Anyone with cancer or a loved one with cancer knows the full range of emotions that can naturally accompany the disease, including hope, fear, sadness, and desperation. Unfortunately, unscrupulous criminals are preying on people at their most vulnerable moments in life by offering false treatments and fake cures for cancer. The Internet has made it even easier for criminals to launch their false claims.
Fake cancer products run the full spectrum of product types, from pills, creams, and teas, to salves, dietary supplements, and “all natural” products. On top of not curing or treating cancer, some of the fraudulent products may actually harm you!
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) offers the following tips to help keep you safe:
• Safe medical treatments and products are tested in clinical trials and must be FDA approved before they are marketed to consumers.
• Be aware of products with a “no-risk” “money-back” guarantee.
• Stay clear of products that make grand claims to cure an incurable disease or serious symptoms quickly.
• Avoid products that require advance payment or have “limited availability.”
• Recognize unproven research and unverified testimonials from alleged doctors or patients as lies.
It is important to know the difference between fake medications and legitimate investigational drugs. Investigational drugs undergo rigorous clinical testing to see if they are safe and effective for patients. Investigational drugs may be used outside of clinical trials in select instances, but only under the close supervision of a doctor. Fake medications are never tested in clinical trials and do not receive the scrutiny of the FDA before they are approved for safe and effective patient use.
As difficult as it may seem to fathom how the criminals can be so cruel, the bottom line is that the thieves that are producing and selling the fake cancer cures do not care about you or your health. They are simply preying on human vulnerability. These crooks just want one thing-- your money.