Alkaline Diet, Organic Cancer Cure, and Vaccine Denialism: A Tale of 3 Quacks in the Age of Alternative Facts
Andrew Wakefield, the former-doctor disgraced by his many conflicts of interest, data fabrication, and ethical mis-deeds with regard to underage patients, has been back in the news lately with his ties to the Trump Administration. Wakefield helped launch the anti-vaccine movement with a fraudulent study linking the MMR vaccine to autism, and continues to endanger public health through sales of his books and movies, which strike a paranoid tone about the “medical industrial complex” and allege a wild array of conspiracies to promote vaccines. Science communication professionals have been battling these demons since LONG before the notion of “alternative facts.”
The consequences of using unproven “alternative” medical treatments are real. Expensive treatments for the easily-conned abound, chronic lyme, Morgellons, electromagnetic hypersensitivity; but cures for what is really ailing people: fatigue, pain syndromes, GI issues, sleep disturbances, and more, are few and far between.
While Wakefield is one of the most notable quacks, here are three other quacks regularly endangering public health with their consumer fraud, medical negligence, and more!
Belle Gibson, a 25-year old blogger from Australia profited wildly off of her claims to have cured her cancer with Ayurvedic medicine, oxygen therapy and a gluten and refined sugar-free diet- with a successful app and cookbook, both called The Whole Pantry. She was recently found guilty of breeching consumer protection laws. Australia is seeing epidemic levels of fake cancer cures, and 1000s of unnecessary deaths have been estimated this year. The timing of cancer detection (earlier is better!) and treatment is a critical determining factor for successful cancer treatment. Delaying conventional treatment while searching for an alternative cancer cure is a fatal mistake. The FDA lists over 187 fake cancer cures that are actively being marketed to victims.
“Dr.” Bob Sears promotes an alternate vaccine schedule (Pro Tip #1: there is no such thing as an alternate vaccine schedule. The vaccine schedule is based on empirical evidence and the most current epidemiology), and has influenced many parents not to vaccinate at all through his successful books. Measles — a disease that was completely eliminated in the United States 15 years ago — has captured national attention recently, thanks in part to outbreaks that can be traced directly back to Sear’s false claims (measles at Disneyland for example). He has made a fortune off of books aimed at convincing parents that getting the measles isn’t all that bad. Measles is a terrifying disease. It is nearly 100% contagious (spread through the air, just from BREATHING, not coughing).
What basis is there for “Dr.” Sears claim that measles complications are extremely rare? He provides none, and his claims contradict the data.
So, what are the data? Approximately 30% of reported measles cases have one or more complications. Complications of measles are most common among children younger than 5 years of age and adults 20 years of age and older.
I’ve seen the “Drs” argue that measles deaths can be prevented through modern sanitation and health practices alone. Measles deaths in France (yes, with modern sanitation, nutrition and medicine) were seen at a rate of 3/1000 in recent years. THOSE ARE NOT GOOD ODDS “DR.” SEARS!!!!!
Additionally, new evidence sheds light on a complication of measles that occurs many years after contracting the illness and is 100% fatal. 100%. FATAL. Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) was previously thought to only occur in 1/10,000 cases of measles, but this gem of way to die, by brain inflammation, was recently discovered to actually affect 1 out of every 600 babies that contract measles. ‘Dr.’ Bob Sears has recently been charged with negligence.
Robert Young, wrote the book “The pH Miracle,” which claims that diseases are caused by acidity in the blood and created the alkaline diet, a bogus eating regimen based on the idea that certain foods can adjust your body’s pH levels to become acidic (Pro tip #2: they can’t).
Young was convicted last year on two charges of practicing medicine without a license after it was discovered that he bought his doctorate from a correspondence school. He was also practicing medicine at his “pH Miracle Ranch” charging thousands of dollars for “alkaline treatment” which mainly consisted of baking soda administered intravenously. In 2011, the Medical Board of California discovered that none of the 15 cancer patients being treated at Young’s ranch outlived their prognosis. One woman even died from congestive heart failure after being given 33 intravenous sodium bicarbonate drips.
The age of “alternative facts” is particularly disturbing in light of the new White House administration’s dim view of regulation. The FDA is the main regulatory body in the USA that keeps consumers safe from health fraud scams. President Donald Trump used his first address to a joint session of Congress, to promise to “slash the restraints” put on drug development by the Food and Drug Administration and across the government so the quote “slow and burdensome (drug) approval process” doesn’t hinder medical advances. Among the conspiracy theories in regular rotation by President Trump is his insistence there is a connection between autism and vaccines. He has yet to appoint a science advisor. US science agencies face deep cuts under the proposed Trump budget. There’s no word yet specifically on FDA’s funding under Trump. But the FDA’s bureaucratic parent, the Department of Health and Human Services, would see its overall budget cut by 18% under Trump’s financial plan, or a loss of about $15 billion from current funding levels.
