Boyd Eugene Haley (born September 22, 1940, Greensburg, Indiana) is an American anti-vaccine activist and retired professor of chemistry at the University of Kentucky.
Boyd Eugene Haley | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 22, 1940 |
| Alma mater | Franklin College, University of Idaho, Washington State University |
| Known for | Photoaffinity labeling Anti-vaccine activism |
| Spouse | Sandy Haley[2] |
| Awards | Sigma Xi[1] |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | University of Wyoming, University of Kentucky |
| Thesis | Gamma-fluoro-adenosinetriphosphate: I. Synthesis and properties; II. Interaction with myosin, heavy meromyosin, and fumarase. (1971) |
Education and career
editA native of Greensburg, Indiana, Haley graduated from its New Point High School in 1959. Four years later, he received a bachelor's degree from Franklin College in Franklin, Indiana, and then entered a teaching fellowship at Howard University.[3] Thereafter, he served as a U.S. Army medic for several years.
In 1967, Haley obtained an M.S. degree from the University of Idaho. He then entered a doctoral program at Washington State University, where he worked "to make chemical modifications on ATP to try to identify how and exactly where ATP binds to cause muscle movement."[4] In 1971, WSU granted him his Ph.D. degree in chemistry-biochemistry.
For three years, Haley served as a postdoctoral scholar at Yale University. From 1974 to 1985, he was a professor at the University of Wyoming.[1] hereafter, he was appointed professor of medicinal chemistry at the University of Kentucky, whose chemistry department he became chairperson of in 1997.[1] He is now professor emeritus.[5]
Basic research
editIn 1992, Haley and a colleague, upon examining cerebrospinal fluid, reported levels of glutamine synthetase considerably higher in cases of Alzheimer's disease than in a control group, and suggested that this could be a biomarker to aid diagnosis.[6][7]
In 2005, Haley reproduced findings of gold salt removing mercury from molecules, and inferred support for the possibility of gold salts removing mercury from biological proteins.[8] Yet Haley noted that the gold salts could themselves be toxic, and called for the extreme caution before applying gold salts in medical treatment.[8]
Thimerosal controversy
editHaley argues that mercury exposure via dental amalgams and vaccinations may cause neurological impairments and diseases, such as autism and Alzheimer's disease.[9] The United States Public Health Service and the American Dental Association reject these claims.[10][11]
Haley has appeared in court as an expert witness against vaccine manufacturers, stating his belief that thimerosal causes autism, but his testimony has not been accepted.[12] In 2008 a judge ruled that his "lack of expertise in genetics, epidemiology, and child neurology make it impossible for him to supply the necessary factual basis to support his testimony".[12]
Haley has labeled autism as "mad child disease" (akin to mad cow disease), which many autistic individuals and their parents have found highly offensive.[13][14]
Supplement marketing
editHaley is the founder of CTI Science, a Lexington, Kentucky-based biotechnology firm. CTI marketed a product, OSR#1, for human consumption; it was described as an "antioxidant" dietary supplement that is a powerful chelator from a family originally developed to remove heavy metals from soil and acid mine drainage.[15] In June 2008, an FDA toxicologist questioned[16] "on what basis the product could be expected to be safe and could be considered a dietary ingredient", but CTI Science and Haley had not responded as of January 2010.[15] The testing was described as incomplete and indicating toxicity.[17] On June 17, 2010, the FDA sent a warning letter noting five potential violations, expressing concern over the testing, and requiring a response in 15 days.[18][19] Although Haley wrote an op-ed for the Lexington Herald-Leader,[20][21] the FDA did not receive a formal response, and OSR#1 was withdrawn from the market.[22]
References
edit- ^ a b c "Curriculum Vitae" (PDF). Food and Drug Administration. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2013.
- ^ "James "Jim" Haley". Muskogee Phoenix. 4 September 2007. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
- ^ "Boyd Eugene Haley". Greensburg Daily News. 13 June 1963.
- ^ Worley, Jeff (25 September 2003). "Boyd Haley: Tagging toxins for better health". University of Kentucky. Archived from the original on 13 November 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
- ^ "Adjunct & emeritus faculty" Archived 2017-10-09 at the Wayback Machine, College of Arts & Sciences—Chemistry wepbage, University of Kentucky website, accessed 13 Jun 2017.
- ^ Gunnersen D, Haley B (December 1992). "Detection of glutamine synthetase in the cerebrospinal fluid of Alzheimer diseased patients: A potential diagnostic biochemical marker". Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 89 (24): 11949–53. Bibcode:1992PNAS...8911949G. doi:10.1073/pnas.89.24.11949. PMC 50675. PMID 1361232.
- ^ "A possible Alzheimer marker is found". The New York Times. 15 December 1992. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
- ^ a b Olmsted, Dan (2005-12-30). "The Age of Autism: Gold standards". United Press International. Archived from the original on 20 March 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
- ^ Rockmarch, Andrea. (April 2004). "Toxic Tipping Point", Mother Jones. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
- ^ "Questions and Answers on Dental Amalgam". Food and Drug Administration. 2006-10-30. Archived from the original on 2007-10-19. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
- ^ "ADA Statement on Dental Amalgam". American Dental Association. 2007-04-06. Archived from the original on 2007-10-11. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
- ^ a b Offit PA (2010). "Behind the Mercury Curtain". Autism's False Prophets: Bad Science, Risky Medicine, and the Search for a Cure. Columbia University Press. pp. 132–133. ISBN 978-0-231-14637-1.
- ^ Paul A. Offit (2 April 2010). Autism's False Prophets: Bad Science, Risky Medicine, and the Search for a Cure. Columbia University Press. p. 132. ISBN 978-0-231-14637-1.
- ^ "Petition to Defend the Dignity of Autistic Citizens". neurodiversity.com. July 2005. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-07.
- ^ a b "OSR#1: Industrial chemical or autism treatment?", Chicago Tribune, January 17, 2010
- ^ FDA letters and documents
- ^ "FDA warns maker of autism supplement". UPI. June 24, 2010. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
- ^ Warning letter CIN-10-107927-14 from US FDA, June 17, 2010
- ^ Tsouderos, Trine (June 23, 2010). "FDA warns maker of product used as alternative autism treatment". Chicago Tribune. ISSN 1085-6706. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
- ^ Haley, Boyd (June 26, 2010). "Dietary supplement safe for right use". Lexington Herald-Leader. ISSN 0745-4260. Archived from the original on September 4, 2012. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
- ^ Tsouderos, Trine (July 12, 2010). "Supplement seller says FDA may be 'confused'". Chicago Tribune. ISSN 1085-6706. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
- ^ Tsouderos, Trine (July 26, 2010). "Controversial supplement to come off shelves". Chicago Tribune. ISSN 1085-6706. Retrieved September 12, 2011.