The diagnosis of chronic, biotoxin-induced illness is based on biotoxin exposure potential, multiple system symptoms, the VCS deficit, and no other reasonable explanation for the illness (requires a visit to a doctor). Since there are usually no tests available to identify the toxins in human tissue, proof of the cause of illness is VCS recovery and symptom resolution following treatment with our protocol, particularly compelling in chronic illness cases.

This website can assist in the diagnosis process in two main ways. The preliminary test (free) questionnaires assess the multiple system symptoms commonly associated with biotoxin-induced illness, and your potential for exposure to sources of biotoxins, both of which are frequently overlooked by physicians, many of whom are not yet aware of the pervasiveness of chronic biotoxin-induced illness. The VCS test ($15.00) is a sensitive and objective indicator of effects from biotoxin exposure. VCS data from a large number of biotoxin cases were analyzed to develop the algorithm used to evaluate your VCS data to provide good specificity and sensitivity. Most cases score "positive" for biotoxins and most non-cases score "negative". Borderline results represent a "grey area" where we cannot conclude that the results are "positive" or "negative" with high confidence. In this case, your physician must make the decision about the indication for use of our treatment protocol based on your preliminary test data, and other available data. There are few instances of "false-positive results", but there are some instances of "false-negative results. All results will be available for you to download and print, and can be Emailed to your physician.

When treatment according to our protocol is indicated, a package of 3 additional VCS tests and the treatment protocolcan be purchased ($49.95). The VCS tests are used to monitor your progress during treatment, taken just before, 1 week after and 2 weeks after initiating treatment. The treatment protocol can be taken to your physician or to a clinical visit with Dr. Shoemaker, and treatment can be requested.

Cases with longstanding chronic biotoxin-induced illness may require more than 2 weeks of treatment to eliminate toxins. In this case, a package of 10 VCS tests ($75.00) can be purchased to monitor recovery during treatment. Many individuals who are not ill also purchase the package of 10 VCS tests to use as an indicator of integrity of central nervous system function over the years (there is never an expiration date for using your VCS tests - they remain available until you have used them all). VCS deficits are present in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, and in multiple sclerosis. It is very helpful to have baseline VCS data to assist in early identification of risk for biotoxin-induced illness and neurodegenerative disease.

Many other educational products are available on our website to assist individuals in understanding and identifying biotoxin-induced illness. This includes the hand-held version of the VCS test (F.A.C.T) that was used to collect our published data.

Website users with longstanding illness or difficult or unusual illness often request an office visit with Dr. Shoemaker.

We often receive requests to present seminars on biotoxin-induced illness, to conduct onsite investigations of buildings or environmental areas suspected of harboring biotoxin-producing organisms, to conduct field studies at locations where many people are suspected to suffer from biotoxin-induced illness, and to provide expert opinions for those involved in litigation involving neurotoxin-induced illness.