poisoning diagnosis ' rock
solid '
( cnn ) - - the doctor who has overseen the treatment
in vienna of ukrainian opposition leader viktor yushchenko says the diagnosis of
dioxin poisoning is " rock solid , " but says more information must be obtained
before medical authorities can determine the candidate ' s prognosis .
dr . michael zimpfer told cnn sunday that he based his
conclusion on a physical examination of the patient and " various blood tests "
carried out at vienna ' s rudolfinerhaus clinic and elsewhere .
zimpfer told reporters over the weekend that the
concentration of dioxin in yushchenko ' s body was " 1 , 000 times above the normal
levels " and that he suspected " third - party involvement . "
the revelation prompted ukraine ' s prosecutor - general to
reopen a probe into the opposition leader ' s illness .
" we have sent samples to a lab within europe and also
to labs across the atlantic ocean that claim to have vast experience , and they
came up with the results , " zimpfer told cnn late sunday .
yushchenko has " a tremendous amount of dioxin in the
blood , " zimpfer said , so much that " it ' s beyond the scale . "
yushchenko has accused ukrainian authorities of having
tried to poison him in the run - up to november ' s fraudulent presidential
election .
ukraine ' s supreme court voided the outcome after
yushchenko lost to prime minister viktor yanukovich , and a rerun of the contest
is slated to be held on december 26 .
the 50 - year - old , then - telegenic campaigner was taken to
the vienna hospital in september , when he first fell ill . he resumed campaigning
later in the month but with a pockmarked and badly disfigured face .
given what little medical information has been released
publicly , yushchenko could have been exposed to any of about 20 dioxins or
dioxin - like chemicals , said dr . arnold schecter , professor of medicine at the
university texas school of public health at southwestern medical center in
dallas .
poisoning diagnosis ' rock
solid '
( cnn ) - - the doctor who has overseen the treatment
in vienna of ukrainian opposition leader viktor yushchenko says the diagnosis of
dioxin poisoning is " rock solid , " but says more information must be obtained
before medical authorities can determine the candidate ' s prognosis .
dr . michael zimpfer told cnn sunday that he based his
conclusion on a physical examination of the patient and " various blood tests "
carried out at vienna ' s rudolfinerhaus clinic and elsewhere .
zimpfer told reporters over the weekend that the
concentration of dioxin in yushchenko ' s body was " 1 , 000 times above the normal
levels " and that he suspected " third - party involvement . "
the revelation prompted ukraine ' s prosecutor - general to
reopen a probe into the opposition leader ' s illness .
" we have sent samples to a lab within europe and also
to labs across the atlantic ocean that claim to have vast experience , and they
came up with the results , " zimpfer told cnn late sunday .
yushchenko has " a tremendous amount of dioxin in the
blood , " zimpfer said , so much that " it ' s beyond the scale . "
yushchenko has accused ukrainian authorities of having
tried to poison him in the run - up to november ' s fraudulent presidential
election .
ukraine ' s supreme court voided the outcome after
yushchenko lost to prime minister viktor yanukovich , and a rerun of the contest
is slated to be held on december 26 .
the 50 - year - old , then - telegenic campaigner was taken to
the vienna hospital in september , when he first fell ill . he resumed campaigning
later in the month but with a pockmarked and badly disfigured face .
given what little medical information has been released
publicly , yushchenko could have been exposed to any of about 20 dioxins or
dioxin - like chemicals , said dr . arnold schecter , professor of medicine at the
university texas school of public health at southwestern medical center in
dallas .