The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is cautioning
consumers not to purchase fraudulent products (tablets, teas, tonics, black
salves and creams) that claim to prevent or cure various cancers.
The heath agency said it had already sent warning letters to
23 U.S.
companies, 1 Canadian, and 1 Australian company asking them to stop selling
some 125 products promoted for curing, treating, or preventing cancer.
David Elder, director of FDA’s Office of Enforcement in the
Office of Regulatory Affairs, said the FDA has not even approved these products
and their selling is “unkind to the patient who is seeking help.”
The FDA cited some of the most fraudulent claims found on
these products’ labels: “Treats all forms of cancer,” “Causes cancer cells to
commit suicide!,” “80% more effective that the world’s number one cancer drug,”
“Skin cancer disappear,” “ Target cancer cells while leaving healthy cells
alone,” Shrinks malignant tumors,” “ Avoid painful surgery, radiotherapy,
chemotherapy, or other conventional treatment.”
Not only these products do not cure cancer like their labels
read, but they may be unsafe or might interfere with other cancer treatments,
or may be used instead of medically acceptable treatment. Moreover, the FDA
fears that patients with cancers might refuse seeking proper treatment using
instead these “miraculous” cures.
Many of the commercialized products are promoted on the
Internet and contain ingredients such as bloodroot, shark cartilage, coral
calcium, cesium, ellagic acid, Cat’s Claw, and herbal tea, and mushrooms such
as Agaricus Blazeii, Shitake, Maitake, and Reishi.
People already using such products are urged to immediately
talk to their doctor about interrupting their use and seek proper medical
attention if they’ve experienced any side effects while taking the products.
The FDA initiative is part of the agency’s effort, in
collaboration with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Canadian government
agencies, to prevent products from reaching consumers and follows consumer
complaints. Earlier this year, the FTC sent similar warning letter to 112
websites promoting deceitful products asking them to stop selling them.
The companies not complying with the warning letters are
subject to enforcement action up to including seizure of illegal products, injunction,
and possible criminal prosecution.