Jailed for possession of herbs?

A 70-year-old physiologist and researcher, recently imprisoned for
more than two weeks, may be looking at eight more years in federal
prison since her arrest by the FBI for practicing medicine without a
license.

Dr. Hulda Regehr Clark, who has both a
Ph.D. in physiology and a degree in naturopathy, has a significant
worldwide following in the realm of alternative medicine. She is most
noted for her popular health books with the outlandish-sounding titles,
"The Cure for all Cancers," "The Cure for HIV and AIDS" and "The Cure
for All Diseases."

At the heart of Clark's methodologies is a device of her own
invention called the syncrometer. This device, claims Clark, can be
used to identify pollutants in food and other common products. When the
device detects a pollutant, Clark advises people to avoid contact with
the product.

Although Clark's syncrometer may detect pollutants in food and other
products, her later discoveries sent a shock wave through the medical
establishment when she claimed to have found the culprit causing both
cancer and HIV/AIDS. The source of these terminal diseases, Clark
claims, is a human intestinal fluke that can be completely eliminated
from one's system using the right herbs. Her herbal recipes have created
many true believers the world over.

So what is Clark's crime?

Dr. Hulda
Regehr Clark

Brown County, Ind., prosecutor James R. Oliver says Clark is being
charged with practicing medicine without a license -- a Class C Felony
in Indiana -- because state law says a person who is not medically
licensed cannot diagnose or treat a patient, nor can they recommend or
prescribe treatment to a patient. The statute further says it is
unlawful for such a person to maintain an office for treating patients.

On May 11, 1993, Amy M. Huffman, then a deputy attorney general for
Indiana, and Karl Milhon, an investigator for the Indiana Department of
Health, Acquired Diseases Division, went to Clark's Nashville, Ind.,
office undercover. Milhon posed as a bi-sexual who recently had learned
that a former partner of his tested positive for the HIV virus. Huffman
posed as a supportive friend.

During the ensuing conversation with Clark, which was secretly
recorded, Clark tested Milhon for the HIV virus and declared him HIV
positive. Before the test, she had Milhon sign a statement saying he
understood she was not a medical doctor. Clark then directed Milhon to a
local medical laboratory to have an HIV/antigen blood test to verify her
preliminary diagnosis.

When Milhon and Huffman returned to Clark's office later that day,
Clark discovered that they were undercover agents. Even then, Clark
insisted that Milhon see a doctor about his condition. Although neither
side would confirm whether or not Milhon had ever actually been tested,
Milhon, now working in a different state, told WorldNetDaily, "I am not
HIV positive, nor have I ever been, and I was not cured by any zapper."

Explaining the reading of her syncrometer, Clark said, "An electronic
test like mine is much more sensitive and would detect a much smaller
amount of virus than would be picked up by a chemical test such as a lab
uses. The syncrometer does not quantify. It only detects presence or
absence (of the virus)."

"Of course, when you can't quantify, you don't diagnose," added
Clark. "Thus, it isn't a medical device. It's a detection device."

Not wanting to be the target of an investigation, and already having
made plans to move to California, Clark moved her office to San Diego
and left Nashville a few days later. According to court documents,
however, the warrant for her arrest wasn't issued until Aug. 16, 1993.
The warrant wasn't actively pursued until last month, Sept. 20, when
Oliver extradited Clark from California to Indiana following an
independent investigation of Clark by the FBI.

"This case is not about alternative medicine, or whether Hulda
Clark's treatments are effective," Oliver explained. "This case is
about an unlicensed individual diagnosing and treating patients. Only
licensed physicians are permitted to diagnose and treat patients in
Indiana."

Many, however, believe the issue surrounding Clark's arrest goes far
deeper than Indiana law.

The National Health Federation, a non-profit educational and health
freedom organization, is concerned that the prosecution of Clark may
have more to do with medical politics -- especially the billions of
dollars earned every year by large pharmaceutical companies and the
cancer industry -- than with protecting the public.

"We are concerned that this may be the big issue," said a
spokesperson for NHF who wished to remain anonymous. "She (Clark) is
threatening the gigantic cancer enterprise."

