Vitamin Supersell
Many people have the misconception that drug companies oppose the use of dietary supplements because they want people to take their prescription medications. This idea is countered by the reality that drug companies are the primary sources of vitamins and other substances being sold as dietary supplements. Hoffmann-La Roche’s attitude on consumer protection was challenged by Kurt Youngmann in the following letter to Irwin Lerner, President and CEO, written on May 16, 1992: Dear Mr. Lerner: A quote in the latest issue of Nutrition Forum attributed to your Mr. Anthony Iannarone is, if accurate, the most appalling and cynical comment that I have ever encountered from anyone in the legitimate health care industry. He is quoted as saying in part “…neither government agencies nor industry, …
Continue Reading >Sham Nutritionists and Nutrition Diploma Mills
Sham nutritionists are practitioners who hold themselves out to the public as qualified in nutrition and dietetics, but who do not practice on the basis of nutrition science or standards of conduct observed by ethical practitioners. Sham nutritionists are characterized by : Their use of bogus credentials to feign expertise Their use of invalid methods of health or nutrition assessment; Their inappropriate prescription practices. [See Jarvis, “Recognizing today’s nutrition quacks,” Nutrition & the MD, 1985;11:(12):1-2)] Sham nutritionists generally obtain their credentials from certification or diploma mills. The Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education defined a diploma or degree mill as “an organization that awards degrees without requiring its students to meet educational standards for such degrees established and traditionally followed by reputable institutions. A …
Continue Reading >Shark Liver Oil
Shark liver oil (aka, “squalene” when used topically) has been used as a folk medicine to aid in wound healing by Norwegian fisherman for many years. In the 1950s, researcher and physician Astrid Brohult used shark liver oil in her work at a children’s hospital in Sweden. She believed that shark liver oil increased the number of white cells for patients being treated by radiation, had an inhibitory effect on the growth of tumor cells, and reduced radiation injuries. Although her claims were unconfirmed by independent research, Brohult arranged to have a Swedish company, Halsoprodukter (Health Products), produce a shark liver oil preparation under the name Ecomer. The National Swedish Board of Health and Welfare permitted Ecomer to be marketed as a “natural product” for …
Continue Reading >Frank Weiwel
Frank Wiewel first came to the attention of NCAHF as the head of the IAT Patients Association (IATPA), which he operated using the address of Box 10, Otho, Iowa. “IAT” stands for “Immunoaugmentative Therapy,” the name given a questionable cancer treatment advanced by zoologist Lawrence Burton, PhD. Burton, who originally operated in New York, moved his practice to the Bahamas to avoid the accountability required by United States consumer protection laws. With the help of New York Congressman Guy Molinari, IATPA was instrumental in getting the U.S. Congress’s Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) to investigate questionable cancer medicine [1]. Wiewel vigorously promoted IAT and portaryed it as a victim of a misguided medical/governmental cartel. However, Burton’s flight from legal accountability cast grave doubts upon his …
Continue Reading >Sunrider Not Trustworthy
The Sunrider International, a multilevel marketing corporation located in Orem, Utah since 1982 with headquarters in California since 1987, has been the subject of investigations, product seizures, and legal actions. “The Sunrider Story” is that ancient Chinese priests who were developers of the martial arts discovered special herbs that would increase endurance, mental alertness, energy, and healing. Company founder Tei Fu Chen claimed to be the inheritor of this legacy. Chen claimed to be a doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine, to have a degree in pharmacology, and to be a licensed pharmacist in California. Revelations of Sunrider’s misrepresentations began in February, 1988, when Salt Lakes City’s KSL-TV did a feature story exposing false claims. Chen claimed to have “conducted biochemical research and taught a Brigham …
Continue Reading >Wheatgrass Therapy
The notion that wheatgrass can benefit serious disease sufferers was conceived by Ann Wigmore, a Boston area resident. Wigmore (1909-94) was born in Lithuania and raised by her grandmother who, according to Wigmore, gave her an unwavering confidence in the healing power of nature. Wigmore believed in astrology, and described herself (a Pisces) as a dreamer who saw life from the spiritual viewpoint to the neglect of the physical. Wigmore’s theory on the healing power of grasses was predicated upon the Biblical story of Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar who spent seven insane years living like a wild animal eating the grass of the fields. Because he recovered, Wigmore presumed that the grasses had cured his insanity. [The Bible says that a prescribed seven years of insanity …
Continue Reading >“Thermogenic” Products
Supplement promoters have created a new marketing term, “thermogenics,” which literally means “heat generation.” The idea is that these products alter the metabolism in a way that causes the body to use more energy. The effect is a more energetic you, and accompanying weight loss. These products tend to be alike in their active ingredients, although some variations are seen. The following analysis was done on one product, ThermoChrome 5000. The information is useful for judging similar products. NCAHF advises consumers to read the labels of products. Information is often available on ingredients not covered below. NCAHF advises caution on the use of thermogenic products (see the NCAHF Position Paper on OTC Herbal Remedies (1995). Ingredients listed in the brochure for ThermoChrome 5000 include Ma …
Continue Reading >Notes on Starlight International’s Products
Starlight International is a multilevel marketing company that claims to be based upon a “holistic approach to wellness.” However, its product literature denigrates the concepts of eating a balanced diet, and aggressively promotes the idea that supplements–especially its own brand–are necessary for good health. Following are assessments of claims, products, and ingredients. Starlight International is located at 80 Garden Court, Ste l00, Monterey, CA, 93940. ALERT! Vitalizing Formula. A company handout provided by a distributor, in a paragraph headed “Managing Our Energy Needs,” wrongly states that sugar in candy has a stimulating effect on the body. This is a pop-nutrition myth. Sugar has no stimulating effect. In fact, the opposite is true. Sugar provides glucose for the brain. This results in a protein-sparing effect that …
Continue Reading >Julian Whitaker, M.D.
NCAHF receives many requests for information on Julian Whitaker, MD, of California. Questions are generated by his mass mailings of magazines extolling himself as “America’s #1 health champion,” “America’s leading advocate of a safer, gentler approach to better health,” and America’s leading ‘wellness doctor’.” NCAHF found several red flags among Whitaker’s promotions. NCAHF warns consumers to beware of self-promoters who attack other medical programs while extolling themselves. Whitaker asks people to trade their trust in the medical establishment for a trust in him. We have only his own self-serving assurances that he is worthy of such singular trust. Self-promotions are biased. In fact, NCAHF has received complaints from Whitaker’s former patients. You can be sure that you will never read about them in any of …
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