Beware False Cancer Cures
Products marketed as cancer cures are scams. The Food and Drug Administration has identified 23 companies inside the United States and two foreign that have been marketing so-called cancer prevention and cancer curing tablets, extracts, teas, tonics, salves and creams over the internet.
These products contain such homeopathic substances as bloodroot, shark cartilage, coral calcium, cesium, ellagic acid, Cat’s Claw, an herbal tea called Essiac, and various kinds of mushrooms.
Some common marketing pitches include:
• “Treats all forms of cancer.”
• “80% more effective than the world’s number one cancer drug.”
• “Skin cancers disappear.”
• “Target cancer cells while leaving healthy cells alone.”
• “Shrinks malignant tumors.”
• “Avoid painful surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or other conventional treatments.”
None of these products are approved to treat, cure, or prevent cancer. They are simply hoaxes, and dangerous ones at that, since taking off-label medication may interfere with a patient’s legitimate cancer treatment through drug-drug and drug-supplement interactions. Homeopathic products such as those listed above are not regulated like FDA-approved medications are, and may differ dramatically from lot to lot.
If you are self-medicating with any one of these products, consult your doctor immediately.
You can view the complete list of fake cancer cures here:
http://www.fda.gov/cder/news/fakecancercures.htm