injury News and Information on January 06, 2010 (boomark / email).