Australian man died while on Koh Phangan for 'Ibogaine' treatment, paper reports

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Australian man died while on Koh Phangan for 'Ibogaine' treatment, paper reports
By Coconuts Bangkok



BANGKOK: -- An Australian man died after traveling to Koh Phangan for a controversial treatment for drug addiction.

Brodie Smith, 33, reportedly died in late October after traveling to the island with his girlfriend to take Ibogaine, an African hallucinogenic believed by some to be a radical cure for chronic addiction, according to a Monday report in The Sydney Morning Herald.

The paper reports Smith arrived to the island on Oct. 20 with high hopes of turning his life around with the $5,300 treatment, but was dead the next day on what was to be the first session.

His girlfriend, Kara Spark, was quoted in the Herald laying the blame squarely on Ibogaine Thailand, which provides the service. Ibogaine Thailand was featured in a Coconuts TV report about the treatment.

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co//2014/12/26/australian-man-died-while-koh-phangan-ibogaine-treatment-paper-reports


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2014-12-26

[khwaibah]

Another outstanding endorsement for medical tourism for Thailand.

[bigjoelo]

"an African hallucinogenic believed by some to be a radical cure for chronic addiction"

It did what was promised.

[Suffinator]

One born every minute ... or died in this case. Unfortunate loss of life that is easily prevented with a little online research.

[AyG]

Another outstanding endorsement for medical tourism for Thailand.

This was not medical tourism. To quote Andrew Drummond:

"they have no premises, no medical qualifications, and employ no staff, medical or otherwise"

"Their only item of medical equipment is a heart rate monitor"

[Sparkles]

One born every minute ... or died in this case. Unfortunate loss of life that is easily prevented with a little online research.

Or that rare commodity ....common sense.

[danstarr]

Another outstanding endorsement for medical tourism for Thailand.

This was not medical tourism. To quote Andrew Drummond:

"they have no premises, no medical qualifications, and employ no staff, medical or otherwise"

"Their only item of medical equipment is a heart rate monitor"

Exactly. I must admit watching them use the heart rate monitor looked impressive in the video but goodness knows what they'd do in an emergency; at least in a Thai clinic, they try to look the part, even if sometimes they don't really know what they're doing.

Nevertheless, the treatment itself so far claims to have a high success rate, in the short-term anyway.

However, if I were ever in the unfortunate position to need to undergo such a controversial treatment, supervision by some properly trained clinicians wouldn't go amiss.

[xxoahu22]

This guy tell the nasty truth about how difficult this "treatment" is:

[Benmart]

It seems that every death on TV is an opportunity for the pundits, critics, know-it-alls and fortune tellers to ply their distorted trade.

A man has died. We will all follow that path. The legacy one leaves behind is written each day by the words, deeds and treatment of others.

RIP Dear Man.

[Vogele123]

Why the unwarranted vitriolic responses? Ah yes, the TV Judicial keyboard warrior brigade.

Give the guy a break, it seemed he was trying to get himself straightened out, and unless you have had any form of addiction you probably have absolutely no idea what he was going through to try this sort of thing out.

Yes I agree he used a "quack" - maybe that was all he could afford.

There are a number of strange things around that can help cure addiction - take magic mushrooms and LSD for example, they have been proven in some studies to actually help relieve these addictions.

I say hats off to the guy for at least recognizing his problem and trying to do something about it. Very sad that it ended up the way it did.

[Emster23]

I first hear of Ibogaine in renowned drug user & gonzo journalist Hunter S Thompson's "Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail". I think I read that heroin was initially promoted as a cure for opium addiction.

[AyG]

Yes I agree he used a "quack" - maybe that was all he could afford.

Actually, it wasn't his idea (again according to Andrew Drummond). It was his girlfriend who chose the treatment and paid for it.

[mamypoko]

What a shame. Ibogaine, when used correctly, can be a life saving treatment on many levels.

[danstarr]

Different factors influence where one might go for help: finances, location etc; when you're sick, you will do anything to get well again.

I'm certainly no expert but there are risks involved in drug treatment and many factors can contribute to the risk, not just the treatment method itself. Ibogaine studies in New Zealand by Dr. Geoff Noller predict that mortalities from Ibogaine could merely be proportionate to that of methadone. In some countries, it's banned and in others it is 'non-approved but prescribable' (Otago Daily Times, Nov 2014).

