(LifeWire) - A carnival huckster selling snake oil and other cure-alls may seem like an image from the past, but a new type of salesman is now operating on a much larger stage.
"This has been going on for hundreds of years, with charlatans selling nostrums in the circus," says Maurie Markman, M.D., vice president for clinical research at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. "A traveling salesman in 1850 going door-to-door -- that individual could potentially do a lot of harm. But what's different now is the Internet."
In today's wired world, the opportunities for scams like phony cancer cures are virtually limitless. A simple Internet search using the words "cancer cure" yields an online sideshow of apricot seeds, "miracle water," herbal tea and other treatments claiming to treat cancer.
None of this has escaped the notice of the FDA, which in June of 2008 sent warning letters to 25 companies and individuals, requesting they stop marketing their products as treatments for cancer. The warning letters are the first step to enforcement action, which may include seizure of illegal products and criminal prosecution.
"Although promotions of bogus cancer 'cures' have always been a problem, the Internet has provided a mechanism for them to flourish," says Margaret O'K. Glavin, the FDA's associate commissioner for regulatory affairs, in a press release dated June 17, 2008. "These warning letters are an important step to ensure that consumers do not become the victim of false 'cures' that may cause greater harm to their health."
The FDA release also identifies several products -- including shark cartilage, ellagic acid, cesium, coral calcium and various mushrooms -- as fake cancer treatments and urges patients to talk with their doctor about ending their use of these products.
Finding the Fakes
The temptation to try an unproven cancer treatment can be overwhelming. "This is normal human behavior in desperate situations," says Dean Brenner, M.D., an oncologist and professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School, adding that some people "have difficulty separating truth from fiction in fancy advertising."
Markman agrees: "People in desperate situations, with illnesses including cancer, are very susceptible." Parents of sick children, he notes, are especially vulnerable. "It's a particular problem in childhood cancer."
There are several ways to spot a fake cancer cure. According to Quackwatch, a nonprofit group dedicated to ferreting out bogus health services and products, marketers of phony medical treatments tend to use tactics like the following:
- Claiming their products are "natural," "organic" or "alternative"
- Appealing to vanity, both physical and emotional
- Associating their products with proven, legitimate practices ("works best when combined with regular exercise")
- Turning customers into salespeople, through testimonials or multilevel marketing
- Using fear and "invented" illnesses
- Offering false hope, especially for serious illnesses
- Discrediting respected institutions like the FDA, doctors and medical groups
- Adding special offers like a "free 6-month supply" for customers who order products
An Issue of Trust
Consumers can protect themselves from phony cancer treatments by following a few simple precautions. "Question the source," advises Markman. "Question the legitimacy of what they're selling. Ask why their treatment is only available in Russia or Tijuana or the Bahamas. Why is it not available in the United States?"
By far a patient's best resource is his or her doctor. When considering any kind of treatment outside conventional therapies, experts always advise consulting first with your medical practitioner. Patients should remember that alternative treatments like herbal supplements may interact with prescribed medication. This can reduce the effectiveness of medication or cause serious side effects. But, as Markman points out, "Often patients don't talk to their doctors about what they're doing."
"A lot of patients are reluctant to talk to their doctors because they're afraid they'll disapprove of them," Brenner adds. Some fear their doctors will abandon them, he says, and "some are just defiant."
"There has to be a fundamental trust between a doctor and a patient," Brenner says. "At the end of the day, it really boils down to the amount of trust you put in a medical professional. Find somebody you're gonna trust."
Sources:
Barrett, S., M.D. Quackwatch.org. 20 Jan. 2005. Quackwatch.org. 5 Aug. 2008.
Dean Brenner, M.D., University of Michigan Medical School. Telephone interview. 5 Aug. 2008.
"FDA Warns Individuals and Firms to Stop Selling Fake Cancer 'Cures'." fda.gov. 17 Jun. 2008. Food and Drug Administration. 1 Aug. 2008.
Maurie Markman, M.D., Vice President for Clinical Research, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Telephone interview. 1 Aug. 2008.
