Brain-injury foundation embraces its ‘maverick’ status

The New Jersey-based International Brain Research Foundation isnt without its critics, who say it oversells its accomplishments and may be preying on desperate families.

In particular, the foundation faces criticism for combining a variety of experimental treatments, none of which have been proven conclusively to work.

The not-for-profit group posted $5.5 million in revenues and a 38 percent profit margin in 2011. The foundation (www.ibrfinc.org) paid chief executive officer Philip DeFina, a neuropsychologist, a $404,435 annual salary in 2011, according to the foundations most recent IRS Form 990.

Theyre not recognized by anybody in the mainstream, said Dr. David Cifu, professor and chairman of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Virginia Commonwealth University. Theyre not doing good science. When you look at their research, its not what I would treat patients based on.

Cifu, 51, said its hard to know whether the foundations treatments really are helping people because there hasnt been rigorous evaluation of those methods. He added that some nutraceuticals can harm patients.

The bigger risk is offering false hope, Cifu said. Some things in life are permanent, and thats sad.

The foundations chief medical officer, neurologist Dr. Jonathan Fellus, rejected Cifus statements, though Fellus said he and others at the foundation are considered mavericks by the broader scientific community.

Youre shaking up the establishment. I get results where others dont, Fellus said. Were very clear with families. We dont make promises.

Fellus, 47, said federal health officials have certified the foundations treatments as safe. He said traditional research on rejuvenating injured brains is too constrained by testing just one type of treatment at a time.

Why not give a little of all of these things? he asked. Its the simple act of jump-starting it all at once.

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Brain-injury foundation embraces its ‘maverick’ status