Clark's attorney, Steve Dillon, expressed similar concern that his
client was the target of a selective prosecution.

"What I'm afraid is really behind this is the AMA (American Medical
Association) wants to protect its right to the exclusive practice of any
kind of medicine, and anybody who doesn't have an M.D. degree gets in
trouble in Indiana," Dillon said.

Although Clark is being tried as a criminal, that hasn't stopped the
hundreds of supportive letters from around the nation and world giving
testimony to Clark's discoveries and encouragement.

In a letter to the Brown County Democrat, Paul Rekstad of Loveland,
Colo., said, "I am 68-years-old and a retiree who attributes my
excellent state of health to alternative medical approaches including
Dr. Hulda Clark's important work. ... In my judgment, the persecution
and arrest of Dr. Clark, by state and federal agencies for allegedly
'practicing medicine without a license' is the height of hypocrisy.
This is especially true, given the fact that allopathic practitioners
kill over 300,000 people a year due to medical negligence. Clark has
helped countless cancer patients written off as hopeless by allopathic
physicians. It is essential to keep treatment options open and not be
held hostage by the traditional, drug-oriented medicine with more than
its share of fraud, imperfection and incompetence."

Another letter from Susan Dembowski of Rayne, La., to Geoff Clark,
son of Hulda Clark, said, "I have only recently begun Dr. Clark's
suggestions and I feel so much better about not poisoning my body as
much as before -- within a week of accidentally getting a copy of Dr.
Clark's old book, I was half through the parasite purge, had removed
almost all the cosmetics and cleaners in my house and replaced them with
the suggested hand-made items. ... I noticed that without all the poison
on my skin and in my body, I felt better, my skin was healthier, and a
small spot where I believe cancer may have been returning went away."

Clark's international following has also expressed its support.

"I'm dignified to see that such a visionary country as the USA still
behaves in a restrictive way and promotes injustice, instead of justice
towards the efforts of well-known researchers!" exclaimed a letter to
Geoff Clark from Carla Fleischli Caporale, a journalist from Pavia,
Italy.

Another letter to Geoff Clark from Mary and Walter Weber-Hausman in
Germany said, "Dr. H. Clark has helped us so much even though no other
medical doctor could help us. We have been ill for years with
intestinal problems as well as heart and kidney problems. ... (Dr.
Clark's) herbal remedies are so powerful, they saved (me from using)
adjuvant medication for my kidneys. Dr. H. Clark is a lady with a lot
of empathy for her patients ... she has a very high ethical and moral
level like the ideal of doctors in ancient times such as Hippocrates."

A registered nutritional therapist named Sheriden Dixon working in
Chesire, England, also wrote to Geoff Clark. In her letter, she
mentioned she had two "zapper machines" made by a friend who teaches
physics. At her practice, the device had been used to eliminate
parasites. One entire family that had been misdiagnosed by their family
doctor as having eczema, the letter claims, was correctly diagnosed as
having scabies. Clark's treatments, Dixon stated in the letter, cured
the family of the scabies mite.

Regarding the rekindling of the six-year-old case, Dillon pointed out
that the current prosecutor, Oliver, who was not the original attorney
on the case, is now married to Huffman, one of two witnesses in the 1993
undercover investigation.

Oliver countered that there is not a conflict of interest here,
either legally or ethically. However, he conceded that he is evaluating
whether it poses an "appearance of a conflict" that he should do
something about.

Dillon said he plans to challenge the constitutionality of Indiana's
statute on behalf of Hulda Clark.

"We believe it's overbroad and vague. We believe it violates her
right to due process of law. We believe there was an unreasonable delay
in bringing her to justice because she really wasn't a fugitive. You
don't stay in your same name and stay in the country if you're trying to
get away," Dillon said.

After Clark pled "not guilty" upon arriving in Brown County, Ind.,
and appearing before Brown County Circuit Court Judge Heather Mollo, she
was released on bail for $10,000 which was reduced from $15,000. A
pre-trial conference is scheduled to be held Jan. 24, 2000, and the jury
trial is scheduled to follow on Feb. 2.