So, as studies continue, I guess it is a case of making ones own choice as to whether this would be a viable option and if so, where one would undergo it.

This is a tragedy and as previously stated, you have to feel for the guy who merely wanted to get his life together.

Sincere condolences to his family and fiancée.

[EvilDrSomkid]

These people need to be arrested IMMEDIATELY.

They obviously have no idea what this drug is or does. Ibogaine (or Iboga) comes from a West African country, I forget which, and is used in initiation rites by the local tribes people.

What it does is, is make the user face his/her past. All the nasty things they have done to others. You face you worst nightmares. Your own conscience.

It is so powerful that people can die of a massive heart attack because of what they have done. If you are a bad person, you WILL be very badly affected.

This guy probably did.

[Docno]

These people need to be arrested IMMEDIATELY.

They obviously have no idea what this drug is or does. Ibogaine (or Iboga) comes from a West African country, I forget which, and is used in initiation rites by the local tribes people.

What it does is, is make the user face his/her past. All the nasty things they have done to others. You face you worst nightmares. Your own conscience.

It is so powerful that people can die of a massive heart attack because of what they have done. If you are a bad person, you WILL be very badly affected.

This guy probably did.

Having watched the video--thanks for the link--it's clear that it's not necessarily the hallucinations and vivid memories or any related distress that causes the stress to the heart. Rather, the individual experiences a rapid drop in blood pressure ... just watch the start of the video. The reporter even says he thought he might die from the purely physical effects of the drugs well before any hallucinations kicked in.

[AyG]

What a shame. Ibogaine, when used correctly, can be a life saving treatment on many levels.

Really? Its reported death rate is 1 in 300 users. And there's absolutely no scientific evidence that it is effective at producing long term abstinence.

To quote (the admittedly less than 100% reliable) Wikipedia:

"To date, there have never been any controlled studies showing it to be effective, and it is accepted as a treatment by no association of physicians, pharmacists, or addictionologists."

So, what evidence do you have that it "can be a life saving treatment" beyond anecdote?

The world has far too many charlatans selling unproven treatments for man's ills out of financial greed, and this is just another of those unproven (and probably worthless) treatments.

[maidee]

about $100 medications and $5200 for the rest then

strange how this drug can be used and as what i red before, administered by some farang chick with no degree

[Briggsy]

Thailand, at its worst, will relieve you of a lot of your cash, if not all of it, as well as your good health, if not your life. People want to believe so they suspend their disbelief. There are no shortage of Thais who will tell you what you want to believe.

[HerbalEd]

For the un/mis-informed: There's the alkaloid "ibogine" and then there is the root bark of the Iboga plant (Tabernanthe iboga) from which ibogine is derived.

Like all isolated/concentrated alkaloids (including nicotine, caffeine & morphine), ibogine can be very toxic. However, iboga root bark has been traditionally used in West African folk medicine with relative safety for centuries in the treatment of various types of mental/emotional disease. However, if it's isolated pure alkaloid (ibogine) is not properly administered it can quickly be toxic, even to the point of death.

Iboga has been well proven by modern pharmacological and medical studies to be effective in treating various substance addictions ... esp. opium, morphine & heroine addictions.

It's unfortunate this Australian fellow didn't go to one of the iboga clinics in Holland, where the treatments are administered under proper medical control.

[Tropicalevo]

Thailand, at its worst, will relieve you of a lot of your cash, if not all of it, as well as your good health, if not your life. People want to believe so they suspend their disbelief. There are no shortage of Thais who will tell you what you want to believe.

Not sure that your that your analysis is accurate.

I was under the impression that the guys running this scam treatment are foreigners. Or have I missed something?

[seabass69]

Wow! After his first session, he'll never touch drugs again...or something like that will be how the Thais try to spin it.

[HerbalEd]

Thailand, at its worst, will relieve you of a lot of your cash, if not all of it, as well as your good health, if not your life. People want to believe so they suspend their disbelief. There are no shortage of Thais who will tell you what you want to believe.

That's not true.

Yes, there have been problems with medical treatments and quacks in Thailand ... and you can easily say the same with USA, England, Australia, Europe, etc.). However, Thailand has several excellent-qualiy hospitals, doctors and staff ... and many more of good quality.

