FDA CHARGES

lisa39

Just read a news story about the Federal Trade Commission charging 5 companies with "making false or misleading claims about cancer cures."

They are:  Omega Supply in San Diego, Calif.  Native Essence Herb Company, El Prado, NM, Daniel Chapter One - Portsmouth, RI , Gemtronics Inc. - Franklin, NC and Herbs for Cancer - Surprise, AZ

The story says that the FTC and the FDA are launching a public awareness campaign to let people know "there is no credible scientific evidence that any product marketed by these companies can prevent, cure or treat cancer of any kind."  Please understand I'm not putting this up because I'm opposed to alternative treatments.  I'm not.  But I think there are disreputable companies out there and I just wanted to get the word out.

Lisa  

FloridaLady

The questions is...What proof dose the FDA have.  All these companies they have to do is to say, it could help with your cancer treatment.  FDA immediately jumps on them.  It's sad that there are bad people out there willing to hurt cancer patients...but I don't trust the FDA to make that call.  They have made good alternative treatments illegal in the country for to long.

Flalady

Anonymous

I could be wrong, but I don't think there are any "illegal" alternative treatments out there because the FDA only regulates prescribed medications, and generally not herbs, except in the case when they have been proven harmful.  but questionalbe treatments like bchelation therapy, etc are not illegal as far as I know.  Of course false advertising can get you in trouble because that could be considered fraud, but the problem is that for the most part there is no regulation of alternative medicines, which means there are a lot of unregulated but worthless treatments being sold to the public.  I think its good the FDA is trying to get the word out.  In the end, its buyer beware.

FloridaLady

Sorry...I do know many people are using black market items that the FDA does not want in American. Laetrile is just one of them...  Who is the FDA to say what is questionable? Because big pharm don't make? Because doctors will not continue the research on natural herbs that they can't duplicate artificial.  FDA approves chemo that only work for less than 10% of the population.  Read how drug trials work.  It will shock you what is released to the public.  I'm not talking about just cancer trials.  And drug released needs to only work for 10% of the public.

Buyer beware of the FDA.  Both systems are broke...do you own research and get educated. I was prescribed Lyrica like many others...research show you can make you grow tumors?  I don't need anymore thank you.  I wish we really did have someone who was protecting us with, but it's not the FDA.  They showed how many employees got kick backs from big Pharm. recently on TV.

Flalady

Sassa

35 years with the FDA, 25 in the medical device and drug approval areas, - how do I get those kickbacks?  I could use a few more cruises.

By the way, clinical trials of laetrile in the early 70's showed not only did it not help cancer patients, but actually caused severe problems from the naturally occurring cyanide in the apricot pits.

FloridaLady

There is plenty of information out there with the flaws of how FDA did this trial and many other when in comes to alternative treatments.  If no big money is behind it... they go no where.  Another example..High does IV C, it is back in the news as possible good tx.  Other countries have known this for 50 years.  Why are we still playing the game of more testing?  And Yes, the there were kick backs documented early this year...sorry you missed them. A cruises would be nice... I not saying all the work the FDA does is bad. I'm just say that it is another government agency that is big and powerful, but not being monitored by outside people. I'm sorry I have big brother all over my business...I want to be big brother to the industries where our tax dollars go and do not have a good track record.

Please show me proof where chemo is working on recurrences?  I would say less than 2% of patients who have disease that can not be cut out with surgery, will continue with their disease.  Chemo is working for so few with recurrences.  How do we know it is working for the first rounds of chemo?  They gives us chemo after surgery...how do they know there are any cancer cells to attach to.  Maybe some...maybe not.  So there is no real proof that chemo after surgery is really helping prolong remission? They just saying that girls are living long. It is also proven most of us did more surgery that necessary because we don't want a recurrences.  Is this why girls are staying a live longer and reaching remission and not the early chemo?  Yes chemo can prolong life for some, and that wonderful but this is by know means a Great fix for most of us. They are not looking for the CURE...but living with the disease...what a Great GOAL! I don't think so.

Flalady

wishiwere

I think the big stink here was those companies that say they can CURE cancer or prevent it when it's not proven.  IF they can cure it, where are the stats? Where's the research?  If they can prevent it, same thing.  I don't want to just believe, b/c a few people advertise for them. Surely they are getting paid like any do for their advertising work.

If they would just publish their work and follow normal protocol for said work, then maybe they wouldn't be in this situation of having to be shut down for false advertising. I think that is the entire reason behind this.  False advertising to people in dire straights.

There are reason to use herbs and reasons not to.  Some great, so really bad.  We just need more testing and someone has to do that before it can be advertised as a cure.

FloridaLady

Who will be paying for the testing is the whole problem.  Who paying for the research now...big pharm.  Pharm. will not pay for research on something they can not patient.  You can not patient a natural products.  Pharm. average sales are in the billions their profit is in the millions... The only people who are doing anything thing, are small college labs that are doing it on their own. Everyone needs to study the Pharm and how there stock is controlled my Wall Street.  The major stock holders are doctors, we are talking big business.  You do not find this any where in the world like it is in the US. Why?   Second part of this...Insurance does not pay for anything natural...why would doctor prescribe medicine that is not covered for most people? When we get insurance to change than we can get doctor to change also. Hopefully...

I have worked with a small company that has two wonderfully cutting edge medical devices that can not afford the millions of dollars to have it tested to satisfy the FDA. Neither would cause harm to anyone who uses them, but they still have to spend all this money to be in the game. The products are on their shelves still.  In the mean time a Chinese company is coping the product.  They will have the money to play the game.

I spent my life in working with businesses who were trying to bring their products to the markets.  If you can't play against the big dogs....your dead in the water.  It's about BUSINESS not about the public's health.  This is not black and white that it all about the research.  I've done trials they are a joke, it destroyed my hands and feet for a drug that Germany knew was useless five years before. Thank you FDA for protecting me from useless research.  Until you have to do one or your love one keep having hope in this process.

Flalady