FDA warns consumers, companies against bogus cancer ‘cures’

Twenty-three U.S. companies and two foreign individuals have received warning letters from the FDA regarding their manufacturing of products claiming to prevent, treat and cure cancer.

“Many patients are spending a lot of money, being caused distress, and are being taken away from their own environment to follow a fictitious ‘carrot’ of expensive and potentially false hopes,” Stephen Sagar, MD, vice president of the Society for Integrative Oncology, told HemOnc Today.

The warning letters were sparked by consumer complaints and an internet search for fraudulent cancer products conducted by the FDA, FTC and members of the Mexico-United States-Canada Health Fraud Working Group, according to a press release. The FDA is working with the FTC and government agencies in Canada to prevent these types of products from reaching consumers.

Consumers are advised not to use or purchase the products, which are currently flourishing on the internet. However, anyone currently using these products should talk to their health care providers about discontinuing use and seek medical attention to treat any adverse effects, the FDA suggested.

“If people put themselves at risk and pursue these alternative therapies, which are unproven and which likely do not work, they are potentially postponing effective therapies that could be the difference between being cured or not,” Donald Abrams, MD, director of clinical programs at the University of California at San Francisco Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, told HemOnc Today.

In collaboration with the Federal Trade Commission and government agencies in Canada, the FDA aims to prevent deceptive products from reaching consumers.

The products are currently in violation of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act due to their claims and unproven safety and efficacy for their labeled conditions of use, according to the press release.

False claims, serious dangers

The fake “cures” come in many forms such as teas, tonics, tablets, black salves and creams. The products contain ingredients like bloodroot, shark cartilage, coral calcium, cesium, ellagic acid, Cat’s Claw, Essiac (an herbal tea) and various mushrooms.

Claims made for these products include:

“Treats all forms of cancer.”
“Causes cancer cells to commit suicide!”
“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.”

Seizure of illegal products, injunction and possible criminal prosecution are potential enforcement actions taken against those who fail to resolve violations cited in warning letters.

“The primary concern is that there is potential for suffering on the part of the consumer,” Sagar said. “Patients with cancer would sell their house to get a potential cure, particularly when they are promised a cure with no toxicity. So, it is very appealing for patients to choose these treatments, but the fact of the matter is that they are being misled.”

The FDA urges health care providers to report any problems or complaints associated with the fraudulent products to MedWatch, the association’s voluntary reporting program.

“As a practicing integrative oncologist, this a big deal because patients are so dependent on the internet as a source of information and so much of what is out there is not proven or even provable,” Abrams said. – by Stacey L. Adams

For more information and a list of company names and products to avoid, visit the FDA’s website: http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/factsheets/fakecancercures.html.