Milan Brych
Encyclopedia
Milan Brych is a controversial Czech-born cancer therapist.

Born in 1939, Brych fled the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968, and arrived in New Zealand as a refugee. Claiming to have medical professional qualifications, Brych commenced work as a medical practitioner. After being removed from the register of NZ medical practitioners in 1977, he then relocated his controversial practice to the Cook Islands. One of his most high profile proponents in the 1970s was the then Premier of Queensland Joh Bjelke-Petersen, who invited him to set up practice in Australia. Brych relocated to the USA, and in 1980 was convicted of practicing medicine without a license. After serving part of his six-year sentence, he was deported. He seems to have lived in Switzerland, but has now apparently disappeared from popular and media attention.

Early life

Milan Brych was born Vlastimil Brych on 11 December 1939 in the then Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...

.
(At least one references cites his first name
Personal name
A personal name is the proper name identifying an individual person, and today usually comprises a given name bestowed at birth or at a young age plus a surname. It is nearly universal for a human to have a name; except in rare cases, for example feral children growing up in isolation, or infants...

 as "Vlastimal", but this appears to be an error.) After the 1968 Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, he fled to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

, then as a refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...

 arrived in New Zealand.
Brych claimed to have studied Medicine at the University of Brno
Masaryk University
Masaryk University is the second largest university in the Czech Republic, a member of the Compostela Group and the Utrecht Network. Founded in 1919 in Brno as the third Czech university , it now consists of nine faculties and 42,182 students...

. It was later revealed that at the time he claimed to have been studying, he was in fact in prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...

.

In New Zealand

After being accepted as a refugee, he obtained a position in radiotherapy at the Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...

 General Hospital. In 1973 faculty initiated questioning of his qualifications and his claimed "miraculous success" in cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...

 treatment. Brych was removed from New Zealand Medical Register in 1974. and moved his practice to the Cook Islands
Cook Islands
The Cook Islands is a self-governing parliamentary democracy in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand...

.

In the Cook Islands

Brych left New Zealand after his appeal against his disbarment failed and moved his controversial practice to Rarotonga
Rarotonga
Rarotonga is the most populous island of the Cook Islands, with a population of 14,153 , out of the country's total population of 19,569.The Cook Islands' Parliament buildings and international airport are on Rarotonga...

, Cook Islands.
The Returned Soldiers Association Cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...

 in Rarotonga
Rarotonga
Rarotonga is the most populous island of the Cook Islands, with a population of 14,153 , out of the country's total population of 19,569.The Cook Islands' Parliament buildings and international airport are on Rarotonga...

 is reported as being nicknamed "the Brych-yard", as it contains the graves of many of Brych's patients. The true name of the Brych Yard cemetery is Nikau Cemetery, alternate spelling Nikao Cemetery. You can take an aerial tour of the Brych Yard where you can click on the graves for a close-up view of the patients' graves. The Milan Brych Underground Website (www.mbuw.org) has this page with photos of the Brych Yard: http://membres.multimania.fr/MBUW/PAGES/BRYCH_YARD.HTM The main page of this site is: http://membres.multimania.fr/MBUW/ then you need to click the INDEX.HTM file

Invitation to practice in Queensland

I was criticised in the same way for my support of cancer therapist Milan Brych... I was the only poilitcian in Australia who said he out to be given a chance to show his therapy worked. Like Stephen Horvarth's car, his methods may yet be vindicated.

In 1978, then Premier of Queensland Joh Bjelke-Petersen
Joh Bjelke-Petersen
Sir Johannes "Joh" Bjelke-Petersen, KCMG , was an Australian politician. He was the longest-serving and longest-lived Premier of Queensland, holding office from 1968 to 1987, a period that saw considerable economic development in the state...

 asked Brych to set up practice in Queensland. In the time of his premiership, Bjelke-Petersen's wishes were usually implemented. Then Deputy Premier Dr Llew Edwards
Llewellyn Edwards
Sir Llewellyn Roy Edwards, AC was the twelfth Chancellor of the University of Queensland, a Queensland state politician and state Liberal Party leader, as well as Chair and CEO of the 1988 World Exposition, Brisbane's World Expo '88...

, a general practitioner
General practitioner
A general practitioner is a medical practitioner who treats acute and chronic illnesses and provides preventive care and health education for all ages and both sexes. They have particular skills in treating people with multiple health issues and comorbidities...

, strenuously opposed and ultimately defeated in Cabinet Bjelke-Petersen's invitation.

Relocation to the USA, convictions and disappearance

Brych relocated his practice to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

. In 1980 he was convicted of practicing medicine without a licence. After serving three years of a six-year sentence he was deported, apparently to Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

, and then disappeared from popular and media attention.
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