The article buried the lead - "Coronado Biosciences did test Joel Weinstock’s pig whipworms. It ran the largest trials conducted to date, comprising 250 participants with Crohn’s disease. But in contrast to Weinstock’s earlier, smaller studies, which showed an almost miraculous curative effect in Crohn’s — 72 percent experienced remission — these studies showed no benefit at all."
Actually, the placebo controlled trials are in line with the earlier "miraculous" studies. 50% of the people in the placebo arm experienced remission [1]. Also, studies have shown that the placebo effect in C.Dificile is up to 90% [2].
Re [2], are we reading the same study? "Based on the available data regarding efficacy of FMT and relapse rates with standard antimicrobial therapy, we elected not to perform a placebo-controlled or active standard-treatment comparator trial."
Aside: I suffered a spell of C. Diff and wouldn't wish it on my worse enemy. It is by far the worst suffering I've ever had to endure.
That's an interesting data point, but it tells us little of the overall picture. There's so many different parasites, different diseases, and different possible causes of relief[1], that a single study of a single parasite for a single disease doesn't really disprove much beyond possibly that specific combination. Regardless, if we do find some benefit to parasites, I think the correct goal, if possible, is to understand the cause and replicate that without the negatives of the parasites themselves:
Loukas and his colleagues have received funding for a larger celiac trial, but he sees the field moving away from the use of live parasites, toward the identification of the molecules they secrete.
1: From a possible general taxing of the immune system relieving autoimmune dysfunction ranging from allergies to more threatening disorders, to intestinal parasites promoting intestinal wall mucus, to parasites promoting a specific type of bacteria which generates useful byproducts.
> From a possible general taxing of the immune system relieving autoimmune dysfunction
This matches my experience. I have Psoriasis, and the only time I don't have bloody little flakes of skin coming off my hands every day is when I have a cold or some other sort of sickness. So really anything that taxes my immune system is enough to give me some relief, it doesn't require parasites for me.
This is true, and definitely evidence supporting the null hypothesis (that an underground folk remedy doen't actually work, despite stories that layman find compelling).
But note that Crohn's and Ulcerative colitis (which Vic had) are different diseases. They are close enough related that about 10% of the time they can't be distinguished, but are pretty clearly distinguished statistically.
Some of same treatments tend to be used for both, but the effectiveness is usually different between them. Given the lack of understanding of the underlying cause of the diseases, it's not clear how much failure of a treatment for one disease tells us about the other.
