London, Jan 7 : Self-styled investigative journalist Ian Halperin is so set on finding out if Michael Jackson is dying from a lung disease that he has offered to pay for the singer to undergo medical tests.

Halperin, who is producing a new book on Jackson's life, insists that the Thriller star is suffering from the deadly lung condition Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.

When Jackson''s publicist denied the claims of his illness last month by calling them "a total fabrication", the author offered to fund for a medical examination to get to the truth.

"I stand by my story about Michael. My book and film will not be the hatchet job everyone thinks. Michael''s one of the greatest artists of our time, and perhaps in the top five ever," the Daily Express quoted him as saying.

"My work will get inside his life and how he became the biggest pop culture figure since the other King - Elvis.

"As far as his denial about my claims regarding his medical condition, I challenge Michael to undergo a full medical exam which I''m willing to pay for. This can easily clear everything up," he added. (ANI)