In fact, very large numbers of Japanese and Arabic/Middle-Eastern patients come to Thailand for medical treatments even though they can afford to do the same in England/Europe and North America.

[AngelsLariat]

Another outstanding endorsement for medical tourism for Thailand.

Try engaging brain before moving towards keyboard - Thailand has some of the best hospitals in the world however this guy chose to go to a quack, given they exist in EVERY country how does that reflect badly on Thailand ? - I know of 2 people that were written off with cancer in the UK that were given new leases of life after treatment in Bangkok. One of them was told in the UK the cancer 'was not advanced enough' to warrant an operation !!!

A few years back I had a serious eye infection - went to a Bangkok hospital on a Saturday - they called in a consultant from home to see me. Her and her staff were fabulous to me throughout her day off and I then had treatment every other day for 3 weeks to clear it up. Bill incl drugs was just £246 (12,500b ?) - I thank god every day I wasn't in the UK where I would have gone blind waiting for a GP let alone get to a hospital

These guys were outside of the medical system. While Bumrungrad, BNH, Bangkok Hospital, and a few others offer world class care in Bangkok, where Thailand has a blind-spot is in its lack of regulation of alternative medicine practitioners. It seems as though any farang who regularly reads Natural News and Dr Mercola's blog is allowed to practice medicine without a license in Thailand.

[SOTIRIOS]

... why was this story held back for over 2 months.....to not affect business........???

[AyG]

Iboga has been well proven by modern pharmacological and medical studies to be effective in treating various substance addictions ... esp. opium, morphine & heroine addictions.

Could you provide a link to a reputable, peer reviewed scientific journal which reports such studies?

I rather suspect you can't, but if you can I'd be most appreciative.

[mamypoko]

What a shame. Ibogaine, when used correctly, can be a life saving treatment on many levels.

Really? Its reported death rate is 1 in 300 users. And there's absolutely no scientific evidence that it is effective at producing long term abstinence.

To quote (the admittedly less than 100% reliable) Wikipedia:

"To date, there have never been any controlled studies showing it to be effective, and it is accepted as a treatment by no association of physicians, pharmacists, or addictionologists."

So, what evidence do you have that it "can be a life saving treatment" beyond anecdote?

The world has far too many charlatans selling unproven treatments for man's ills out of financial greed, and this is just another of those unproven (and probably worthless) treatments.

I wouldn't disagree with any of your online research.

And to make matters worse, rather, likely disappointing, perhaps for you...my evidence is nothing more than anecdotal.

As for the research and controlled studies...tap a few more keys and you'll notice many drugs are blocked against further scientific study...rightly or wrongly so.

As for the charlatans...I assure you..the world is not flat...more research is always needed..wouldn't you agree?

[Jim walker]

Thailand well known for curing its junkies they cured or should I say stopped over 2000 people from taking anymore drugs a few years ago they used military for a permanent cure.

[Madison blue]

One born every minute ... or died in this case. Unfortunate loss of life that is easily prevented with a little online research.

Or that rare commodity ....common sense.

neither the Internet nor common sense helps when you're a vulnerable person and predators like victor Cracknell and mike Picone prey on you. please read Andrew Drummond's few articles on this incident. there is FAR more to it than the story here.

edit to add: there are many, many charlatans working illegally on this island selling snake oil treatments and performing extremely dangerous acts. Cracknell and Picone are not the first gringo pseudo-shamans harming people. these two American guys should be behind bars due to their lethal treatment and depraved indifference of a mans life. yet, they continue to advertise their toxic treatment, claiming to be registered and licensed in Thailand. if you read Drummond's articles it seems crystal clear to me that Cracknell and Picone actually gave tramadol to Brodie (the deceased) which, given in conjunction with Ibogiane has lethal consequences. and, they refused to acquire medical assistance which most likely would have saved the poor bloke's life as chances are he was simply having a lethal arrhythmia in his heart which even an extremely basic health care provider can successfully treat! really sad and disgusting story. Cracknell and Picone are liars, frauds, and guilty of manslaughter; as well as bribing public officials it appears-and they both seem to completely lack a conscience as well. which is no surprise as most con men do lack one...

[jacko45k]

Is this an approved treatment in Thailand?

Quite amazing.

What a waste of life.