Category: Politics and Regulation

Dubious for-profit stem cell clinics: Co-opting ClinicalTrials.gov as a marketing tool

Over twenty years ago, cancer quack Stanislaw Burzynski pioneered the abuse of the clinical trial process as a marketing tool to sell his antineoplastons. Now, for-profit stem cell clinics are using ClinicalTrials.gov as a marketing tool for their unproven therapies by listing dubious and scientifically worthless trials in this government database. What can be done?

/ June 17, 2019

Walmart sued for deceiving customers in selling homeopathic remedies

A lawsuit claiming Walmart fraudulently deceives consumers in the sale of worthless homeopathic remedies has been filed by the Center for Inquiry (CFI), acting on behalf of the general public. CFI says co-mingling ineffective homeopathic products with science-based treatments on Walmart's pharmacy shelves and website misleads customers into thinking they are equivalent, when "there is not a shred of credible scientific evidence"...

/ June 6, 2019

The FDA’s accelerated drug approval program is failing to protect cancer patients

Drug approval is a process that should be and, for the most part, is rooted in rigorous science. However, there is always a countervailing pressure to approve new drugs rapidly, particularly in cancer. That's why the FDA created the accelerated approval program in the early 1990s. Unfortunately, increasingly this approval process appears to be failing us in oncology. Reform is needed.

/ June 3, 2019
Thermography

FDA should pull the plug on thermography

The FDA says there's no good evidence that thermography can reliably screen for breast cancer or any other disease. Instead of pursuing the unlawful promotion of thermography for breast cancer detection on a case-by-case basis, the FDA should pull the plug on thermographic devices.

/ May 23, 2019

Chronic Lyme disease: Fake diagnosis, not fake disease

Believe it or not, an encounter on Twitter actually changed Dr. Gorski's mind. Chronic Lyme disease is a fake diagnosis, not a fake disease.

/ May 20, 2019

FDA: No CBD in dietary supplements or foods for now, but let’s talk

The FDA reminds everyone that (no matter what your state says) CBD is not a legal ingredient in dietary supplements and foods. The agency is willing to explore changes to the law but unproven claims for CBD health benefits, such cancer cures, will not be tolerated.

/ May 9, 2019

Deception by omission: Del Bigtree’s ICAN calls the studies licensing MMR into question

Del Bigtree's antivaccine group Informed Consent Action Network issued a press release questioning the data used to license the MMR vaccine, with Bigtree claiming on a recent episode of his vlog Highwire that it causes significant GI issues that the FDA "covered up." As usual, Bigtree is deceiving by omission.

/ May 6, 2019

Maine considers protecting quacks from accountability to regulators and patients

The Maine Legislature is considering a bill that would put quacks beyond the reach of state healthcare regulatory authorities and leave patients without effective redress for harms.

/ April 25, 2019

New FDA rule cracks down on compounded drug ingredients

A new FDA rule will require evidence of safety and effectiveness for substances used in compounded drugs, alarming naturopaths and integrative physicians. Experts have recommended that a number of naturopathic compounding favorites be banned.

/ April 11, 2019

Australia’s Chiropractic Board bans spinal manipulation for children under two pending evidence review

Chiropractic Board of Australia interim policy prohibits spinal manipulation of children under two years old pending expert review of evidence by health authorities. Given the lack of evidence supporting chiropractic treatment of children, it should be banned.

/ March 28, 2019